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Rizobacter: Innovation Leader in the Inoculant Industry

Rizobacter, a leading biological company, stands out for research into seed-applied biologicals, a key input for sustainable agriculture.

An inoculant is an industrial biopreparation developed to keep selected microorganisms alive and active. These microorganisms, called rhizobia, can fix atmospheric nitrogen in legumes. The use of inoculants, known as inoculation, is a key practice aimed at achieving good yields while taking care of the soil. The purpose of inoculation is to apply selected rhizobia to the roots of legumes, in large quantities and in an optimal physiological state, at an early stage of their growth. In the soil, inoculant bacteria generate structures called nodules which capture and store nitrogen from the air, reducing or replacing the need forto deliver selected rhizobia in large quantities and in an optimal physiological state to the roots of legumes at an early stage, when they generate structures called nodules and fix nitrogen from the air, replacing in most cases the application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

A key factor strategy in the development of inoculants is the selection of specific strains with a high  capacity for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) capacity. Of equal or greater important importance is the industrial process for making theseensuring the viability of these bacteria viable over time in a container, where they remain will be stored until ready for use. Inoculants can be applied to seeds or as an in-furrow treatment, being the most popular in use today. The global inoculant market is estimated to reach US$490 million in 2021, according to provisional data supplied by DunhamTrimmer.

Inoculants

Market Leader

Rizobacter is a company strongly focusing focused on biologicals, as well as and a leader in the inoculants market. , Inoculant is a key input for the development of legumes, as it can maximize biological nitrogen fixation. This natural process, which is achieved occurring when the specific bacteria act on the roots of plants to form nitrogen-fixing nodyules infecting and forming nodules, is the second most important process, that occurs on Earth after photosynthesis, that occurs in Earth’s biosphere. In this wayThrough nodulation, legumes can capture, from the air, between 40% and 80% of the nitrogen required forthey need their entire production cycle, directly from the air,. This processBiological fixation offers sustainability to farming systems, since it avoids exclusive dependence on the nitrogen reserves of the soil or on reliance on chemical fertilizers,  while it generating generates an excellent return on investment. Additionally, the fixed nitrogen can, in some cases, have a residual effect on the following crop. The maximization of theMaximizing BNF is undoubtedly an important tool for farmers, enabling them to practice agriculture with a lower carbon footprint, as it by reduces reducing the use of chemical fertilizers without sacrificing productivity.

Strong R&D Investment

Rizobacter has been researching and developing the most advanced inoculant technologies, whether solid or liquid, for the past 44over 40 years. Each year, it the company invests 30% of its profits in promoting new research and development projects to respond to diverse market needs. This business policy and a strong focus in biologicals enabled it to innovate at a higher rate than its main competitors. The company's differentiation in the inoculant business resides in its formulation technologies, which encompass the entire industrial process to obtain a product with previously selected strains, (due to their BNF capacity), in high concentrations and in excellent physiological conditions, ready for use and in a package that maximizes survival.

Inoculant Technology Portfolio

Within Rizobacter’s research linesinitiatives, achieving the higher survival and efficiency rates of rhizobia are key goals. The so-called Osmo-Protection Technology (TOP or OPT) is noteworthy, as it facilitates the high metabolic and physiological performance of the bacteria on which the inoculant is based, enabling them to better adapt to the diverse agricultural environments and to adverse situations during application. Products with this technology, such as Rizoliq TOP® and Osmium®, contain this technology, allowing allow better pre-treatment and, consequently, extra flexibility during sowingin planting.

Rizobacter also developed the first inoculant range utilizing bio-induction technology.  whoseIn Rizobacter’s flagship product, is Signum®. Biobio-induction generates molecular signals that activate in advance metabolic processes in that stimulate the relationship between the rhizobia and its host, resulting in earlier nodulations, even under suboptimal situationsconditions. Earlier nodulation results in leads to better nodule locations for the nodules on the main roots and a greater potential for the fixation ofcapturing atmospheric nitrogen. In the upstream segment, the line of long-life inoculants (LLI – Long-Life Inoculants) has revolutionized seed treatment, by enabling seed companies to treat seeds in advance before sowingwell before planting time, with sufficient time to cope withsimplifying the distribution logistics for pre-treated seed. The technology used in these inoculantsThis technology also allows the upstream application of rhizobia along in combination with fungicides, insecticides, biostimulants and polymers on the seed, improving the sowing planting operation, crop establishment and achieving an early BNF results. Through this technologyWith LLI – Long Life Inoculant, seed companies can offer high quality ready-to-use products.

trials

The Rizoliq LLI ® brand, present in products for chickpea, peanut and soybean, has become a reference in this segment. Unique product features,  in coordination with the unmatched pre and post-sales support of the Rizobacter team, are the drivers for the success of this technology. Improvements in the manufacturing and formulation processes due to the High Concentration technology will ensure a lower application rate and the highest bacterial concentration on seeds. This improvement responds to a global trend in the seed treatment market, which involves the application of more products on seeds. Rizobacter's constant investment in research enabled it to develop the HC formulation, comprising a range of specific active ingredients.