TALETE: Valagro’s Answer to the Challenge for Efficient Use of Water

As many as 8 of the 17 sustainable development goals introduced by the UN in 2015 are linked to water use efficiency. 70% of the world's freshwater is used for agricultural activities. Limited water resources, climate change and population growth mean such consumption is no longer sustainable and require that agriculture face up to a new challenge: ensuring global food security by increasing yields, while limiting water consumption.

Valagro, whose vision has always included the search for excellence by applying science to agriculture to produce healthier food, with sustainability for people and the environment at heart, has launched TALETE.

How is it innovative? 

Talete is a biostimulant that increases Crop Water Productivity (CWP).

Composed of biomolecules of plant origin developed as per our proprietary GeaPower technology, it acts directly on the plant physiology, helping the crops increase CWP both when water is available in adequate quantities and when there is a water scarcity, be it permanent or temporary.

What impact does this innovation have on agricultural sustainability and safety? 

Water scarcity conditions indicate that the limiting factor is water. Talete increases CWP through a biochemical action on the plant physiology maximising yield, without changing the volume of water used for irrigation.

On the contrary, under conditions of adequate water availability, Talete increases CWP through the optimisation of water enabled by the different irrigation techniques: reduction of irrigation volume, extension of intervals between irrigations, skip of irrigation turns.

Therefore, the application of Talete, without any reduction in volume, allows the plant to optimise water use, reducing possible water imbalances that often remain hidden between irrigation shifts and achieving what is called the "bridge effect".

In view of what explained above, the positive feedback on water, energy and labour costs for the farmer is clear.

The scientific evidence collected so far, has shown that Talete acts on the plant through two main mechanisms:

• Improving water retention and water absorption

• Optimising the plant's use of water

The former occurs through the induction of genes reactive to dehydration e.g. dehydrin and early response to dehydration genes, as well as a balance/improvement of stomatal regulation.  

In the latter, the evidence demonstrates that Talete significantly increases the "Water Use Efficiency" (WUE) parameter, causing an increase in photosynthesis by regulating the activity of certain genes involved in this process.

Enhanced photosynthesis permits better biomass allocation (foliar area, fresh weight), as well as an increase in some health indices, inter alia the green index, as proved by phenomic analysis.

Bioinformatics processing to analyse metabolic pathways ("Pathway analysis"), revealed that Talete is able to induce key genes for the growth and physiology of the plant, e.g. Geranylgeranyl diphosphate gene (GGPP), an important intermediate isoprenoid that is converted into gibberellins, carotenoids and chlorophylls.

481 trials worldwide (ref. 31/05/2021) showed an average increase in production of 9% in vegetables, orchards and row crops.

Profit maximisation, cost reduction, flexibility for the farmer, increased irrigation efficiency are other attributes of this innovative product, in addition to its effect on "controlled water stress irrigation". Through Talete, Valagro provides a sustainable solution for farmers worldwide who want to get the most out of their crops, optimising and preserving the use of an increasingly precious resource: the water.

See the videos to know more about Talete:

Product video

Alfredo Sgrignuoli, senior Product Manager

Stefano Fontana, Market Development Manager, Italy 

Joaquin Santiago Basilio, Market Development Manager, 

Coordinator (Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Costarica, Guatemala, Chile)

Onat Akdemir, former Market Development Manager, Turkey, now Product Manager

This article was initially published in AgroPages' '2022 Market Insight' magazine.