Fulcrum platform to be used for developing improved ornamental plant varieties
In a strategic move that broadens the scope of genome editing beyond food crops, Pairwise, a global innovator in agricultural biotechnology, has entered into a licensing agreement with Ball Horticultural Company, one of the world’s foremost breeders and distributors of ornamental plants. The partnership grants Ball access to Pairwise’s Fulcrum genome editing platform, marking its first application in ornamental horticulture.
The agreement includes a commercial option, enabling Ball to develop and potentially bring gene-edited ornamental varieties to global markets. By integrating Fulcrum tools into its research and development pipeline, Ball aims to accelerate the creation of plant varieties that combine enhanced sustainability, improved performance, and greater consumer appeal.
The license spans a significant portion of Ball’s extensive crop portfolio, covering popular ornamental species such as roses, petunias, hydrangeas, impatiens, begonias, dianthus, and more than 40 additional varieties. This development signals the entry of precision genome editing into the multi-billion-dollar ornamental plant sector, traditionally reliant on conventional breeding techniques.
Industry leaders see this collaboration as a convergence of deep genetic expertise and advanced biotechnology. Ball’s longstanding capabilities in plant breeding, when paired with Fulcrum’s precision editing tools, are expected to unlock new possibilities in trait development—ranging from enhanced color vibrancy and resilience to improved environmental adaptability.
At the core of this partnership is the Fulcrum platform, which comprises proprietary gene-editing enzymes, advanced toolkits, and trait libraries designed to enable targeted genetic modifications. Compared to traditional breeding methods, these capabilities significantly reduce development timelines while improving accuracy and predictability of outcomes.
For Pairwise, the agreement represents a key milestone in demonstrating the versatility of its technology across diverse crop systems. For Ball, it offers a pathway to innovate at scale in an increasingly competitive and consumer-driven global market.
As precision breeding technologies continue to evolve, this collaboration underscores a broader shift within plant science—where innovation is not only enhancing agricultural productivity but also redefining aesthetics, sustainability, and performance in ornamental horticulture.
