Probiotic consortium technology (TCP) reduces nematodes in soybean, corn

By Leonardo Gottems, Reporter for AgroPages

Recent studies confirmed that the use of the Probiotic Consortium Technology (TCP) in agriculture provided nutrients that were absent in the soil, increasing the production of soybeans and corn by up to 18%. “The possibilities are great for this technology developed in Brazil,” said the manufacturer, Global Saúde.

Ongoing studies are showing that with TCP, it is possible to further reduce nematodes and increase the populations of trichoderma and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

“Our idea is to demonstrate that TCP can be very useful in any type of soil, under any climate and for different types of cultivation,” said Rafael Paiva, one of those responsible for testing the technology in Brazil.

The probiotic consortium technology is characterized as a “perfect ecosystem,” where the ingredients, the microorganisms present, do not compete with each other. On the contrary, this combination of microorganisms produce metabolites, such as organic acids, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and sugars. These solutions multiply the beneficial microorganisms when they act directly on existing organic matter, recovering and restoring the environment in which they are applied.

“We have studies underway on soybeans with some reference institutions in Brazil, such as the MT Foundation, Rio Verde Foundation, MS Integration and Foundation Chapadão. In addition, there are studies conducted by soil and soy specialists who are references on the subject in Brazil, such as Silvano Abreu and Antônio Luiz Fancelli,” Global Saúde explained.

According to the manufacturer, there are also studies on sugar cane by the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), a related Brazilian reference. In this case, TCP's actions against fungi and nematodes are being researched, stating, “The fungi study is undergoing its final stage of the dissertation, but we already know that we can control Colletotrichum falcatum, a fungus that causes considerable damage to the culture of sugarcane in Brazil. The official results will come out soon.”

“Currently, we are in the middle of the experiment with nematodes. We have already obtained positive empirical results, but without statistical analysis. We also looked for the scientific basis of the data to prove what we already know empirically. In another month or two, we will have the scientific results of this experiment on sugarcane,” pointed out Global Saúde.

“As TCP is a microbiome, this ecosystem interacts with soil microorganisms, helping them to multiply and producing secondary metabolites, in addition to stimulating the production of phytohormones. We have already done an ‘in house’ analysis of this interaction and found an increase in trichoderma and rhizobium, bacteria that we have in our composition. That is why we sought out the institutes, to explain why these interactions and the results of increased production,” the company added.

According to Rafael Paiva, more than five thousand hectares are being tested in the main producing regions of Brazil and also in Paraguay. “Our idea is to gradually make this technology available to companies and producers in the agribusiness sector starting in 2021,” he said.