BioConsortia and Mosaic expand collaboration to microbial biostimulant

BioConsortia, Inc. and The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) have entered into a new agreement to distribute BioConsortia’s new microbial biostimulant in Asia.

The new biostimulant BEC69 is branded as ZAFFRE™ in North America, and is expected to provide growers with significant value by optimizing root conditions to help the plant use available nutrients in the soil. It is based on naturally occurring, beneficial bacteria that colonize the roots of plants, stimulate growth, and increase crop yields.

BEC69 bacteria robustly colonize plant roots where they act as powerful biostimulants, promoting plant growth and increasing harvestable final yield. (Photo: Business Wire)

ZAFFRE has demonstrated a high level of consistency in field trials in the United States on a wide range of crops, both as a drench and as a seed treatment. Key fruit and vegetable crops such as tomatoes and beans have repeatedly demonstrated yield increases averaging 15% over multiple seasons of study. The biostimulant has also repeatedly shown positive impacts on germination of high value vegetable seeds in both stressed and optimal conditions. ZAFFRE can be used alongside BioConsortia’s nitrogen fixing microbial products.

Kim Nicholson, Mosaic Vice President of AgTech and Innovation, Strategy and Growth, stated, “Effective biostimulants are a powerful tool in our strategy to provide growers with plant nutrient products that help them increase their yields and profits, while caring for their soils and the environment. We are excited to see the potential of BEC69 in China and other Asian markets where our local sales and marketing teams are developing a strong business.”

Marcus Meadows-Smith, CEO, BioConsortia added, “Mosaic has proven to be a strong partner, and is growing and innovating in the areas of plant nutrition and soil health. We are proud that Mosaic will be introducing this product to their customers in Asia, as ZAFFRE has already demonstrated high consistency and potency in the USA.”

This is the latest product developed through BioConsortia’s pioneering platform that identifies and optimizes microbes that are exceptional partners to plants. Dr. Hong Zhu, Senior VP of Research and Development at BioConsortia, said, “The company’s patented processes result in high performance products for substantially larger and healthier crops with optimized yields and a significantly improved environmental profile.”

This is the third agreement between BioConsortia and Mosaic and expands on recent announcements that Mosaic will develop and commercialize BioConsortia’s nitrogen fixing microbial products for row crops in the Americas and for all crops in major Asian countries. Nitrogen fixing microbes provide crops with necessary ammonia for growth and reduces the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer needed to maximize yields.