Seed treatment by microbial consortium launched in Argentina

HELM Argentina and Protergium presented the launch of Innobio Protergium Terra, a biological seed treatment for wheat and barley composed of a microbial consortium.

According to Osvaldo Barreiro, Commercial Director of Helm Argentina, the new bio-input is a microbial consortium that combines the action of two micro-organisms: Bacillus velezensis T2 and Trichoderma harzianum TH10.

Osvaldo Barreiro, Commercial Director of Helm Argentina

Mauro Edalian, Director-General of HELM Argentina, said that the synergy between both micro-organisms improved the culture’s growth, adaptation, and survival under biotic and abiotic stress conditions.

“It is 100% sustainable; it does not generate waste and reduces carbon emissions. It is a product that emerged from Protergium's R&D, which required four years of development and more than 60 batches of demonstrative field tests,” he added.

Barreiro explained that the product was tested “in the field during the last season and, in 80% of the cases, the results were superior to the fields treated with high-level chemical synthesis products.”

He pointed out that the producer was “evaluating his way of producing based on environmental requirements and verifying the effectiveness of products like this one, which have a lower environmental impact and excellent results. This product has an equal or better cost/benefit ratio than the best chemicals on the market.”

Innobio Protergium Terra facilitates the solubilization and absorption of nutrients through the excretion of extracellular enzymes that transform organic compounds into inorganic ones.

According to the manufacturer, the product can effectively compete for colonization of the rhizosphere, preventing pathogens from interacting with the plant's roots. At the same time, it activates the natural defense mechanisms of plants, preventing the pathogen from advancing and producing diffusible and volatile metabolites with activity to control soil and seed pathogenic fungi.

According to the company, all these distinctive features of both micro-organisms are combined in a single formulation to achieve the maximum potential for growth promotion and control of soil and seed pathogenic fungi.

“We have deepened our alliance with Protergium by presenting this second innovation, now focused on wheat and barley, but we maintain the objective of offering a solution that contributes to productivity and, at the same time, contributes to the care of the environment,” Edalian said.

Adrián Rovetto, founder of Protergium

Adrián Rovetto and Esteban Lombardía, founders of Protergium, added, “Through this launch, we are going to harvest more crops, thinking not only of Argentina but of the region and the world. We believe that the global context favors a faster adoption of bio-inputs. We will continue to work on expanding effective and sustainable biotech alternatives for producers.”

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)

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