Groundwork BioAg Ltd. has signed a globally exclusive license agreement to develop, produce and commercialize mycorrhizal strains isolated and bred at the Agricultural Research Organization’s (ARO’s) Volcani Center in Israel.
The agreement also includes exclusive rights to proprietary production methods that were developed at the Center during the past two decades.
Mycorrhiza fungi extend plants’ root systems and increase their ability to absorb nutrients in the soil. Numerous crops, including small grains, require the presence of mycorrhizal fungi to grow to their full potential.
When applied to agricultural crops, the company reports its mycorrhizal inoculants significantly increase yields while reducing fertilizer requirements, and can also repel several soil-borne pathogens, such as pythium and fusarium. Controlled field trials conducted by Groundwork and by ARO have demonstrated double-digit yield increases in several crops, including corn, bell pepper, sunflower and banana.
