Indigo Expands Field Trials, Readies To Launch New Seed Treatment
Across 500 Beta Fields, located on farms throughout the U.S., Indigo Ag is doing product research to further develop products for commercial launch, including a new bionematicide. With this model the company says it’s able to involve farmers and retailers earlier in the process to see the benefits the new products will bring.
One such example is the pending launch of Indigo Ag’s proprietary bionematicide product, which is scheduled to be commercially available to U.S. farmers by the end of the year for the 2024 growing season.
“This is following the launch of our first biofungicide product last fall,” explains Jon Giebel, Senior Director, Product Strategy at Indigo. “It takes us three years of internal development before we have a product ready for the market.”
Because Indigo is focused on microbial-based products, Giebel says the Indigo testing platform is particularly designed to validate the combination of active microbes and plant benefits.
“It’s about testing these products in real-world conditions,” he says.
More about Indigo Ag’s new bionematicide
The new bionematicide will combine multiple defense actions, including systemically induced plant protections to fight nematodes.
“SCN is one of the biggest stressors for soybean growers. Historically it has been controlled by native traits, but those have been used and are breaking down,” Giebel says. “The goal with Biotrinsic z15 is to extend the life of the native traits and compliment existing crop protection tools.”
When commercially launched Indigo Ag’s bionematicide will be available as a flowable powder seed treatment product.
“We have shown high stability on the seed, high shelf life,” Giebel says. “Application protocol is adding a small coop of powder to the seed tender or the ProBox. Typical agitation is enough to get a uniform coating.”
He explains Indigo builds its products using endophytes, which multiply once they establish a living environment in and around the plant, colonizing over and over again in the soil.
Indigo Ag is building its indirect sales channel via traditional distributors and retailers. Giebel says it’s been important to also engage those professionals in the market to explain how Indigo can integrate its products with other crop protection solutions—focusing on how to extend commercial viability of certain active ingredients and bring new solutions at a time when the approval process for synthetic products is longer than ever.
He shares Indigo sees great growth potential in the control of nematodes.
“Nematode control and biological control is a strong pipeline for Indigo,” he says. “With our new bionematicide, we are looking forward to offering a new EPA approved product that suppresses SCN and works inside and outside of the plant to improve its defense against nematode activity.”
