R+D+i Projects
Aware of the need to innovate each day, at MERISTEM we carry out research projects whose objective is the optimisation and development of new products that meet the needs of farmers. The projects are carried out in our R+D+i department, often in close collaboration with universities and other prestigious bodies in the sector. Below, we outline some of our most recent projects.
Volatile biostimulant compounds for application in agriculture
This new CDTI project aims to delve deeper into the use of certain volatile compounds as biostimulants for crops. The goal is to incorporate these molecules, which plants use as stress signals, into formulations to produce a response that can be used to increase crop productivity.
On one hand, these molecules can induce the closure of the plant’s stomata; from a genetic standpoint, they could also trigger the activation of flowering and resistance genes.
Ultimately, the objective is to manage the vegetative-productive balance of the plant according to the needs and state of the crop.
This is a significant challenge in advancing towards a technologically advanced and more profitable agriculture.
New state-of-the-art biostimulants
Project funded by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), aimed at developing a complete line of biostimulants based on a volatile organic compound that plants produce naturally.
The project arose out of collaboration with the UPV and aims to research how this compound acts using transcriptomics and metabolomics techniques.
Using this knowledge, the objective is to create biostimulants capable of:
- Increasing the productivity of the crop.
- Increasing resistance to abiotic stresses.
- Improving production quality: colour, organoleptic properties, nutritional properties, etc.
The compound, already patented, could be a big step forward and a completely new development in the world of biostimulants.
Development of a biofertilizer product applied to the soil, based on atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria
A project whose aim is to develop a formula based on bacteria that fixes atmospheric nitrogen, in order to extend MERISTEM´s lines of microbiological products.
The objective of these products is to limit the environmental impact of agriculture, as their use could reduce chemical nitrogen fertilizer by around 60% and 70%, without reducing the yield or quality of the crop.
The formula is already being tested in the field to determine its effectiveness.
Biostimulant that activates metabolic pathways linked to the ripening and pigmentation of fruit
Project developed to obtain products that improve the colour of fruits, alternatives to the most used hormonal products.
In order to achieve the objective set, cutting-edge techniques were used, such as gene expression analysis, and field tests were carried out on multiple crops, which finally made it possible to launch the product Stimax Color on the market.
Microbial agent to control pathogens in different crops
The objective of this project was to develop a phytosanitary formula based on our strain of Bacillus subtilis, useful to reduce the damage caused by different diseases on different crops. This type of bacteria ensures effective control and does not leave residue on the plants, thus helping to look after the environment.
Through this project it has been possible to optimise the formula, in order to achieve the maximum efficiency of our microbial agent.
The tests carried out in the field have made it possible to validate the functionality of the product at different doses and with different crop species.
