In-Plant Inoculants

Research and Development

How In-Plant Microbial Inoculant Technology Works in the Plant

IONfx Seed2Rumen is a seed-applied in-plant biostimulant for corn and forage sorghum grown for silage.

IONfx Seed2Rumen is comprised of proprietary, patent-pending strains of Pseudomanas flourescense and undisclosed strains of Seed2Rumen microbes. All strains are non-GMO and were selected from the natural environment and screened for their abilities to recycle cell waste, promote water use efficiency and reduce the effects of abiotic and biotic stressors on plant growth at the cellular level from germination through harvest.

In the plant, the endophytic bacteria live in the inter-cellular spaces and the cell walls of the roots, stalks and leaves where metabolism and cell division are regulated. The bacteria and host cells have a symbiotic relationship to promote plant health, photosynthesis, carbohydrate production, respiration, and performance efficiencies.

Laboratory results confirm that IONfx Seed2Rumen treated plants create an environment in the cell favoring photosynthesis and a pH supporting the specialized bacteria responsible for improved fiber digestibility of the forage.Growing season benefits include:

A dry planter box in-plant inoculant to aid germination and reduce stressors throughout the growing season from planting to harvest. Allows the plant at the cellular level to better manage nutrient use and internal physiological functions, such as photosynthesis and respiration.

In-plant microbial activity ceases at harvest but a more highly digestible forage with increased tonnage for more potential milk, or beef per acre has been produced.

A more highly digestible forage complements current chopper applied inoculants, further accelerates starch breakdown to potentially reduce purchased feed ingredients.

A more highly digestible forage and available proteins increase milk and reduce the amount of feed needed per hundred weight.

Value-added, sustainably produced, identity preserved milk to meet consumer expectations with additional ROI potential for the dairy producer.

Highly digestible feeds have been proven to reduce the enteric methane production for ruminant animals. Third party laboratory results show total GHG reduction from fecal material of 10% with an 18% reduction in methane and a 21% reduction in CO₂ versus an untreated ration.

Accumulating income potential from the field, the herd, the dairy processor and carbon sequestation and GHG reduction opportunities while meeting sustainability goals along the way.

Meeting Grower Expectations!

10,000 Acre Corn Silage Trial

During crop year 2022, eight farms along the I-29 corridor applied IONfx™ Seed2Rumen™ to 10,000 acres of corn silage to feed approximately 15,000 cows and young stock during feeding year 2023.

Final combined results are being collected, but all field, ensiling, animal performance and herd health reports have been positive. This study has shown an increase in milk produced per ton of dry matter, as well as reduced GHG emissions as enteric methane and in the manure. The group of eight expanded their treated acres for the 2023 crop year with expansion for the 2024 growing season expected.

Agrovive Biologicals has also been consulting with a network of like-minded companies behind the scenes to develop a proprietary greenhouse gas impact assay to bring profitability to the sustainability value chain.

“There’s only so much stuff you can invest in, but we try to invest in those things that make impact we can actually measure”

United Dairies

Watkins, MN

Ration component impacts have been studied in the in-vitro environment by Fermentrics Laboratories in Ottawa, Canada, for the last three years to determine why plants that exhibit an improved fiber digestibility profile impact greenhouse gas production and show an increase in projected milk or beef production. This foundational data is being used to create a commercial laboratory feed test that can be used to show the reduction in greenhouse gas anticipated from a dairy or beef animal. The next step is to create an assay that can be used for a TMR greenhouse gas estimate that can be used to create a Carbon Intensity Score method for on-farm use and value generation.

“We used the same variety, same field and just on-half of the planter was treated when the other half was not. You can visually see the difference in the corn. then we did sample the different corn from the chopper and that was tremendously different”

Van Winkle Dairy

Canistota, SD