Will gene editing, corporate consolidation bring agricultural revolution?

A new day is dawning for agriculture. When asked to describe the magnitude of the coming change, experts harken back to seminal advances such as the rise of mechanization, the invention of synthetic fertilizers. . .

Within the next five years. . . gene editing will transform seed and trait development across a wide variety of crops. A new generation of plants will be equipped to thrive in the face of yield-eating climate stress. . . .

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At the same time, the business of bringing new tools to market is changing, thanks to consolidation among major agriculture firms. . . . Dow Chemical’s planned merger with DuPont, ChemChina’s pending acquisition of Syngenta, and Bayer’s attempt to acquire Monsanto are reshaping the agricultural landscape.

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It’s too early to tell which innovations will make the most difference for yields—or who will control them. Big players such as DuPont, Bayer, and Monsanto point to new partnerships and their backing of a burgeoning start-up ecosystem as proof that they are capable of bringing powerful new ideas to fruition. But . . . many start-ups are convinced that the future belongs to the small and nimble.