Farmers seek customized solutions that consider the “biological digital” of soils

The reduction in the diversity of microorganisms in the soil makes the system less efficient and generates greater demand for inputs for plant nutrition and protection. Monoculture and management directly interfere with the microbial composition of the soil. Each soil has its chemical, physical and biological characteristics and they vary from region to region, from farm to farm. Biological fertilizer is the solution to reestablish the soil microbiome and recover the ecological health of the production system. Therefore, farmers have increasingly sought bio-inputs that take into account the real needs of their farms.

It was through the penetrometer that farmer Luciano Henkes, owner of an area of ​​1000 hectares in Sarandi (RS), identified a reduction in soil compaction in the area where Microgeo Technology was used. The volume of biological fertilizer is produced to meet the needs of each farm through the CLC Biofactory - Continuous Liquid Composting, which is installed on the farm itself. “Decompaction was even identified in layers below 20 cm in areas with longer product use. There were changes in the chemical analyzes of the soil, with a greater efficiency of amendments such as limestone and gypsum, with an increase in pH in the soil profile, an increase in organic matter and availability of phosphorus (P)”, he celebrates.

The farmer, who produces oats, wheat and soybeans, also said that the soil has “more life”, observing a greater presence of small insects, arachnids and even earthworms in the areas. “Less compaction, improved soil structure and increased available moisture. We also observed a great improvement in the efficiency of inoculants, especially in soybean crops, with an increase in the number and size of nodules and earlier nodulation”, explains the producer.

Henkes highlights other benefits of using Microgeo Technology such as drought tolerance, superior productivity, greater root volume and lower incidence of soil diseases, even those that are difficult to control such as white mold and Phytophthora.

The occurrence of multifunctional benefits promoted by technology is natural, as the reestablishment of the diversity of microorganisms adapted to the region provides different services to the soil and plants. Two CLC Biofactories were installed on his property; one with a capacity of 60 thousand liters and a Microgeo Intelligent Biofactory (BIM), with the capacity to produce 52 thousand liters of biological fertilizer. The second is automated. “Automation guaranteed better uniformity, less waste, providing higher quality of application”, which facilitates filtration as well as all maintenance and operation of the CLC Biofactory, celebrated the producer. Roberto and Fernando Piovesan Rigon are owners of Agrícola Rigon, located in Dois Irmãos das Missões (RS). They also found in Microgeo Technology the essential solution to the needs that the farm's soil and plants faced. With experience using the technology on more than 6.000 hectares, they say that it was possible to observe, among other benefits, an increase in average productivity and a reduction in water erosion. To scale its production, a Microgeo Intelligent Biofactory (BIM) was installed, with a production capacity of 110 thousand liters and the biological fertilizer has been applied for more than six years to oat, soy and wheat crops.

“The Biofactory model greatly facilitated management and improved production quality, where a fully automated and programmable structure can quickly and effectively meet our demand. At the beginning we believed in Microgeo as a way to improve our soil in several factors and over time of its use we observed good economic results, which motivates us to continue investing in this technology and applying it in our areas until today”, says Roberto .