First inoculant analysis laboratory certified in Brazil

By Leonardo Gottems, Reporter for AgroPages

This year, the Soil Biotechnology Laboratory of Embrapa Soja (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) received certification as the first Brazilian public research laboratory capable of conducting inoculant analysis and identification of microorganisms.

Accreditation by ISO 17025: 2017 was granted by the Brazilian Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology). According to Embrapa, the certificate will positively affect the country's biological input market, confirming the sector's accelerating growth trend.

In the previous harvest alone, more than 70 million doses of inoculants were sold in Brazil. According to the Brazilian public research company, this will also open doors for the export of bio-inputs by the national industry.

The belief in the importance of biofuels to Brazilian agribusiness is growing every day. Solely through the inoculation of soybeans with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Brazil saves around US$14 billion annually.

“This achievement is relevant, because tests on the analysis of inoculants issued by a laboratory accredited to ISO 17025: 2017 are internationally recognized,” said Moisés de Aquino, Quality Manager at Embrapa Soja.

The Embrapa Soja Culture Collection started in 1991, at the initiative of researcher Mariangela Hungary. Since then, it has been a source of biotechnological assets for the development of various technologies, such as the inoculation of corn, wheat and pastures with brachiaria.

In 2014, the unit launched the “coinoculation” technology for soybean and bean seeds, which is a combined inoculation of rhizobia (nitrogen-fixing bacteria) and Azospirillum (bacteria with a great phytohormone synthesis capacity), expanding the productive potential of plants.

“Today, there are about 4,500 strains stored in the Embrapa Soja Collection, which represents an enormous biotechnological potential to be explored,” said Ligia Chueire, Conservation Expert of Microorganisms.