Research partnership formed to validate biocontrol solutions

Science-industry partnerships of this type are the key to the development of innovation that has an impact on the economy and the livelihoods of farmers across the globe.

Agricultural, horticultural and environmental technology company Mylnefield Research Services Ltd (MRS), specialist soil fertility and crop nutrition company PenDragon Proactive Nutrition and biological crop inputs company Agrinos AS, have joined forces in a research partnership to test products for use in sustainable agricultural intensification.

The complete research programme is designed to evaluate the effects of Agrinos products on plant growth and health, with individual formulations assessed for their ability to control of a broad range of important plant pests and pathogens; increase plant vigour, growth and yield; or influence plant – soil interactions; soil health, environmental impact and other beneficial effects.

In the first instance, MRS will be undertaking 16 separate research and development projects to validate Agrinos products on a broad range of crops including cereals, potatoes and soft fruit from its base in Dundee. Grains, tubers and fruit will also be assessed for nutritional content and implications for food quality.

MRS is in a unique position to deliver such a comprehensive range of research services due to the breadth and depth of scientific disciplines and expertise resident at the James Hutton Institute.

In 2011, MRS became an affiliate of the then newly created James Hutton Institute, a leading European research institute addressing the global challenges of food security, sustainable agricultural intensification, climate change and land use.

The Director of the James Hutton Institute, Professor Iain Gordon said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Agrinos to test new products that have the potential to enhance food security whilst at the same time reducing the environmental impact of food production. Science-industry partnerships of this type are the key to the development of innovation that has an impact on the economy and the livelihoods of farmers across the globe.”

Oslo-based Agrinos is a green technology company committed to improving the productivity and sustainability of modern agriculture. Agrinos’ range of High Yield Technology (“HYT”) products help farmers maximise economic yield by increasing crop productivity while reducing environmental footprint. Agrinos biological products are designed to improve plant nutrient uptake, stimulate growth and improve tolerance to environmental stress. Building on the success of live microbial products that fix nitrogen and promote plant growth, next generation materials are being evaluated by MRS for potential application as biological control agents.

Neil Fuller, of PenDragon Proactive Nutrition was instrumental in bringing Agrinos and MRS together and will play a pivotal role in coordinating trials in the UK. He said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to develop technology for the future. The ability to apply beneficial microbes to feed and protect the growing plant, adds a new and dynamic dimension to conventional agronomy. The Agrinos promise of being able to apply a live biological material that boosts yield, improves quality and fights infection is one that has genuine value in global agriculture, and the research conducted by MRS and the James Hutton Institute is vital in realising this potential.”

Dr Jonathan Snape, Commercial Director of MRS said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with a company at the forefront of developing scientifically proven crop protection and crop nutrition products that will support sustainable crop production – higher yields, less impact. Such products have the potential to benefit global food production systems and the environment.”

Notes to editors

Mylnefield Research Services Ltd is a leading technology company providing products and services to the agricultural, horticultural and environmental sectors. Its principal activity is innovation converting scientific knowledge, developed at the James Hutton Institute, into commercial products and services in partnership with industry. For more information on Mylnefield Research Services Ltd, please contact us on +44 (0) 1382 568568 or by email on jsnape@mrsltd.com or visit our website www.mrsltd.com.

The James Hutton Institute is a world-leading, multi-site scientific organisation encompassing a distinctive range of integrated strengths in land, crop, waters, environmental and socio-economic science. It undertakes research for customers including the Scottish and UK Governments, the EU and other organisations worldwide. The institute has a staff of nearly 600 and 125 PhD students.

PenDragon Proactive Nutrition is a privately owned independent consultancy group, with over 30 years of experience in the development of nutritional and micro-biological materials for use in agriculture, horticulture and human health care. More information can be found on the PenDragon website www.talking2plants.co.uk or contact Neil Fuller on (+44) 07887 743035.

Agrinos is a green technology company committed to improving the productivity and sustainability of modern agriculture. Agrinos’ range of High Yield Technology (“HYT”) products helps farmers to practice profitable agriculture by providing increased crop productivity, improved efficiency of conventional fertiliser and a reduced environmental footprint.

Certified as organic and based on Agrinos’ proprietary technology, the HYT products provide benefits by strengthening the soil-based microbial ecosystem, stimulating crop development at key points in the growth cycle and boosting natural plant resistance to pathogens and threats. With solutions for a variety of crop categories, the technology comprising the HYTproducts has demonstrated its value in third-party trials in key agricultural regions worldwide.

Founded in 2009, Oslo-based Agrinos has more than 200 employees and has grown to include activities in Mexico, the USA, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Ghana, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and the People’s Republic of China. Agrinos enjoys financial backing from a number of leading international investors and has a strong management team led by its chairman, Dr Thorleif Enger.

For more information on Agrinos AS please visit our website at www.agrinos.com.