Elicit Plant, a pioneer in agricultural bio-solutions, and BASF France-Agro Division, a major player in innovative agricultural solutions, are partnering for the 2024-25 campaign.

The companies will combine their strengths to accelerate the development of the biostimulants EliSun-a and EliGrain-a, specifically designed for the sunflower and cereal markets in France.

The deployment of Elicit Plant’s two products responds to farmers’ demands and will be jointly supported by the commercial teams of BASF France – Agro Division and Elicit Plant starting Nov. 1, 2024.

EliGrain-a, specially formulated for cereals, and EliSun-a, designed for sunflower cultivation, are bio-solutions based on patented innovative technology that utilizes the natural properties of phytosterols. These innovations enable water management optimization in plants, thereby enhancing their resilience to abiotic stress while maintaining high yield levels.

In a news release, Elicit Plant states that sunflower, a substantial crop in French cropping systems, is currently facing yield declines due to prolonged periods of drought stress in their various growing areas. “The bio-solution EliSun-a, by limiting evapotranspiration and stimulating root growth, places the plant in a more favourable position to withstand drought, resulting in an average gain of +3.2 quintals per hectare,” the company says.

In addition, Elicit Plant announced that the effectiveness of phytosterols on straw cereal crops is now applicable to soft winter wheat. “When EliGrain-a is integrated into a conventional fungicide treatment program for cereals, it provides an additional advantage in terms of resilience to abiotic stress and productivity improvement, with an average yield increase of +3.8 quintals per hectare.”

“This partnership with Elicit Plant allows us to reaffirm our commitment to agroecology and provide farmers with new concrete and profitable solutions,” said Pauline de Viry, BioSolutions Manager at BASF within the Innovation, Sustainability, and Reputation Department. “Our partnership fully aligns with BASF’s strategy to remain a major player in bio-solutions by 2030.”

Jean-Paul Genay, Director of the Agronomy Division at Elicit Plant, added: “This partnership with BASF aligns with our vision of transforming agriculture by deploying cutting-edge bio-solutions that ensure both farmers’ competitiveness and sustainable practices. Together, we will accelerate the integration of innovative bio-solutions that not only improve crop resilience in the face of climate change but also pave the way for sustainable agroecological transition.”