It aims at reducing nitrogen application by 7.5 million metric tons annually in China
California based Sound Agriculture and Switzerland-based Syngenta have recently formed a strategic partnership to explore opportunities to decrease nitrogen fertilizer use in China by up to 30% while maintaining on-farm productivity. Sound Agriculture’s flagship product SOURCE stimulates microbes in the soil to provide access to more nitrogen and phosphorus at the root zone, reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer.
The collaboration has the potential of reducing nitrogen application by 7.5 million metric tons annually in China alone. This is the equivalent of removing 220 million tons of CO2, or 50 million cars from the road each year.
The partnership brings together two leaders in sustainable agriculture to tackle one of the biggest challenges being faced by farmers. Nitrogen is the most essential nutrient for plant growth, yet the overuse of nitrogen fertilizers can have environmental consequences, such as greenhouse gas emissions. Plants frequently take in only 50-70% of applied nitrogen fertilizers. When nitrogen is not fully utilized by the growing plants, it can be lost from the fields and negatively impact air and downstream water quality. SOURCE gives growers the confidence to not over apply because they will be able to pull from the nutrients stored in the soil.
SOURCE uses a proprietary technology to activate soil microbes and give plants access to more nitrogen and phosphorus. The product was launched commercially for the 2020 growing season after three years of successful field trials that showed a positive yield increase across the US Syngenta will trial the product and, if the trials are successful, commercialize SOURCE in China. The product will initially be used on corn and wheat with future expansion to rice, potatoes, and potentially other crops.
Syngenta will be responsible for product formulation, field development, sales and marketing of SOURCE in China. Sound will manufacture SOURCE and collaborate on future product development for subsequent crops. If successful, the partnership has the potential to expand throughout Asia and beyond.
