DAY 1 - ET (Eastern Time, GMT-05:00)
- Rick Melnick - Chief Operating Officer & Partner, Dunham Trimmer
- Mark Trimmer, PhD - Co Founder, Dunham Trimmer
- Louis Gauthier - Managing Director, Doriane
- Maria Luiza M. P. Castro - Director, CESIS
- Norberto Arias - Agronomic Engineer and Director, Agrochem Consultores S.R.L.
While it's an overused trope, plants are sessile creatures that must respond and adapt quickly to the stresses and opportunities of their environment. Biological products can uniquely influence these naturally occurring processes in crop plants for improved stress resistance, yield quality, plant health, disease resistance, and more. However, given the complex composition of many biological products, identifying the mechanisms through which these products elicit these responses in plants can be difficult, and efforts often result in confusing and inconsistent field and greenhouse trial results. Transcriptomic analysis, or the study of overall gene expression profiles, is a useful tool for gaining clarity and direction in the biological product development process. When strategically partnered with traditional field and greenhouse trials, transcriptomic analysis can give incredible insights into characterizing and quantifying the plants response to a biological product. This type of research approach can be used to identify candidate mode(s) of action for further study, to be used in product development and optimization, regulatory studies, and efforts to obtain intellectual property rights on novel products. This analysis can also be used to identify novel mode(s) of action, for differentiation in a crowded biological market. With the affordable cost of mRNA sequencing, and if performed with robust physiological, biochemical, statistical, and agronomic context, this analysis is a powerful tool to help develop effective biological products quickly and efficiently for agricultural crop production use.
- Layne Harris - Founder, Foresight Agronomics
Soltellus, an aspartic acid-based polymer, enhances soil microbiome activity and subsequently increases crop yields. Polyaspartate, the key component of Soltellus, serves as a chelating agent, facilitating nutrient uptake and utilization by plants. Additionally, polyaspartate has been found to promote microbial growth and activity in the soil. Studies have shown that Soltellus application leads to an increase in microbial abundance, diversity, and enzymatic activity, particularly among microorganisms involved in nutrient cycling and plant-microbe interactions. The stimulation of the soil microbiome by Soltellus enhances nutrient availability and promotes soil health, creating a more favorable environment for plant growth. Beneficial microorganisms contribute to nutrient mineralization, organic matter decomposition, and disease suppression, ultimately leading to improved soil fertility and plant vigor. Field trials and experiments have demonstrated the positive effects of Soltellus on crop yields, with treated plants exhibiting higher biomass accumulation, increased photosynthetic activity, and improved stress tolerance compared to untreated controls.
In conclusion, Soltellus represents a promising approach to sustainable agriculture, harnessing the power of the soil microbiome to optimize nutrient cycling, enhance soil health, and ultimately increase crop yields. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying Soltellus's effects on the soil microbiome and its long-term implications for agricultural sustainability.
- Clint Hoffman - Director of Agronomy, Lygos
- Francesco Vuolo - Agro Business Developer, Sacco System
- Sarah Reiter - Business Development, BioConsortia
- Rebecca Williams-Wagner - Principal Scientist, 3Bar Biologics, Inc
- Dmytro Yakovenko, - Head of International Sales, BTU-CENTER Group of Companies