XiteBio: Our proprietary AGPT^® is a revolution in liquid inoculant technology

Editor’s note: As a widely commercialized product, Bradyrhizobium-based inoculants have great market prospects. According to data disclosed in the "Manual for Bioinput Analysis for Agricultural Use: Inoculants" recently released by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), in the 2022/23 soybean season, inoculants with Bradyrhizobium bacteria were used on 85% of cultivated area, while co-inoculation, or the combined use of Bradyrhizobium and Azospirillum, was used on some 35% of the country’s crop area, highlighting the advancement of this technology.

The use of inoculants can provide tremendous economic benefits. As mentioned in the ″Manual″ published by Embrapa, in soybean crops alone, over $25 billion is saved annually by using inoculants with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Recently, we spoke to some experts who are well-versed in Bradyrhizobium inoculants to gain a deeper understanding of this type of product. The experts are: Adam Fast, Field Solutions Specialist at Lallemand Plant Care; Dr. Manas Banerjee, President & CEO of XiteBio; Marc Beland, Senior Director Agriculture at Premier Tech; Andrea de Figueiredo Giroldo, Marketing and Technical Development Director at Agrocete, and Antonio Carlos Zem, CEO at Biotrop. 

Below is the transcript of the interview with Dr. Manas Banerjee, President & CEO of XiteBio.

Dr. Manas Banerjee, Ph.D., P.Ag.

President & CEO at XiteBio

Could you provide an overview of XiteBio's Bradyrhizobium inoculant products and highlight their unique features?

XiteBio has two Bradyrhizobium based products. XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® and XiteBio^® OptiPlus^®.

XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® comes in a ready-to-use (RTU) liquid formulation (bag-in-a-box). It can be applied on-seed or in-furrow. It has an on-seed window of 120 days and no sticking or bridging of seeds. XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® also has advanced compatibility with tank mix products for in-furrow applications. This inoculant product has a shelf life of two years. 

XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® is the only product on the market that uses XiteBio’s proprietary Advanced Growth Promoting Technology (AGPT^®) which allows the introduced Bradyrhizobium to work in synergy with the native soil microflora by invigorating them rather than overpowering them.

XiteBio^® OptiPlus^® is a dual action inoculant that uses a combination of XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® and XiteBio^® Yield+ (Bacillus firmus based P-solubilizing inoculant). XiteBio^® OptiPlus^® is a premium liquid product that is applied in-furrow at the time of planting. XiteBio holds a worldwide patent on Bacillus firmus XSB375 strain making this application of the bacteria unique to our products.

What quality control measures and testing protocols does your company employ to ensure consistent high performance of your product?

All XiteBio products undergo rigorous in-house developed QA/QC in our Headingley, Manitoba QA/QC Centre. Each bag of product is inspected by a trained microbiology technician before being packaged as commercial product.

Based on XiteBio's field trial data, what are the typical yield increases and advantages observed when using XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® compared to competitors and untreated controls?

XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® has field trial data dating back to 2011. Over the past 10-12 years, it has been shown on average XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® beats competitors by 1.4 bu/ac and checks by 2.5 bu/ac.

Could you explain how XiteBio's proprietary AGPT^® formulation technology enhances the survival, viability, and performance of Bradyrhizobium in its inoculants, particularly by invigorating native soil microflora?

XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® uses our proprietary Advanced Growth Promoting Technology (AGPT^®). This technology invigorates the native soil microflora to ensure that the applied inoculant works in synergy with the existing microbes in the soil. 

AGPT^® is a revolution in liquid inoculant technology. It is a proprietary liquid formulation combined with the beneficial bacteria Rhizobium. What makes AGPT^® powered inoculants different from conventional inoculants is the liquid solution in which the bacteria are suspended. Not only does our formulation support our premium rhizobia, it also stimulates the native soil microflora. 

Our biotechnological research, and rigorous QA/QC process, guarantees the optimal number of live bacteria are delivered through our inoculants. Too many or too few rhizobia can be detrimental to the natural balance of the soil. AGPT^® ensures that once the product is applied, either on-seed or in-furrow, the existing soil ecosystem thrives and works in synergy with the newly introduced rhizobia. 

Generic inoculants rarely invigorate native soil microflora. They simply introduce new rhizobia without taking into account the needs of the soil. This can cause competition for resources in the soil. AGPT^® products are sustainable and compatible with regenerative farming practices as well as being certified for organic applications by Ecocert Canada.

What challenges did your company's R&D team need to overcome in developing Bradyrhizobium inoculant product?

Could we extrapolate the benefits of AGPT^® into granular formulation? That would be a tremendous advancement of our technology as in some parts of the world granular formulation is very popular with the farmers.

What are the potential benefits of using XiteBio's dual-action product XiteBio^® OptiPlus^®, in terms of nutrient availability and stress tolerance?

Our combination product is XiteBio^® OptiPlus^® that is a dual action inoculant that uses a combination of XiteBio^® SoyRhizo^® (Bradyrhizobium japonicum) and XiteBio^® Yield+ (Bacillus firmus). XiteBio^® Yield+ is a Phosphorous (P)-solubilizing product that also provides phytohormones and siderophore. This means that XiteBio^® OptiPlus^® is a dual action inoculant that both fixes Nitrogen (N) and solubilizes P. 

In testing we have found that the combination of the two bacteria is often greater than the sum of its parts. Our growers have noted that the early access to nutrients has helped to combat drought like conditions on soybeans grown in North Dakota, USA. Early access to nutrients improves plant vigor and promotes the growth of a healthy plant that is better able to withstand abiotic stresses brought on by unforeseen weather patterns. Healthy vigorous plants can deliver profitable yields to growers under adverse growing conditions, that means a better ROI (Return on Investment). 

What do you think are the new trends and directions in the development and application of Bradyrhizobium inoculant in the future?

We see the industry moving towards products that are formulated for advanced shelf-life. Dated products are an inventory risk for manufacturers or distributors or dealers. Bacteria could be put into a type of form (like suspended animation) shipped around the world and reanimated by mixing with a carrier when they reach their destination. This would save on shipping and spoilage costs. We also see companies experimenting with various combinations of Bradyrhizobium mixed with ag-biologicals to boost plant health and yields. Moreover, can it be used in biocontrol of diseases & pests?

This story was initially published in the 2024 Seed Treatment Special. Download the magazine to read more stories.

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