b'PARTNER CONTENTThe Power of BiologicalsAdvancements in biological seed-applied technology are benefitting sustainable agriculture and also rewarding growers with more profitable crops.F or researchers, soil remains a fascinating reser- the optimal composition of all formulation ingredients voir, packed with tiny microbes that can have aneeded to produce a superior biological solution.big impact on sustainable agriculture. The com- It can be a challenge to transfer positive results plex microbiome living in plant roots and soil is vitalfrom a laboratory or greenhouse environment to the to global farming practices, as it provides plants withfield under varying climatic and soil conditions and to nutrients, protects them from pests, and aids them inensure that growers get the trusted performance they difficult environmental conditions.expect. As our field technicians will tell you, its not a The plant rhizosphere and the multi-dimensionalsimple matter of taking a biological product, applying JANNIS WITTKAinteraction between microbes, soil and plants is ex- it to a seed or on the field, and then hoping it will work, has worked intremely complex and has developed over millions ofbecause the results will likely be disappointing. strategic and com- years. Unlocking these symbiotic relationships withinFor this reason, field trials require that the many mercial roles in thethe soil microbiome is key to developing novel biologi- interactions between the biological product, the plant, Ag industry for morecal solutions that offer farmers a smart and sustainableand the environment be rigorously studied. Through than a decade atway to grow our food. the use of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, country, regional andThe level of scientific work in biologicals has acceler- Bayer scientists are able to analyze field trials in a novel global levels. His firstated rapidly in recent decades. Companies are applyingway. Their goal is to identify potential major agronomic experiences in thecutting-edge research techniques from pharmaceuticalfactors influencing microbial field performance, which seed treatment andand other research-driven industries to understand,our researchers can then utilize to develop biological biologicals businessoptimize, and deliver biological products to farmersseed treatment adapted to various environments.came as Head of PMOaround the globe.Major improvements in efficacy, stor- The end result is innovative new biological solutions - Portfolio Innovationability, and applicability are some of the fruits of thesethat offer not only improved soil, root and plant health in China for Bayerinvestments. and but also larger profits for our farmer customers by before returning toBayer is partnering with private and public institu- increasing the yield and quality of their crops.Bayers headquarterstions to advance the understanding of the soil micro- Among our more recently launched innovations is in Germany in 2015 asbiome and identify beneficial microbial strains fromBayers BioRise Corn offering in North America, a Strategic Planner fordifferent environments around the world. As an R&Dnew seed treatment designed to increase the functional the companys globalleader in agricultural seed-applied technologies, Bayerroot volume as well as water and nutrient uptake of Bayer SeedGrowthboasts a multidisciplinary team of researchers andcorn plants by enhancing the colonization of beneficial business. Since thescientists who focus solely on biologicals and excel inmycorrhizal bacteria in their root systems.beginning of 2018,harnessing the power of beneficial bacteriacreatingGrowers can expect to benefit from some new seed he has led the globalinnovative seed treatment/enhancement products thatapplied biologicals that are in early and advanced strategy for Bayerbroaden the choice of agronomic solutions for farmersstages in the Bayer R&D pipeline, such as are our next-SeedGrowth bio- and also address consumer and environmental needs. generation crop efficiency solutions for corn and soy logicals and has man- To offer growers high consistency in performance,which will be launched in 2022 and 2024 respectively.aged the respectiveBayer invests significant resources and time through- Innovations like these are why Bayer biologicals are product portfolio. out the development cycle of any new biological seedalready used in more than 80 million acres worldwide. treatment and tests it thoroughly in the laboratory, ourAs we build on our strong track-record of developing greenhouses and ultimately in the field.and commercializing innovative biological seed treat-The process begins with finding the right kind ofments, our customers can be assured that Bayer will bacteria. Bayers laboratory researchers will screencontinue to launch inventive new tools to support grow-more than 10,000 microbes each year in order to finders around the world.42/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2019'