Rizobacter expands presence in Brazil with a new liquid biofungicide

Rizobacter has recently received news that Rizoderma, its biofungicide developed through a public-private partnership in a process of more than 10 years, has recently been approved for use in Brazil by the Department of Plant Health and Agricultural Inputs of the Brazilian Ministry of Agricultural Defence. In Argentina, Rizoderma leads the biofungicide segment. This 100% biological product helps combat seed and soilborne diseases and has an on-package shelf-life of 18 months.

Rizobacter has been operating in Brazil for 23 years. Its portfolio is composed by cutting-edge products, including inoculants, biofertilizers, biocontrol solutions, specialty fertilizers and adjuvants, all of which have direct benefits towards sustainable agricultural systems. The company, part of NASDAQ-traded Bioceres Crop Solutions, has recorded considerable growth in the Brazilian market, with its turnover rising from US$6.5 million to US$23.8 million in the past five years.

Registration is timely as adoption of biologicals is rapidly increasing in Brazil. Last year US$269 million were invested in biological products, making it one of the largest markets in the world for this type of input with a 28% CAGR according to Spark. More than 70% of the biologicals market is focused on soybean cultivation (US$188 million and about 53 million hectares). Specifically, the biofungicide seed treatment market is valued at US$3.9 million, covering more than 300,000 hectares and in rapid growth.

For the company, the future is in the initial protection provided by seed applications, “which is why Rizobacter generates unique formulation technologies in the market, adapting to the demands of seed companies and producers,” said Gabriel Mina, Seed Treatment Product Manager at Rizobacter.

“The objective is to achieve in the coming years a strong presence in the seed treatment market with a particular focus in the upstream segment in soybean” he added. Rizobacter has consolidated itself as the leader in the upstream segment with its inoculants, which have 75% MS.

Lucas Lopes, Seed Treatment Product Manager for Rizobacter do Brasil stressed these technologies offer “greater compatibility with formulations and extended on-seed viability, allowing longer pre-treatment windows, facilitating application for operators and, fundamentally, achieving sustainability in the system by not causing negative effects to the environment.”

Rizoderma has proven its effectiveness against multiple seed and soilborne diseases, such as Sclerotinia, Macrophomina, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, which affect maize, soybeans and rice crops. Its 100% liquid formulation improves application and allows fungal cells to be more stable with greater fungicidal power, meaning greater protection in the field.

As a biological fungicide, this treatment combines multiple mechanisms of action that naturally prevent and slow down the development of pathogens. The beneficial fungi in Rizoderma grows, invades and activates physiological and biochemical defence mechanisms of plants and, therefore, offer a long protection period during all crop growth stages.

"As leaders in the treatment of soybeans in Brazil, with more than five million hectares covered with our inoculants, Rizoderma has the potential to become a fundamental tool in a nutrition and protection program from Rizobacter that is the most complete and technologically advanced in the market,” Lopes said in conclusion.

‘Rizoderma TSI’ will be officially launched in Brazil in the 2022/23 soybean growing season.