Adverse weather events and crop losses
Crops grown under field conditions are subject to adverse weather events throughout their life cycle (cold, drought, flooding, and heat). In response to these events, plants generate and accumulate chemically reactive oxygen species (ROS) in their cellular compartments. Generation of ROS during normal crop growth is a physiological requirement. However, during adverse weather conditions, ROS is produced by plants at dangerously high levels. This is referred to as ‘oxidative stress’ and causes profound and irreversible damage to plant tissues and organs.
All critical developmental stages of a crop can be affected by oxidative stress and damage. At vegetative growth, oxidative stress leads to stunting of plants and limited root growth, resulting in delayed establishment and development. This results in a lower crop yield at harvest. Notably, reproductive growth stages of crops are highly sensitive to oxidative stress damage, culminating in reduced fruit-set and significantly reduced crop productivity. It is critically important to protect crops against oxidative stress throughout their entire life cycle from early plant growth stages until harvest. Growers require crops to maintain vigour and output under stress conditions, similar to that occurring during stress free conditions.
Abiotic stress events such and cold, drought, flood, heat and salinity increase the risk of oxidative damage in crops, resulting in extensive yield losses for the grower.
BioAtlantis entered the crop biostimulant market in 2007 with stress mitigation as a central strategy. Since then, BioAtlantis has concentrated on stress mitigation mechanisms in crops, using naturally-derived compounds isolated from marine and terrestrial resources. Our extensive research in this area has culminated in the development of AgriPrime, a novel technology that revolutionises our understanding of ‘molecular priming’, a process involving the induction of tolerance in crops against various stresses, using highly specific pre-treatments. The core concept of AgriPrime® Technology is preventative rather than curative. This is in line with our original approach and company philosophy of ‘Nature working Naturally’.
The foundation of AgriPrime® Technology is naturally-derived compounds that are safe and proven to modulate gene expression and metabolic responses in crops. Emerging from this research, a range of products have been developed and tailored-made to induce crop tolerance against a variety of abiotic stresses and growth limiting factors. These technologies provide growers with a means of maximizing their crop’s genetic potential, while also guaranteeing a minimum of 3:1 return on sustainable investment (ROSI).