R&D
A regenerative farming movement
iQB Agrosciences, LLC has a clear commitment to biotechnology innovation and improved competitiveness in the sectors in which they find themselves. To this end, it collaborates in research and development with institutions such as the universities of Salamanca and Seville, as well as with the group’s own nanotechnology company Beyond Seeds.
University of Salamanca + iQB Agrosciences
Development of a biofungicide/biostimulant in the form of dispersible granules or liquid, comprising strains of Trichoderma T6, T11, T25, T59. The final product can be applied through fertigation, soaking, root flooding, encapsulation and seed granulation to promote root growth, improve plant defence mechanisms and help control of phytopathogenic microorganisms in the soil and plants such as Phytophthora spp. Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotinia spp., Pythium spp., etc., and even nematodes and insect larvae. Its use is valid both in greenhouses and outdoors, in horticulture (pepper, tomato, cucumber and zucchini), as well as for avocado, coffee, banana, herb, citrus, corn, melon, papaya, pineapple, tobacco, grape and strawberry plants.
Trichoderma is a genus of saprophytic fungi present in all soils, with high adaptability and, therefore, it prevails in other fungi. They are a clean, residue-free, biological alternative that does not build up in the food chain and is environmentally friendly, the exact opposite of chemical pesticides commonly used in agriculture.
The final product will be used for the control of plant diseases and also has additional benefits, such as improving soil fertility, stimulating plant vigour, improving plant resistance, and also reducing the need to use agrochemicals. This allows the recolonization of Trichoderma spp. in soils that have been fumigated, avoiding or stopping the proliferation of new pathogens and ensuring the general health of crops.
University of Granada + iQB Agrosciences
Since 2012, the Inorganic Chemistry Department and the Bio NanoMet Group (FQM-368) has consolidated a leading group of engineering of nanomaterials with applications in biomedicine and agriculture.
The main research line is focused on understanding the formation mechanisms of bone nanostructure (biomineralization). The knowledge about synthesis of biomimetic nanoparticles and their functionalization and doping with ions (NO3-, K+), or covering with organic molecules (amino acids, elicitors) has enhanced the development and application of this technology for the design of advanced nanomaterials used as smart and long term release agroinputs, such as fertilizers, biostimulants or pesticides.
The result of this rigorous scientific work focused on innovation between Nanointec and iQB Agrosciences is Nanometic™, biomimetic calcium phosphate nanoparticles, composed of calcium, phosphorous and oxygen, and therefore totally harmless.
These nanoparticles can be obtained by simple and scalable routes, have a size morphology and composition similar to that of bone nanocrystals, hence the term biomimetic, and allow the design of a series of solutions with high bioactivity, biocompatibility and biodegradability, which improve the final quality of the products obtained with minimum environmental impact. Their components and active ingredients are only released in response to chemical changes caused by the living being’s own metabolism, which increases their effectiveness and efficacy.
University of Seville + iQB Agrosciences
Abiotic stress causes negative effects on vegetation, leading to significant losses in crop productivity. Abiotic stress is generated by various extreme environmental conditions. Due to the increasing emission of abiotic stress precursors, together with the influence of global warming on ozone levels, crop losses may be aggravated in the future. Therefore, the search for solutions to mitigate these losses becomes a priority. Abiotic stress induced by different causes is mainly due to reactive oxygen species generated by the spontaneous decomposition of ozone once it reaches the apoplast. In this sense, compounds with antioxidant activity offer a viable option to alleviate the damage induced by abiotic stress.
Using enzymatic technology, we are developing a process that allows the production of an extract with biostimulant properties from a vegetable flour (industrial by-product). The biostimulant, called (BOV) (Biostimulant Organic Vegetal), is water-soluble and enriched with bioactive compounds present in the selected raw material, such as isoflavones. In addition, it contains a significant fraction of protein hydrolysates that contribute to its functional effect. Given its antioxidant capacity, we set out to investigate whether BOV could alleviate abiotic stress-induced damage in plants.
