Agrodinámica 2023: Corteva launches first bioinoculant in Paraguay, ‘UTRISHA N’

Corteva Agriscience launched its first biological nitrogen fixer in the Paraguayan market, "UTRISHA N,″ during the Agrodinámica 2023 fair, one of the largest such events in the country. 

UTRISHA N is a solid biological inoculant for corn and soybeans registered in Paraguay. The product is applied foliarly, which allows the plant to obtain nitrogen throughout its life cycle through a "novel and innovative" mode of action, Corteva said.

According to information from Corteva, UTRISHA N contains a unique strain of the Methylobacterium symbioticum bacterium, which enters through the leaf stomata and completely colonizes the plant within seven days of application. This bacterium converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium nitrogen for the plant, naturally enhancing vitality and helping crops reach their maximum growth and productivity potential. 

Another important advantage is the fact that the nitrogen produced by the action of Utrisha N is not susceptible to common issues that occur during traditional fertilization processes, such as leaching (the transport of nitrogen to the subsoil), volatilization (nutrient loss through evaporation due to temperature), and denitrification (conversion into a gaseous state caused by bacterial action).

"Entering the biological segment is indeed challenging, because it is a very important branch that supports chemical product management," said Daysi Bohn, Market Development for the Southern region of Paraguay. 

″UTRISHA N incorporates a bacterium that we offer for foliar application. In the case of soybeans, this is at the R1 stage, while for corn, this would be at the V6 stage. It has a single dose measuring 333 grams/ha,″ she added.

UTRISHA N is a "very valid alternative for biological nitrogen fixation, which is dispersed in the environment, meaning that plants cannot assimilate nitrogen on their own. It is our main innovation for this year and the next,″ Bohn further said.

HERBICIDES IN FOCUS

Regarding agrochemicals, Bohn explained the company’s portfolio of herbicide products. "We have the active ingredient, Arylex (Halauxifen-methyl), which is present in the formulation of the herbicides, TEXARO (Halauxifen-methyl + Diclosulam) and PIXXAR (Halauxifen-methyl + Fluroxypyr), two products for desiccation, and are excellent proposals for the management of major weeds for Paraguayan farmers," she said.

In addition, Daysi highlighted the presence of the grass herbicide, VERDICT Ultra, which completes the company’s range of technologies for controlling main broadleaf and narrow-leaf weeds. It is a unique grass herbicide characterized by the high concentration of the active ingredient, Haloxyfop, in its formulation. Because it is a highly concentrated product, it allows for easy handling and the reduced use of packaging.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)