New Japanese technology with Bacillus subtilis to control nematodes launched in Brazil

By Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages

Brazilian company Biotrop recently announced a new biological nematicide called Furatrop that combines Japanese Hayai technology and the CNPSo2657 strain of Bacillus subtilis, and reduces damage to soybean and several other crops.

The use of Furatrop can increase soybean productivity by up to 4.7 bags per hectare (ha), in addition to reducing losses inflicted by nematodes.

According to the manufacturer, Furatrop has an “unprecedented and exclusive formulation”, which works faster than other products in the market. In addition to soy, it is suitable for several crops, such as corn, tomatoes, beans, sugarcane and cotton among others.

“One of the main benefits of the product is Hayai technology, derived from an ancient Japanese practice of solid fermentation, the largest ever made outside of Japan, which allows rapid action against the target due to the high load of metabolites and organic compounds in its composition,” Biotrop said.

According to Jonas Hipolito, marketing and strategy manager at Biotrop, the bacteria is multiplied in a semi-solid medium similar to the soil, which is why it is activated much faster in the rhizosphere, in addition to concentrating many more metabolites during the fermentation process and delivering results that last longer in the environment, resulting in more profitability. “This is undoubtedly a milestone for combating nematodes with biologicals,” he stated.

Furatrop's exclusive strain of Bacillus subtilis (CNPSo 2657) has been the subject of scientific studies for more than 20 years. Technical support was essential in choosing the strain for Furatrop to manage phytomatomatoids, combining the massive production of biofilm, the action of enzymes and antibiotics on pathogens, and the activation of defense mechanisms of the plant itself. 

“There is a rapid activation of the endospores in active bacteria, their greater durability over time and consequently ample protection right at the beginning of root development,” Hipolito explained.

The product also accelerates germination with the initial development of the crop and has an important nutritional benefit. It generates more productive stability while helping the crop to respond to stress such as water deficit.

The bacteria present in Furatrop acts in three different ways. The first is through antiobiosis, acting directly on the nematodes (for example breaking the cell wall of the worm). The second is by competition, forming a protective biofilm in the roots of the plants that disorient the nematodes and forms a physical barrier that prevents them from reaching the roots. Finally, it acts in inducing the defense of plants, making them more resistant.

In addition to the effects on nematodes, Furatrop is a potent growth promoter that expands the volume of soil explored by plants, which improves the absorption of water and nutrients, and compensates for possible damage caused by phytopathogens.

Experiments with Furatrop in Jataí-GO, the soybean crop (harvest 2019/20), revealed that the control the product had over the nematode population was 53% higher than the bio-insumption of its market competitor. When it came to productivity, the results were also positive. The tested area obtained a 5% higher gain with Furatrop, which was four more bags of oilseed per hectare.

Evaluation of another 37 farms in different regions of Brazil surprisingly revealed an average increase in productivity of 4.7 bags/ha of soybeans.

“The return on investment for the producer is very good because, in addition to using a biological product with a positive effect on the environment, it controls a recurring problem throughout the national territory of nematodes, consequently contributing to new levels of productivity and profitability,” the manager pointed out.

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