Grace Breeding Ltd., an innovative AgClimateTech company, has announced the successful results of trials for its ProMagen product in soybean plants. The trials were conducted in collaboration with the State University of Londrina (UEL) in Paraná State, Brazil. The findings demonstrate that the use of ProMagen not only improves the resilience and tolerance of soybean plants but also increases crop yield.
ProMagen is a foliar formulation product developed by Grace Breeding based on botanical extracts. Unlike synthetic fungicides and pesticides, ProMagen offers an environmentally friendly alternative that does not contaminate groundwater or food, avoiding potential harm to farmers and consumers. The results obtained from the trials support the use of ProMagen as a promising solution to enhance plant response to disease and prevent severe disease outbreaks.
Assaf Dotan, the CEO of Grace Breeding, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with the State University of Londrina and Gaia AgroSolutions, stating that the results validate the effectiveness of the ProMagen technology. Dotan highlighted that traditional approaches relied on harmful pesticides and fungicides, while ProMagen, being a natural product, not only increases plant resilience but also significantly boosts crop yield.
The field tests conducted in soybean plants compared the performance of Grace Breeding’s ProMagen against four agricultural standard pesticide application methods used by farmers. These included combinations with Propiconazole + Difenoconazole, Benzovindiflupyr + Prothioconazole + Chlorothalonil, Difenoconazole + Cyproconazole + Chlorothalonil, and Difenoconazole + Cyproconazole. ProMagen exhibited superior disease control efficiency in most evaluated metrics. Moreover, when used in combination with pesticides studied in the field trial, ProMagen showed the potential to enhance the efficiency of chemical and biological active ingredients in disease control. Overall, ProMagen resulted in yield gains of up to six bags of soybeans per hectare compared to the commercial standard, translating to approximately US $130 more in crop value per hectare.
The use of synthetic pesticides is common in soybean farming worldwide, including Brazil. However, the environmental consequences, such as groundwater and food contamination, along with their residual effects, have detrimental impacts on the health of farmers and consumers. To address these issues, the development of sustainable products, including botanical extracts as bio-activators for resilience enhancement, is encouraged. In Brazil, the collaboration between Grace Breeding, the State University of Londrina-UEL, and Gaia AgroSolutions aims to test and validate Grace Breeding’s technologies, providing eco-friendly solutions to enhance plant response to diseases and improve crop yields.
Professor Juliano Tadeu Vilela de Resende from the Agronomy Department at Universidade Estadual de Londrina emphasized the significance of soybeans as a global staple for their nutritional value and affordability. He acknowledged the potential benefits of Grace Breeding’s ProMagen for Brazil, the leading soybean exporter. The product promotes healthy plant functioning, enhances crop yield, and offers an eco-friendly approach.
In November 2022, Grace Breeding initiated a strategic research and development collaboration with the State University of Londrina. The collaboration focuses on investigating Grace Breeding’s technologies, including their NFT (Nutrient Film Technique), for improving soil nutrient uptake, carbon sequestration, and nitrogen fertilization efficiency. These advancements aim to reduce farmers’ reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Additionally, the partnership explores the effects of ProMagen on plant resilience and disease tolerance, offering sustainable solutions to combat the effects of climate change on crops while potentially increasing crop yields.
Grace Breeding is an AgClimateTech company dedicated to developing environmentally sustainable and bio-based products that provide efficient and natural solutions for farmers and distributors. The company aims to revolutionize crop agriculture by offering innovative products and solutions that minimize the environmental impact caused by synthetic fertilizers. With R&D centers in Israel and collaborations with leading research institutions worldwide, Grace Breeding is committed to driving the adoption of sustainable practices in agriculture.
Image provided by Grace Breeding
