Study will assess agronomic benefits and environmental impacts of
Plant Impact’s innovative nitrogen delivery technology on selected crops

Plant Impact plc (AIM:PIM), a developer of technologies that improve crop productivity, is pleased to announce that it has signed an extramural agreement with the USDA under which the agency will undertake extensive trials of the Company’s proprietary technology, PiNT, the nitrogen delivery technology on selected crops. The collaboration will enable a thorough, independent assessment of the product’s performance and provide the pivotal data for the validation of PiNT in the United States.         

Under the terms of the contract, PiNT will be evaluated in side-by-side comparisons with other commercial nitrogen fertilisers. Environmental losses by leaching are set to be assessed in controlled greenhouse column lysimeters studies. Corn yield response to increasing nitrogen rates will be assessed in plot trials.      

Plant Impact will work with the USDA and the Agricultural Research Service (“ARS”) at University Park, Pennsylvania to plan and initiate the cooperative research project. The ARS is conducting research on nitrogen use efficiencies of conventional and novel nitrogen fertiliser technologies to find solutions that improve water quality in water bodies that receive runoff and leachate from agricultural lands.  
   
Commenting on the agreement, CEO, Peter Blezard, said: “We are very pleased that we have been able to secure these pivotal field trials with the USDA on PiNT. The USDA managed trials will provide the independent verification and full evaluation of both the agronomic and environmental performance of our newly developed and innovative PiNT product compared to conventional nitrogen providing fertilisers. This data will provide information for the registration of the product and identify the best commercial markets.”

The International Fertiliser Industry Association estimates that the global market for nitrogen providing fertiliser is ninety eight million tonnes, with a value of $125 billion, and that fertiliser production is expected to outstrip demand over the next five years supporting higher levels of food and biofuel production. PiNT was developed to meet the growing demand in the market for amine and ammonia type products that are not expensive and which do not leach.  These increase the efficiency of the nitrogen delivery of a fertiliser, thereby minimising  fertiliser use whilst maintaining the same yields.

About Plant Impact plc
Plant Impact addresses the increasing global demand for effective, sustainable and ecologically-sound products to combat environmental plant stress and improve crop productivity. Common environmental plant stresses include drought, salinity, nutrient deficiencies, pests and disease.  Plant Impact’s advances produce practical results that reduce inputs and benefit the whole of the agricultural value chain, providing solutions for growers, food manufacturers and consumers. 

A broad product portfolio has been developed using these innovative and proprietary technologies, the most advanced of which are already being marketed and sold through established agricultural distribution networks. Products for the home and garden market are also distributed direct to consumers through reputable high street stores. 

Current Plant Impact technologies include:
•    PiNT™ – higher yielding stronger plants
•    Alethea® – resistance to climate, water and salt stress
•    CaT – higher yield, improved shelf life, reduction of  physiological disorders
•    Speedo™ – accelerated plant growth
•    BugOil® – benign pest control 

About PiNT
PiNT technology from Plant Impact uses Amine nitrogen and combines it with a metal into a highly bonded organic cation complex which is highly charged and extremely durable. In this form, the speed at which the nitrogen and metal (Ca, K or Mg) bonds are broken down by soil bacteria is greatly decreased so the plants grown within a PiNT environment will adapt to feed on the stabilised amine nitrogen available

This results in an acceleration in root production to allow for greater surface area to access the new source of N. Nitrogen in this form is more difficult for the roots to mineralise so the plant adapts to energise the rootzone by excreting hydrogen ions and organic acids. Once accomplished the capacity to take up nitrogen is increased and the amine nitrogen passes into the vascular bundle to be moved up the plant. During this process, the plants production of cytokinin is also increased which reduces of auxin production and will break the apical dominance normally seen in nitrate rich soils.