Fyteko goes global after seed treatment success in Europe

‘More likely than not’ are the four words that sum up the World Meteorological Organisation’s latest report: the likelihood that world mean temperatures will pass the 1.5°C global warming threshold before 2027.

Yet it’s a likelihood that one company – the Brussels-based agri-biomolecule pioneer Fyteko – has been preparing for ever since it discovered the hidden abilities of what had once been regarded as an unremarkable biomolecule found in plant cell walls: hydroxycinnamic acid oligomers (HAO), a novel signal molecule.

Founded in 2014, Fyteko effectively bet its future on the likelihood of climate change, with HAO its all-important collateral. For these workaday biomolecules possess an extraordinary ability: they prime a crop against abiotic stresses, enabling it to withstand drought, high temperatures, and the other weather events expected to become more common – and more severe – as climate change evolves, while increasing yields and improving margins.

So it’s no surprise that two seed treatments containing HAO, the company’s first active compound, have met with strong commercial interest in Fyteko’s European backyard. NURSEED^®_HC and NURSEED^®_MAX were each formulated to address specific markets – arable and vegetable crops respectively. Now the company’s determined to replicate those deals with partners in the rest of the world.

Early development and key partnerships

Fyteko’s two founders, bio-entrepreneurs Guillaume Wegria and Dr Juan-Carlos Cabrera, sought partnerships with key players in the European seed market as soon as the ink was dry on the founding paperwork. Technisem was their first success: a French company engaged in marketing quality seeds in West Africa, they were quick to see the potential of Fyteko’s technology. NURSEED^®_MAX soon featured on large segments of Technisem seeds, offering new levels of seed protection – especially relevant to tropical areas vulnerable to abiotic stresses.

Next in line was Limagrain, a major player in European field seeds. Here, the objective was to include NURSEED^®_HC within the maize seed solutions portfolio – now achieved, with NURSEED^®_HC set to feature in Limagrain’s European maize offer from the 2023 season. Limagrain intends to roll out the formulation across Europe before expanding to other regions and further crops.

As interest in Fyteko’s unique biomolecules continued to grow, French seed technology specialist Cerience became the latest collaborator. Its agreement will take NURSEED^®_HC into the forage seed market.

Success based on results

Throughout its development, HAO has always performed in the field.

Results from maize field trials carried out between 2017 and 2022, reflecting various production levels, make up the graph below. Here, three production levels were assessed, ranging from a low production level reflecting lower inputs (yield below 65 dt/ha), to a high production level demonstrating a more intensive agriculture (yield above 100 dt/ha).

The highest yield increase, 12%, was observed at the low production level. At the medium production level, yield increased by 5.3%. The intensive level reported a percentage yield increase of 3.9%.  On average, the farmer’s gain ranges from $120 to $140 by hectare, depending on the production level, leading to a high return of investment for farmers.

From Europe to the world

NURSEED^®_HC and NURSEED^®_MAX are now registered in multiple countries across Europe, under mutual recognition rules. Meanwhile, Fyteko has also generated and compiled the necessary data required for registration under the new European biostimulant regulation 2019/1009.

Europe is the bridgehead to Fyteko’s success in the rest of the world. North America is already in the company’s sights. Since 2021, NURSEED^®_HC has been through multiple trials with research stations and seed companies to assess its efficacy, value and compatibility with American soils and agricultural practices. These trials have demonstrated the product’s ability to meet technical requirements, such as seed safety studies, slurry compatibility and stability. The trials have also generated new opportunities, such as the ‘in-furrow’ applications developed and tested for specific markets.

NURSEED^®_HC’s development in the United States is focused on the Midwest, where corn and soybean are the crops of interest. Beyond the necessary technical validation, Fyteko has already registered the product in several key states and is working with its partners to further expand that registration.

Looking ahead to 2023, Fyteko is exploring the potential of NURSEED^®_HC in the Canadian market.

But Fyteko’s interest in America isn’t limited to the US and Canada; there’s the Latin American market too. Here, there’s a dedicated team developing the HAO technology to adapt it to this market’s unique needs. Throughout Argentina and Brazil, multilocation research trials have been underway since the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons. Conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the seed treatment solution under local conditions, the results were overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the technology’s potential and paving the way for registration in both countries.

Grain producers in Mexico, Uruguay and Paraguay should also benefit from Fyteko’s seed treatment technology, given that the products are suitable for application both industrially and on-farm – making it a versatile option for all channels.

Perspective and ambitions

After the speed at which NURSEED^®_HC and NURSEED^®_MAX became a commercial reality in Europe, and with developments underway on several fronts in the Americas, Fyteko is ambitious about further opportunities to explore new markets. For example, recent favourable results with cotton are likely to generate a strengthened position in the African market.

HAO is just the first active substance to emerge from Fyteko’s biobased discovery platform. Fyteko believes signal molecules like HAO are the basis for a new class of biostimulants: biobased products utilizing pure, well-characterized active substances with clearly defined mode of action, combining all the established attributes of the ‘agrochemical’ approach with the benefits of biologicals.

Its commitment to investing in safe, sustainable input solutions bodes well for its ambition to establish itself as a leading global supplier of active, biobased seed treatments.

″2023 Seed Treatment Special″ magazine will come out this June. For Feature sponsoring or advertising, please contact Christina at christina@agropages.com.

Read 2022 editon of "Seed Treatment Special"