Ultra-low-dose root growth regulator for enhanced crop resilience
Introducing a patented ultra-low-dose plant growth regulator (PGR) that enhances root growth by inhibiting auxin degradation and suppressing jasmonic acid signaling. Applicable to major crops, these non-ecotoxic compounds improve drought tolerance and nutrient uptake.
Overview
The novel ultra-low-dose root growth regulator (PGR) represents a breakthrough in agricultural technology, offering significant benefits for crop resilience and productivity. This innovative solution promotes root growth by inhibiting auxin degradation while suppressing jasmonic acid signaling. As a result, plants experience enhanced root branching and elongation, leading to improved water and nutrient uptake. This regulator is especially valuable in stress conditions such as drought and low nitrogen availability, making it ideal for major crops like wheat, barley, maize, and others. Notably, the PGRs are non-ecotoxic, safe for human cells, and do not adversely affect soil microbiomes, providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.
Technical specifications
- Application Methods: Can be applied as seed treatments or foliar sprays.
- Effective Dosage: Ultra-low application rates of 50–300 mg ha⁻¹.
- Compatibility: Tested on wheat, barley, maize, sunflower, oilseed rape, and pea.
- Environmental Benefits: Enhances drought and heat stress tolerance, increases chlorophyll content, resulting in visibly greener plants.
- Manufacturing: Inexpensive to produce at scale, making it cost-effective for large-scale agricultural applications.
- Safety: Non-ecotoxic, no harm to human cells, and no adverse effects on soil macro- and microbiomes.
Technology readiness level
The PGR technology is at TRL 5, indicating that it has been validated in relevant environments. It is currently being evaluated by an agrochemical company in Europe for large-scale agricultural use and is undergoing REACH registration. Future efforts will focus on expanding validation in diverse plant species and further optimizing its application for commercial use.
About Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences
The Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences is a public research institute with 315 employees and an internationally connected character. Its 11 laboratories, four core labs, imaging facility, and breeding station span Prague, Olomouc, and Střížovice, giving corporate R&D teams access to specialized infrastructure and a multi-site collaboration base. It connects academic partnerships with applied work involving research and business partners, while breeding outputs can move toward market through testing, plant-variety protection, and licensing. Research is supported by competitive national and international funding, including the Czech Science Foundation and European Commission programs. A technology transfer office supports intellectual property and commercialization.
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