The BiOWiSH® Fertilizer Enhancement delivers consistent results across a broad range of crops, soil types, climates, and management practices to help growers produce more. However, due to their scientific nature, many growers have questions regarding exactly how our products work and if they are suitable for their farms. The frequently asked questions (FAQ) below have been developed to help farmers better understand every aspect of our products.
Our Top 10 FAQs include:
1. Q: What are the benefits of using BiOWiSH® Crop products?
A: Featuring the company’s proprietary HoloGene 3™ technology, BiOWiSH® Crop products create a high-performance partnership between the roots of the host plant and BiOWiSH® microorganisms. The new alliance has a combined genetic profile (the hologenome) that enhances beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere, helps condition soil for improved plant performance and optimizes conditions for tolerance of abiotic stress.
BiOWiSH® Crop products offer many benefits. They help condition the soil for improved plant performance and plant vigor, they optimize soil conditions for greater root mass, and they increase nutrient use efficiency and support nutrient uptake. Farmers may also benefit from decreased fertilization and irrigation needs and may also see financial benefits through the optimized yield potential by improved nutrient uptake.
2. Q: Are BiOWiSH® Crop products safe for the environment, animals, plants, and people?
A: BiOWiSH® Crop products are proven safe by independent laboratories, universities, and governments. The microbes in the products are all Biosafety Level 1 according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) biosafety categorization system.
3. Q: How does BiOWiSH HoloGene 3™ technology differ from microbial soil inoculations and from other enhanced efficiency fertilizers?
A: BiOWiSH HoloGene 3™ technology is not a soil inoculation approach. Our technology is based on the hologenome concept, which considers a host organism (such as a plant) and its microbiome to be a single unit, called a holobiont, which expresses traits based on its hologenome, or the combined genetic profile of host and microbiome together. When BiOWiSH® endophytes enter the roots of their host plants and deliver their load of soil nutrients, it triggers a cascade of effects. The process of root exudation, also known as rhizodeposition, drives the cyclical nature of the rhizophagy cycle while also enhancing beneficial microbial activity in the rhizosphere. The collection of beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere are sometimes likened to a “garden” tended by the plant through rhizodeposition, and many of these express natural functions that further benefit the plant and the physical soil environment. For additional information, click here.
4. Q: Do BiOWiSH® microbes fix nitrogen?
A: BiOWiSH® microbes do not fix nitrogen directly from the atmosphere. The Bacillus species in BiOWiSH® are not selected for their expression of nitrogen fixing pathways, nor have they been genetically engineered to possess them. However, they do provide nutrient related benefits via a separate process. BiOWiSH® endophytic Bacillus deliver soil nutrients to crops through the rhizophagy cycle creating a symbiotic relationship between the plant and soil microbes. For a more detailed explanation, click here.
5. Q: How does BiOWiSH® Bacillus find its way to the root zone?
A: BiOWiSH® Bacillus are applied to the soil as dormant endospores, which cannot move on their own. They remain in this condition until they’re exposed to sufficient levels of nutrients, soil moisture, and needed soil temperature to germinate. However, whether they’re still dormant endospores or have germinated into vegetative cells, there are many different mechanisms by which bacteria are known to move through the soil, even under harsh conditions. When water levels are sufficient, bacterial cells may spread passively through processes such as leaching or evapotranspiration. When water is scarce, processes such paramagnetism may transport Bacillus through the charged surfaces of the soil particles. For more in-depth information click here.
6. Q: Are BiOWiSH® Crop products compatible with other fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, or insect and disease-controlling chemicals?
A: BiOWiSH® Crop products are compatible with many common fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. For a compatibility list, refer to the technical bulletins on our web page. Always conduct a jar test for compatibility.
7. Q: Are BiOWiSH® Crop products GMO?
A: No, BiOWiSH® Crop products are made from naturally occurring and naturally evolved organisms that are not genetically modified by humans.
8. Q: Do BiOWiSH® Crop products affect the pH of my soil?
A: BiOWiSH® Crop products will not appreciably change soil pH. Optimal pH ranges vary by crop. BiOWiSH® works across a wide range of soils, allowing use on all crop types.
9. Q: Can BiOWiSH® Crop products be applied directly to soil?
A: Yes, BiOWiSH® products can be added in a variety of ways, either broadcast, integrated or sprayed onto the soil depending on your needs. Please see the product pages, user guides, and technical bulletins on our website for more information.
10. Q: How do I store BiOWiSH® Crop products?
A: Cover and store BiOWiSH® Crop products in cool, dry location out of direct sunlight. Once opened, keep in an airtight container to maintain the integrity of the product. Prevent spillage and separate from strong oxidizers.
Although the science behind our biotechnology is advanced, the BiOWiSH® Fertilizer Enhancement is easy to use, fits seamlessly into your farm’s management practices and can provide a positive economic return. For more detailed information about our products and answers to additional commonly asked questions, visit our FAQs webpage.