b'CHANGING the FERTILIZER GAMESwedish innovation unlocks organic nitrogen: a new, more sustainable wayof feeding crops.Marcel BruinsITS WELL KNOWN THATlargeSchmidt, a professor in Agriculture andthat the supply of arginine to plantsinputs of inorganic nitrogen bringFood Sustainability at the University ofand we discovered the same is true for all several negative impacts to crop pro- Queensland, Australia, to hear more plantsvastly improves the growth and duction and the environment. Inorganicdevelopment of their root systems.As a nitrogen stimulates shoot growth at theSeed World (SW): Torgny, you areresult, we have placed a strong emphasis expense of root growth, making cropsfounder and CEO at Arevo. Can tellon arginine in both patents and product more susceptible to drought. For theus about the concept behind yourdevelopment due to its unique and ben-environment, inorganic nitrogen leach- company? My understanding is theeficial impact on the essential process of ing is a major problem. The problem inagricultural application grew out ofplant establishment in cropping systems. many plant cultivation systems is that thewhat was first forestry research? Currently our product portfolio, named rate of nitrogen supply exceeds the rateTorgny Nsholm (TN): Thats right. WearGrow, consists of both liquid and of uptake by the plants. Once nitrogenare a cutting-edge company dedicatedgranular products.is out of reach for the plant, the windowto producing environmentally friendly for beneficial plant responses closesbiostimulants for plants. Our products areSW: How did you discover this and a door to environmental risk opens.unique and deeply rooted in academicpositive response of plants to Hampered root development adds to thisresearch, offering sustainable solutionsarginine? problem. Swedish company Arevo mayfor plant production.TN: The initial discovery on plant uptake have found a solution to mitigate theseThe company emerged as a spin-offof organic nitrogen was published in the challenges.from forest biotech science. Academicjournal Nature more than 20 years ago. Arevo has come up with a novel wayresearch shows the significance ofWe showed that forest plants, not only to encourage crop root growth and,organic nitrogen in tree nutrition. Thetrees but also grasses and shrubs, are consequently increase plants nitrogenresearch revealed the remarkable abilityvery efficient when it comes to uptake uptake. Seed World sat down with someof trees to take up amino acids, particu- of amino acids from soils. I realized that of Arevos team as well as Susannelarly arginine. A significant discovery wasthere should be a potential for the devel-From left: Torgny Nsholm, Niklas strm and Regina Gratz102/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2023'