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Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Innovative Slovak SME has invented a new drought relief seed coating method - hydrostimulation - for higher crop yields in water deprived regions and is looking for partners for testing of this technology (for verification of its effectiveness)

Country of Origin: Slovakia
Reference Number: TOSK20191128001
Publication Date: 28 November 2019

Summary

Slovak SME is offering a new seed coating method that makes use of superabsorbents, greatly enhancing a seed's ability to absorb (200-500 times its own weight) and release the captured water gradually in times of drought. As a result, crop seeds coated with this product have more moisture available to support the process of germination and the first phase of growth, resulting in higher yields per hectare. They seek partners for testing via technical cooperation agreements.

Description

The Slovak SME specializes in ecological innovative chemistry based on superabsorbents in various industries, mainly in agriculture has invented a new seed treating method - hydrostimulation - for higher crop yields in water deprived regions.



The company has developed an efficient, easy to implement, and sustainable drought relief seed coating method to improve crop drought resistance. The formula uses an Active Ingredient (AI) - superabsorbent that absorbs up to 200-500 times more water to its own weight and release it back to seeds in times of drought. As a result, the seeds coated with the formula have extra available water during the most critical plants phase - emergence. By so doing, the formula supports development of the root system and biomass, leading to higher productivity in the field.



The Slovak SME has been validating the formula in the lab, small-scale and large-scale field trials since 2017 on several crops and in different regions. What makes the company´s technology unique in comparison to competitors is the specific mode of action, full compatibility within current seed industrial coating processes and fast degradation in soil into harmless substances.



The combination of water shortage, global warming, and world population predicted to reach 10B by 2050, puts farmers under a huge pressure. They need to improve their harvest each year and do so in a sustainable way with fewer natural resources available. Drought is one of the biggest worries in agriculture decimating crop yields. It causes huge economic losses in agriculture, with a price tag of €25.7B. 



The ambition for the future is for this solution to become a standard for seeds used in arid and semi-arid regions. Target customers for this concept are seed-coating companies around the globe producing and distributing treated seeds to dry regions. The final users for the formula-coated seeds would be farmers located in hyper-arid to semi-arid regions around the world.



The project is targeting the global seed market that is expected to witness a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 7.1% during 2017 – 2022. It is expected to reach an annual value of €69.3B by 2022. Selecting 2 crops (wheat, corn) and 10 European most drought affected countries, the formula market potential will reach €906M.



The Slovak SME believes that this concept has a great potential to participate in fighting against negative impact of drought on agriculture. They are looking for a partner to develop cooperation on the verification of the effectiveness of the formula coating on different crops in different regions. As this technology is nowadays in a testing phase, they would like to gain contacts on institutions, which could be helpful with the testing of this technology. Within this context, the preferred type of cooperation is via technical cooperation agreement.

Advantages and Innovations

- Higher hectare yields 

- Higher seed emergence 

- Lower water demand 

- Integration of product into existing equipment of seed coating companies without a need to change existing technologies/processes or to require initial investments for such integration

- Solution allowing mass production and large-scale deployment of drought tolerant seed

- Higher value for money ratio than non-addressed application of superabsorbent into the soil

- Product is environmentally neutral solution, degrades naturally (by 10-15% annually) into non-harmful substances: carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, potassium and ammonium

Stage Of Development

Available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

Field Tested / Evaluated, as well.

Requested partner

Type of partner: agricultural universities, agricultural research organizations and institutes, seed companies, seed coaster producers



Field of activity: preferably agriculture sector



Role of partner: testing of the technology - verification of the effectiveness of hydrostimulating treatment on different crops in different regions. The preferred type of cooperation is via technical cooperation agreement.