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HomePosts Tagged "Bionema Group Ltd"
Agbiologicals, Company News, Europe, People

With over 20 years of experience, Stephen Ford is a seasoned innovator and plant pathologist with a strong background in mycology and phytopathogenic diseases.

UK based Bionema Group Ltd, announced the appointment of Stephen Ford as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Ford brings a wealth of expertise in agricultural biotechnology and pathology, particularly in developing eco-friendly solutions for crop protection and sustainable farming practices.

With over 20 years of experience, Stephen Ford is a seasoned innovator and plant pathologist with a strong background in mycology and phytopathogenic diseases. He has an impressive track record in founding and leading companies focused on sustainable agriculture across New Zealand, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. His expertise spans agricultural biotechnology, research and development, pest and disease management, and product commercialisation.

Stephen Ford holds a Master’s in Plant Pathology and a Bachelor’s in Horticulture Science from Massey University, New Zealand. He has been recognised for contributing to the agricultural biotechnology industry with several awards, including the prestigious Auckland University Entrepreneurs Challenge and the NZ Bio Award.

In his new role as CTO at Bionema, Ford will drive the company’s technological vision and strategy. He will establish a centre of excellence in biocontrol in Wales, leading a team of 10 skilled scientists and researchers. His leadership will be crucial in overseeing the development of innovative biotechnology products and ensuring the company’s technology development aligns with its strategic goals. Stephen will also play a key role in managing the build-out of a new research facility in Wales and production facilities overseas. These facilities will be instrumental in ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and the successful commercialisation of Bionema’s products.

Prof. Dylan Jones, Chairman of Bionema Group Ltd, expressed his confidence in Stephen Ford’s ability to lead the company’s technological advancements. He stated, “We are thrilled to have Stephen join our executive team. His vast experience in biotechnology and sustainable agriculture and his proven leadership in bringing innovative products to market make him the ideal person to drive Bionema’s technological advancements. We are confident that our research and development efforts will reach new heights under his leadership, further solidifying Bionema’s position as a leader in sustainable crop protection.”

Dr. Minshad Ansari, CEO and Founder of Bionema Group Ltd, added, “Stephen’s appointment as CTO marks a significant milestone for Bionema. His deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in our industry, coupled with his passion for sustainable farming, will be instrumental in achieving our mission to develop environmentally friendly solutions for crop protection. We look forward to working closely with Stephen to bring our innovative products to market and make a lasting impact on global agriculture.”

Stephen Ford commented on his new role: “I am excited to join Bionema and contribute to the company’s mission of promoting sustainable farming practices. The opportunity to lead a talented R&D team and work on pioneering biotechnology solutions aligns perfectly with my passion for developing sustainable alternatives to traditional agricultural chemicals. I look forward to driving innovation and helping Bionema deliver on its commitment to enhancing crop protection and plant health”.

With over 20 years of experience, Stephen

Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Company News, Europe

It is compatible with various products, such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, plant growth regulators, and micronutrients.

UK based Bionema Group Ltd., a leading biocontrol technology developer that provides biological solutions for crop protection and plant health management announced the launch of Permeate® SP 50. This cutting-edge polyether trisiloxane significantly enhances crop protection and fertilisation through superior spreading, wetting, and uptake capabilities.

Permeate® SP 50 is designed to dramatically reduce surface tension in aqueous solutions, thereby improving the performance of crop protection products. This advanced formulation offers several key benefits:

Allows a more significant amount of active ingredient to enter the plant.

Provides rain fastness, eliminating the need for a second treatment after one hour since rain.

Ensures higher selectivity to crop species.

Reduces spray volumes by up to 30%.

It is compatible with various products, such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, plant growth regulators, and micronutrients.

Solutions can be sprayed even under hot and dry conditions when weed species are mature and hardened, or plants are covered with dust.

Permeate® SP 50 is highly versatile. It is soluble in various solvents, including water, butanol, NMP, cyclohexanone, rapeseed methyl ester, sunflower oil, and Solvesso 150. This makes it ideal for tank mix applications and formulations.

Microbial Compatibility: Permeate® SP 50 is biocompatible with microbial control agents such as Trichoderma spp., Beauveria bassiana, and Bacillus spp. It is an excellent carrier liquid for microbial formulations, offering superior shelf-life results by managing water activity, a critical factor for microbial stability.

Dr. Minshad Ansari, CEO and Founder of Bionema Group, stated, “Permeate® SP 50 guarantees rapid, even, and superior wetting of hydrophobic surfaces, including leaves and other plant parts. This unique formulation enhances solution uptake by penetrating cuticular waxes and entering stomatal pores, ensuring direct access to the plant’s intercellular structure. Additionally, silicone surfactants like Permeate® SP 50 can facilitate the passage of pesticides or biopesticides through the cuticle without causing any damage.”

Regulatory Compliance and Certifications: Permeate® SP 50 is listed in several chemical inventories, including EINECS, TSCA, DSL, AICS, ECL, ENCS, IECSC (China), and PICCS. It is also exempt from a tolerance per 40 CFR 180.910 requirement when used as an inert ingredient in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops or raw agricultural commodities after harvest. Furthermore, it is listed by the OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute), ensuring its suitability for organic farming practices.

