BioConsortia, Inc., a leader in agricultural technology specializing in advanced microbial solutions to enhance crop productivity and reduce agriculture’s ecological impact, has announced a commercial agreement with New Zealand-based H&T (Hodder and Taylors Ltd). H&T, known for improving crop and forage systems on New Zealand farms, will introduce BioConsortia’s FixiN 33 microbial seed treatment during the 2024/2025 season. This innovative seed coating will be available for corn, brassicas, and cereals, helping growers optimize nitrogen fertilizer use while reducing runoff and environmental impact.
Since 2023, BioConsortia and H&T have conducted successful field trials in New Zealand, demonstrating nitrogen-replacement results consistent with earlier trials conducted since 2021 in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Europe. Paul Oliver, H&T Managing Director, stated, “This technology highlights an opportunity to reduce nitrogen fertilizer usage in New Zealand, delivering both economic and environmental benefits while maintaining crop yields.”
Marcus Meadows-Smith, CEO of BioConsortia, added, “Our proprietary microbes effectively colonize crop roots, ensuring there is always nitrogen available to influence crop yield. These microbes remain active in the root zone throughout the growing season, converting atmospheric nitrogen into plant-accessible forms even after synthetic fertilizers dissipate.”
Setting a New Standard for Shelf Stability and Seed Life
BioConsortia’s nitrogen-fixing seed treatments boast a shelf life exceeding two years and maintain on-seed stability for an additional two years—far surpassing industry norms.
“Our use of Gram-positive microbes, known for their inherent stability and reliability as root colonizers, underpins this breakthrough,” explained Dr. Hong Zhu, Senior VP of R&D at BioConsortia. “Through our proprietary R&D platform, we’ve unlocked the nitrogen-fixing potential of these microbes, creating ideal candidates for seed treatment products.”
Revolutionary Microbial Discovery Engine
BioConsortia’s flexible microbe discovery platform played a pivotal role in this innovation. Given New Zealand’s regulatory restrictions on gene-edited organisms, BioConsortia identified wildtype microbes from its extensive library that naturally fix nitrogen. These microbes, with intrinsic genetic traits enabling nitrogen fixation, deliver reliable yield performance.
A Game-Changing Innovation in Agriculture
Combining cutting-edge discovery and advanced gene-editing capabilities, BioConsortia’s platform represents a breakthrough in microbial seed and fertilizer treatments. “Our seed-applied products offer unmatched ease of use for growers, ensuring strong yields without relying on increased synthetic nitrogen,” said Meadows-Smith.
The collaboration between BioConsortia and H&T marks a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture, providing New Zealand farmers with tools to achieve higher productivity and reduced environmental impact.
