Agspec and Brandon Bioscience’s stress-tolerant bioactivator of the future
Sustainable solutions to difficult climatic conditions are vital for sustaining yield with changing climate and environmental conditions. Several independent studies have shown that increased temperature and drought can reduce crop yields by as much as 50% (Heat and Drought Stresses in Crops and Approaches for Their Mitigation, M Lamaoui).
Bioactivators like MARTELLO have significant potential in this area. Brandon Bioscience combines molecular biochemistry with advanced genomic data to deliver precision gene expression for optimum crop performance. Brandon’s PSI® technology platform involves extensive crop phenotype and genotype research to bridge the informational gap between product composition and claims. Brandon’s knowledge-based approach ensures that extensive biochemical and in-field data support every product claim. every
Environmental stresses cause a complex reaction within the crop, involving many factors, from signalling and transcription factors stimulating hormones and secondary metabolites. Brandon’s biochemical and agricultural understanding in this area results from 20 years of intensive research.
MARTELLO with PSI® Technology was designed to improve crop performance in high-stress conditions, resulting in a greater marketable yield. MARTELLO induces the accumulation of stress-protective proteins and metabolites within plants. Targeting particular genes for such a specific response is a difficult task that Brandon achieves, giving growers a unique advantage against stress events.
In-field trials by Brandon have shown that plants treated with MARTELLO produce more fruit per plant in both unstressed and heat-stressed conditions. In heat-stressed conditions, MARTELLO can increase marketable yield by up to 86% compared to control plants.
MARTELLO shows increased fruit yield per plant in both unstressed and heat stressed conditions
In addition to stress-protective proteins and metabolites, MARTELLO also upregulates thermo-protective sugars in flowers. It increases pollen viability, ensuring that all aspects of the plant have increased heat stress tolerance. MARTELLO results in significantly increased pollen viability in heat-stressed conditions compared to unstressed conditions.
MARTELLO increases pollen viability (L) and increases expression of thermo-protective sugars in flowers (R) in heat-stressed conditions.
This counteraction of heat stress has particular potential for Australian growers facing arid conditions. MARTELLO’s accumulation of stress-protective proteins and metabolites is particularly effective for helping crops tolerate prolonged adverse stress conditions, especially up to 35°C.
MARTELLO can also be combined with calcium applications and Stress-Ex®, an extremely effective anti-transpirant Agspec product that forms a natural pinene-based polymer on the leaf surface to reduce moisture loss.
Jon Corona, Agspec Business Manager for Sunraysia and MIA, commented, “The synergistic potential of MARTELLO and Stress-Ex® delivers a unique heat tolerance program.”