It is compatible with various products, such

Biostimulants, Company News, Europe, Inputs

New range of biofertilisers is suitable for use in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, sport turf and amenities.

Bionema Group Ltd, a leading UK-based biocontrol technology developer and manufacturer of biocontrol, biostimulants and biofertilisers, has announced the launch of a new range of biofertiliser products in the UK for use in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, sport turf and amenities.

Bionema’s expanded portfolio reflects Bionema’s evolution in focus and strategy, announced in 2022 following the company’s deal with Syngenta that secured Bionema’s position as a top 20 world-leading biocontrol company.

Bionema Group Ltd is launching four biofertilisers comprising living microbes that enhance plant nutrition by mobilising or increasing nutrient availability in soils and substrates. The BioNFix™ range and Rhizosafe™ include Paenibacillus azotofixans BNL1913, Azospirillum lipoferum BNL714, Bradyrhizobium japonicum BNL1061, and Rhizophagus irregularis BNL2414 encapsulated in a novel Incapsulex™ technology platform. This technology effectively encapsulates naturally derived microorganisms and delivers them on target, safely and effectively. 

These biofertilisers restore the soil’s natural nutrient cycle and build soil organic matter, enhancing plant growth while avoiding the use of synthetic fertilisers that can pollute the world’s waters and its atmosphere.

Field trials conducted by Bionema in different parts of world demonstrated significantly enhanced growth in agricultural crops grown with biofertilisers, and positive changes in soil organic matter content and pH, soil type and agroecological condition. These effects resulted in yield improvements as well a 40–50 per cent reduction in synthetic fertiliser use.

As the benefits of these products have become more recognised, and consumer preference for organic foods has intensified, there has been growing interest in biofertilisers. The biofertilisers market was valued at $2.6 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $4.5 billion by 2026 at 11.9 per cent CGAR (Markets and Markets, 2022). In particular, the mycorrhizae-based biofertilisers market is projected to reach $1.087 billion by 2027, and the use of mycorrhizal biofertilizers (especially arbuscular mycorrhizae species for agriculture crops) is expanding.

Speaking on the launch, Dr Minshad Ansari, Founder and CEO of Bionema Group Ltd said “Bionema’s collection of exclusive microorganisms and its novel delivery system provides a unique solution to soil fertility and crop health improvement. With a wide range of microbes that support Nitrogen fixation, Phosphorus solubilisation, Potassium mobilisation, and more, these biofertilisers are the ideal choice for anyone seeking to boost their soil’s health and vitality.”

Dr Sarah Harding, Global Head of Innovation at Bionema said, “These new products are the results of many years of research, not just into the microbes used for promoting and protecting plant growth, but also into the technology used for formulating these products in a way that ensures their survival and efficacy in the field.”

Meraj Syeda, Operations Director & Co-founder of Bionema Group Ltd said, “We believe in strict loyalty to ‘Innovation’ and in building value by supplying products and services that conform to global standards, ensuring consistent availability of world class products”.

New range of biofertilisers is suitable for

Agrotech, Biostimulants, Company News, Europe, Inputs

Bionema’s expanded portfolio enhances the company’s offering to the BioAg sector, and complements its ongoing research, training and development of novel biological solutions.

Bionema Group Ltd, a leading biocontrol technology developer and manufacturer, has announced the launch of a new range of biostimulant products in the UK for use in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and turf and amenities.

Having completed its ten years of R&D research on a range of biostimulants, Bionema Group Ltd is launching seven products, including seaweed extracts, humic and fulvic substances, and other natural nutrients that cover all stages of plant growth, with foliar and root applications in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and turf and amenities. These products stimulate natural processes in plants and soil, increasing the uptake and assimilation of nutrients, increasing the surface area of roots and the quality of the soil.

Bionema’s expanded portfolio enhances the company’s offering to the BioAg sector, and complements its ongoing research, training and other services in the continuing development of novel biological solutions. It reflects Bionema’s evolution in focus and strategy, announced in 2022 following the company’s deal with Syngenta that secured Bionema’s position as a top 20 world-leading biocontrol company.

Field trials have shown that plants with biostimulants have better resistance against abiotic stress (e.g., heat, drought, salt), while the root reaches more nutrients and can collect more water. In fact, the Bionema team conducted a range of glasshouse and field trials in the UK, EU, India, Canada and LATAM countries, and the findings show that these products may allow farmers to cut their fertiliser use by 50 per cent, while keeping 93 per cent of the yields. In Bionema’s glasshouse trials, root growth was 35% better when using the suggested mix of 50 per cent fertilizer and Bionema’s biostimulants, compared to just using the normal 100 per cent fertilizer mix. The plant biomass (excluding roots) was 93% of that grown with just a common fertilizer mix.

Dr Minshad Ansari, Founder and CEO of Bionema Group Ltd said “There has been growing interest in biostimulants in recent years, as the benefits of these products have become more recognised. Now, as the overall BioAg market is forecast to increase at a CGAR of 13.7 per cent over the next 5 years, the biostimulant section of that market is projected to grow at a rate of 11.8 per cent, reaching $6.2 billion by 2027 (Markets and Markets, 2022). This rapid market growth reflects public concerns about the effects of chemical pesticides on human health, biodiversity and the environment, and associated demands for more natural solutions for enhancing crop yields and plant health”.

Bionema’s expanded portfolio enhances the company’s offering