Low-phytate, low-stachyose soybean lines for cleaner animal
This patent covers specific soybean breeding lines engineered to have higher sucrose content alongside significantly reduced levels of phytic acid and stachyose — two compounds that cause digestive problems and nutrient loss in both animals and humans. Phytic acid normally binds phosphorus in a form that animals cannot digest, requiring expensive enzyme additives (phytase) in feed and causing phosphorus-rich waste runoff. By reducing phytic acid naturally through breeding, these soybeans deliver more usable phosphorus to livestock without additives and produce less environmental pollution from animal excretion. The higher sucrose and lower stachyose profile also improves energy availability and reduces the gas-producing carbohydrates associated with soy consumption.
What you could build
A specialty soybean seed line sold to commercial seed companies or large feed ingredient suppliers, enabling them to market cleaner-label, additive-free animal feed ingredients; poultry and swine producers would be the primary end buyers due to their sensitivity to feed phosphorus levels.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia's significant poultry and swine industries, along with Chesapeake Bay phosphorus runoff regulations, make feed ingredient companies and agricultural cooperatives operating in the region plausible licensees or partners.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Mohammad A. Saghai Maroof, Glenn R. Buss
- Granted
- August 23, 2011
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8003856
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.