Anuvia Plant Nutrients, Winter Garden, Fla., on Sept. 28 announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) to help drive discoveries that will deliver new cutting-edge plant nutrient technologies to farmers who want to improve sustainable soil health practices.
The JGI research team is conducting a series of analytical chemistry experiments on various plant feedstocks and soil samples from Anuvia’s research plots. The researchers designed a fabricated ecosystem device (EcoFAB) that will uncover the mechanisms underlying the interactions between plants and their root microbial communities. Combining the tools of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, JGI claims it can precisely measure microbial changes to identify product-specific organic compounds that support the growth of beneficial microbes.
“This project is a fantastic opportunity for us to use our EcoFAB and metabolomics capabilities to gain insights into how Anuvia’s products support sustained plant and microbial growth and ultimately better crop yields,” said Nigel Mouncey, JGI director.
Anuvia manufactures high-efficiency, sustainable bio-based fertilizers under the GreenTRX brand for turf and lawn, and the SymTRX brand for agriculture. The company said its products deliver consistent, slow-release multi-nutrients and reintroduce organic matter to soil, stimulating nourishment for microbes to multiply. Anuvia said the slow-release technology allows more nutrients to be used, decreasing nutrient loss from leaching or volatilization while increasing crop yield and improving soil health.
“Harnessing JGI’s technologies and expertise allows us to more rapidly identify the qualities of organic feedstocks that enhance the soil microbiome and improve soil health while efficiently releasing nutrients critical for plant health,” said Shawn Semones, Anuvia’s Vice President of Research and Development.
“Our collaboration with JGI will spur development of technologically advanced products that bring balanced land stewardship and management to agriculture,” Semones added. “On the manufacturing side, these new technologies will optimize the use of renewable natural resources and diminish waste streams while advancing a circular business model.”
JGI is a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley Nation Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif. DOE’s Office of Science is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the U.S.