Hand in hand with Rizobacter and Syngenta, soybean takes off towards microbiology

Within the framework of a strengthening alliance, Syngenta has incorporated Rizoderma Soja (Soybean) technology into its seed treatment products portfolio. Tested for more than 10 years in different extensive crops, this biofungicide is gaining ground in Argentina and in the world.

Rizobacter and Syngenta took another step further in their alliance. After starting to distribute Rizoderma – the biological fungicide developed by Rizobacter and INTA– in the last winter cereals season, Syngenta has incorporated Rizoderma Soja (Soybean) technology into its seed treatment products portfolio.

It is a therapeutic formulation based on the Trichoderma Harzianum fungus, which has proven effective to control all seed and soil diseases that affect germination and initial development in soyabean crops. Tested for over a decade in extensive crops through a network of trials coordinated with area-based consultants, this seed treatment is positioned in the market as a biological and efficient alternative for pathogens control.

Because it is a biological fungicide, the control power of Rizoderma technology manifests in new mechanisms of action seeking to reduce the risks of disease tolerance and to achieve a greater persistence of control.

At the same time, it is a more sustainable technology that is harmless for the environment and the end user, as well as a strategy for the farmers to attain maximum emergency safety and achieve high crop yields.

Syngenta Argentina will take the first step in commercializing this new concept of seed protection. However, the potential for expansion and growth is much higher, since it includes markets -such as Europe- where the demand for biological inputs is increasing. As a reference, in Argentina alone, the growth rate of this technology has been greater than 120% year after year, covering over one million hectares of wheat in the last three years.

Rizoderma’s technology is currently registered for use as a biofungicide in wheat, soybean, and rice. It is presently awaiting approval for barley and winter legumes such as peas, lentils and chickpeas. It is the only product registered as a seed treatment biofungicide in Argentina.

Regarding insertion in the world, Rizoderma technology is already commercialized in Uruguay, Paraguay and Ukraine, while it is awaiting approval in the United States, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Europe, South Africa and Canada.