Nitrogen fixation

Secrets of soil-enriching pulses could transform future of sustainable agriculture

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

Pulses, the edible dry seeds of legume plants, are staple foods in the diets of both people and livestock around the world.

Key Points: 
  • Pulses, the edible dry seeds of legume plants, are staple foods in the diets of both people and livestock around the world.
  • High in protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals, pulses play a fundamental role in nutritious healthy diets.
  • Pulses can also be stored for extended periods without affecting their nutritional content.

The magic inside root nodules

  • Some 100 million years ago, legumes developed the natural ability to house beneficial bacteria inside dedicated structures called root nodules.
  • With that knowledge, we hope to find ways to increase the efficiency of nitrogen fixation inside the root nodules and maximise the growth and yield of legume crops.

Beneficial bacteria

  • My research group is investigating how legumes can engage with beneficial bacteria and avoid disease-causing microbes.
  • While bacteria like the rhizobia in these root nodules help plants source nutrients, other soil microbes including bacteria and fungi could cause disease and prevent plants from converting as much nitrogen.
  • So the plant must have a defence mechanism that keeps disease-causing microbes at bay.
  • This may also prevent it from fully engaging with beneficial bacteria.


Sebastian Schornack receives funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations. He is also listed as an inventor on a patent filed by the University of Cambridge on a gene that seems to limit nitrogen fixation.

Pivot Bio Presents 14 Abstracts on Its Breakthrough Crop Nutrition Technology at Industry’s Leading Research Conference

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, November 15, 2023

The company's researchers, alongside independent scientists substantiating Pivot Bio's innovative products, shared their findings across 14 abstracts, delivered in the form of both posters and oral presentations, highlighting the latest pre-publication research verifying the mode of action and performance of Pivot Bio’s microbial nitrogen.

Key Points: 
  • The company's researchers, alongside independent scientists substantiating Pivot Bio's innovative products, shared their findings across 14 abstracts, delivered in the form of both posters and oral presentations, highlighting the latest pre-publication research verifying the mode of action and performance of Pivot Bio’s microbial nitrogen.
  • The research presented focused on Pivot Bio’s PROVEN® 40, a breakthrough product offering a microbial source of nitrogen specifically designed for corn crops.
  • “The recent findings presented at the ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting underscore our dedication to science-driven, farmer-centric solutions,” said Dan Poston, VP of Field Research & Development, at Pivot Bio.
  • It was an opportunity to bridge the gap between research and real-world farming, emphasizing the importance of science-based solutions in addressing the challenges of modern agriculture.

Synthetic biology market size to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, the evolving regulatory framework around synthetic biology is the market trend - Technavio

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 13, 2023

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global synthetic biology market size is estimated to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global synthetic biology market size is estimated to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio.
  • The evolving regulatory framework around synthetic biology is a key trend in the market.
  • Therefore, the evolving regulatory framework for synthetic biology is expected to promote investments, foster innovation, and ensure the safety and efficacy of synthetic biology products, which, in turn, will support market growth during the forecast period.
  • The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth of the global synthetic biology market.

Synthetic biology market size to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, North America is estimated to account for 42% of the growth - Technavio

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 4, 2023

NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global synthetic biology market size is estimated to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global synthetic biology market size is estimated to grow by USD 28.25 billion from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio.
  • Based on geography, the global synthetic biology market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW).
  • The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth of the global synthetic biology market.
  • North America is estimated to account for 42% of the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

Syngenta Sharpens Biologicals Focus With Launch of First Biologicals Service Center for Seed Treatment

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 16, 2023

Syngenta Seedcare is strengthening its focus on biologicals and extending its leadership in seed treatment with the opening of its first biologicals service center at The Seedcare Institute in Maintal, Germany.

Key Points: 
  • Syngenta Seedcare is strengthening its focus on biologicals and extending its leadership in seed treatment with the opening of its first biologicals service center at The Seedcare Institute in Maintal, Germany.
  • “Our leadership in biological innovation and seed treatment is built on our ability to constantly enhance and adapt our service offers,” said Jonathan Brown, Global Head Seedcare.
  • “This new biologicals service centre enables the successful use of biologicals as seed-applied solutions through shared practical knowledge and resources.
  • The biologicals service center in Maintal offers specialized expertise to support the application of new biological seed treatments.

Want to know how you'll be eating in 2050? New platform highlights the game-changing innovations shaping the future of food

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, September 23, 2023

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Crop fertilizer produced in a plasma reactor, beef from low-methane cattle, and electricity generated from manure are among 30 "best-bet" food-related innovations showcased on the Food Systems Tech online platform – launched today – as part of a collaboration between the Dutch "think-and-do tank" Clim-Eat, and the Bezos Earth Fund.

