Ames, Iowa
October 1, 2004
Becker Underwood, Inc.,
a world leader in seed enhancements, colorants, coatings,
polymers and biopesticides, announces a major development in
inoculant and growth stimulant capability with the debut of
VAULT™, the first inoculant for soybeans and peanuts featuring
BioStacked™ technology.
Just as genetic stacking combines specific traits for specific
characteristic performance, BioStacked™ inoculant technology is
a system that combines multiple biological ingredients to
achieve better performance and a greater synergistic effect. The
ingredients that have been BioStacked™ in VAULT™ include:
- Advanced strains of
rhizobia for more effective root nodulation and nitrogen
fixation
- Biofungicide to protect
crops from soil-borne diseases and stimulate the plants
natural defense mechanisms
- Plant activator that
stimulates young seedlings for faster establishment
- Extender that increases
the soybean inoculant on-seed shelf life up to 30 days,
providing farmers with planting schedule flexibility.
Two years of field trials involving more than 50 test plots in
17 states, as well as
significant laboratory and greenhouse testing showed increased
yields between two and 10 bushels of soybeans per acre and 200
to 1,500 pounds of peanuts per acre, depending on seed variety,
soil conditions and weather for crops treated with VAULT™.
Becker Underwood conducted these regionally based tests to help
determine an accurate return per acre for farmers in different
areas.
VAULT™ inoculant represents a
giant leap for farmers. Our BioStacked™ technology is the core
component of a product pipeline that will produce new and
increasingly powerful and versatile biologically based seed
enhancements over the next five years, said Dr. Peter Innes,
president of Becker Underwood. BioStacked™ technology is an
important extension of Becker Underwoods broad line of seed
enhancement products, including colorants, coatings and organic
polymers. Farmers will see BioStacked™ inoculants for other
crops introduced in the future.
A liquid inoculant, VAULT™
consists of several synergistic biological components:
Rhizobia
Unique blend of highly
effective, compatible strains for soybeans perform in a wide
variety of soils
- A single, potent strain
for peanuts with purity assured
- Able to compete with less
effective indigenous soil rhizobia
- Produces more nodulation
for increased nitrogen fixation over a broader range of
environmental conditions
Proprietary Plant Extract
- A naturally occurring
plant extract that stimulates plant growth
Integral™ (pending registration for soybeans and peanuts)
- EPA-registered
biofungicide
- Active ingredient Bacillus
subtilis
- Patented strain inhibits
disease organisms from invading plant root system
- Bacteria spreads within
root system, continually protecting plant throughout the
growing season
- Creates stronger root
system with increased nodule sites due to nitrogen-fixing
bacteria
BioStacked™ Extender for Soybeans
- Liquid additive mixed with
inoculant increases on-seed shelf life up to 30 days,
providing greater flexibility with planting schedules
- Provides a food source for
the rhizobia to keep it robust on the seed
- Dealer-applied extender
convenient for growers
- Expanded shelf life
minimizes returns, inventory issues for dealers
Additionally, BioStacked™
technology is compatible with the most popular peanut crop
protection products and soybean crop protection products, such
as ApronMAXX® RTA™ and Cruiser® (pending registration for
soybeans). This means a maximum package of crop protection and
seed enhancement products can be loaded onto seed for maximum
convenience and performance. Because many of the biological
enhancements improve the efficiency and efficacy of the chemical
treatments, it is also possible the overall chemical load of
many crops could be reduced, proving an environmental advantage.
Inoculants have a variety of
benefits. Rhizobium bacteria allows legume crops to establish
root nodules, allowing plants to pull nitrogen from the air.
With this symbiotic relationship, the plant feeds nodules and
nodules supply nitrogen to host plants. Since rhizobium can
produce 55-120 pounds of nitrogen per acre, farmers save on
fertilizer costs. Inoculation also maximizes soybean and peanut
yields and protein content by replacing unproductive indigenous
rhizobia with rhizobium bacteria, increasing nitrogen
extraction.
Founded in 1982 in Ames,
Iowa, Becker Underwood is an international developer of products
for the mulch, seed, agriculture, turf and greenhouse markets
with production facilities in Ames; Saskatoon, Canada; and
Littlehampton, England. The company manufactures and markets a
variety of specialty colorants and bio-agronomic products for
turf management, agriculture, seed treatment, wood recycling,
aquaculture, vegetation management, forestry and structural pest
control industries. |
