The first deals with the problem of manure. Intensive pig and poultry farming present the dilemma of how to dispose of manure. In parts of northwest Europe, the solution has been to simply truck it to any farm that will take it, and they won’t have to pay for it. In this issue, we look at the GreenSwitch project, which offers a different solution – why not upgrade the manure to a fertilizer that hi-tech agribusinesses, such as greenhouses, can use? The output of one industry being the input for another, creating the much sought-after circular economy. GreenSwitch is what the developers believe is a world-first: using the manure input of a biogas reactor and turning it into liquid potassium nitrate (NOP). Admittedly it’s low analysis NOP at present, but the end goal is to produce a range of nitrogen products, including nitric acid. Find out more in our exclusive interview – Scent of Success. Spoiler alert – the process removes the odour. Second, we follow up on the announcement of a collaboration between the fertilizer giant Mosaic and BioConsortia. The partners aim to develop and launch new nitrogen-fixing microbial products for corn, wheat and other major non-legume row crops. There have been tie-ups between big fertilizer companies and biological companies before. However, given that Mosaic is a giant in the potash and phosphate markets, it will not be eroding a nitrogen business through the partnership. It therefore side-steps the dilemma of selling a nitrogen-fixing microbe or selling some nitrogen. Thirdly, we look at a seaweed-based product that has been formulated into a gel, aimed primarily at the seed treatment and hydroseeding markets. Martin Driscoll, CEO of Dyacare UK, spoke to New AG International and described how the end uses extend far wider, such as a growing medium for bacteria, whether in the laboratories of biotech companies or in the stomachs of ruminants as an animal feed. Driscoll explains how their proprietary process delivers the right amount of viscosity to be a self-binding seed treatment. Relating to seaweed, our contributing editor Dr. Oded Ochilea caught up with Timo van der Zwan from Acadian Plant Health following a presentation made at our virtual NAI Africa conference. Oded’s conversation with Van der Zwan, who manages the company’s molecular biology laboratory, provides the latest insights on the molecular modes of action of the company’s biostimulants, based on Ascophyllum nodosum. And fourthly, we turn to the blue skies of research. Our editor Janet Kanters delves into the world of lichens and the possibilities they open for biocontrol. These curious organisms are inherently resistant to
microbial infection due to the production of large numbers of unique secondary metabolites. Janet takes a dive into the academic literature and finds that lichen extracts have been found to have effective antimicrobial activity, and in one paper show lichen extracts could be used against rhizome rot in the commercial production of ginger. And point number five – in our precision agriculture section, we turn to sensors. We welcome a new writer, Trevor Bacque, to the New AG International contributors’ team. Agricultural journalist Trevor, who is also current president of Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation, provides an overview of how sensors are being used in agricultural applications. Moving to market matters: in February, New AG International wrote in its web news pages about how rising freights for containers and a looming tussle over potash contract prices could impact the specialty fertilizer markets in the coming months. This is still something to watch moving into the second quarter. We have a feature on the water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) market in Argentina. It’s not one of the largest WSF markets in Latin America – regular readers will know we have covered bigger ones (Peru, Chile) – but it is an interesting one, not least because it has a sizeable area of subsurface drip irrigation that could expand and increase the usage of WSFs. And finally, some readers might have received this issue with personalised delivery – that’s because they have signed up when prompted in the digital issue. Our goal is that once you’ve signed up you never have to give us details again, or all future issues. Let’s face it, filling out forms is a bore. So please sign-up and you’ll get your personalized issue. ●
Luke Hutson, Editor in Chief
Enjoy the issue. And having made the bold claim, I hope you are not disappointed.