Key Points: 
  • "Innovation is critical to the future of food," said Andy Jarvis, director of the Bezos Earth Fund's Future of Food program.
  • "The challenge of transforming our food systems to feed 10 billion people within planetary boundaries is, quite frankly, immense.
  • Until now, there has been no easy, centralized way to check in on the most promising food systems innovations under development.
  • It acts as a bridge connecting scientists and decision makers to support evidence-based policymaking in the areas of climate change and food.

Grace Breeding’s NFT Bio-Fertilizer Receives its First European Product Registration Approval in Austria for Use in Wheat and Corn

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023

REHOVOT, Israel, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grace Breeding Ltd. (the "Company" or "Grace Breeding") (TASE: GRAC), a forward-thinking AgClimateTech company developing sustainable biological-based products to improve crop yield and vigor, today announced that it received product registration approval in Austria by the Austrian Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) for its innovative NFT bio-fertilizer, to be marketed as a “soil improver” product, for use in wheat and corn under the brand name “Addir™.” This represents the Company’s first product registration approval in the European Union (EU) and enables Grace Breeding to obtain rapid Mutual Recognition registrations in other EU countries, including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain.

Key Points: 
  • “We are extremely proud to receive our first product registration for our proprietary bio-fertilizer, Addir, in Europe, which comes not long after our initial product registration in Brazil last month,” said Assaf Dotan, CEO of Grace Breeding.
  • “In Hebrew, ‘Addir’ means ‘strong one’, which is a testament to how our product works as a bio-fertilizer to grow hearty plants and to strengthen root systems and other parts of the plant.
  • However, our natural fertilizer does so by relying on less amounts of urea, the byproducts of which are harmful to the environment.
  • The use of a bio-fertilizer like Addir, which makes use of nitrogen fixation, leads to reduced use of urea and consequently lower carbon emissions, which is crucial for slowing damage to the environment.

BioConsortia Launches Largest Field Trials Program in Its History and Announces Closing of Financing Round

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 18, 2023

BioConsortia, Inc. today announces implementation of its largest proprietary field trials program to date, with hundreds of tests planned or already underway for the 2023 field season.

Key Points: 
  • BioConsortia, Inc. today announces implementation of its largest proprietary field trials program to date, with hundreds of tests planned or already underway for the 2023 field season.
  • These field trials are the final development stage of the company’s new products for nitrogen fixation, nematode control, disease control and plant biostimulation.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230418006230/en/
    Photo shows a wheat field trial of BioConsortia's nitrogen-fixing microbes testing for increased yields with reduced synthetic fertilizer applications.
  • BioConsortia also announces it has recently closed an internal financing round sufficient to take it through its next value inflection point.

BioConsortia, Inc. to Present Industry-leading Innovations at Upcoming Sustainable Ag Conferences in Europe and Brazil

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 13, 2023

SVP Business Development Sarah Reiter will participate in New Ag International’s Annual Conference on Cutting Edge Innovation in Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition in Barcelona on April 18 and 19.

Key Points: 
  • SVP Business Development Sarah Reiter will participate in New Ag International’s Annual Conference on Cutting Edge Innovation in Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition in Barcelona on April 18 and 19.
  • BioConsortia’s CEO, Marcus Meadows-Smith, will participate in the BioAg World Congress in Rio de Janeiro May 2 through 5.
  • In Barcelona, Ms. Reiter will present “Nitrogen-fixing Microbials – a beneficial breakthrough for growers and the planet” on Wednesday, April 19 at 1:50PM.
  • BioConsortia, Inc. develops superior microbial products that protect plants, enhance fertility, and increase yields while improving the sustainability of agriculture for our environment.

Biofertilizers Market worth $5.2 billion by 2028 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 4, 2023

CHICAGO, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biofertilizers Market is estimated at USD 3.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 5.2 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2023 to 2028 according to a report published by MarketsandMarkets™.

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biofertilizers Market is estimated at USD 3.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 5.2 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2023 to 2028 according to a report published by MarketsandMarkets™.
  • Due to the rise in modern agriculture techniques, precision farming and protected agriculture the global biofertilizers market is projected to grow at a robust growth rate.
  • Increasing demand for packaged organic and sustainably sourced food products, especially in urban areas, is further fueling the growth of the market.
  • These are the factors which are considered to drive the market for the phosphate solubilizing and mobilizing biofertilizers.