Supporting crops from planting to harvest – to improve marketable yield, reduce avoidable losses and use agricultural inputs more efficiently
Every crop that fails to establish, becomes damaged, develops unevenly or falls outside market specifications, represents more than a loss of food. It also represents land, water, fertiliser, crop protection, energy and labour that have been used without producing a marketable product.
BactoTech has developed an integrated microbial crop programme designed to address crop losses at several connected stages of production:
NPS BactoPlus → SeedVital → BactoStym Nitro → EntoBalance
Together, these four complementary technologies support:
- stronger and more consistent crop establishment;
- biologically active seed and root-zone environment;
- improved availability and use of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur;
- more efficient use of synthetic fertilisers;
- plant resilience during environmental and biological stress;
- natural plant responses following pest damage;
- improved crop uniformity and marketable yield;
- reduced proportions of undersized, damaged or rejected produce.
The programme is not intended to replace good agronomy or every conventional input. Its purpose is to integrate biological technologies into existing production systems, helping farmers and growers protect the investment already made in the crop and produce more marketable food from the resources used.
Why bacteria?
Beneficial bacteria work with plants rather than simply adding another dose of soluble nutrients. By improving nutrient-use efficiency, microbial technologies create an opportunity to maintain crop performance while progressively reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers. Microbial technologies can also help strengthen farm resilience to geopolitical and supply-chain disruption. Locally produced and stable microbial products do not make farms completely independent of conventional fertilisers, but they can diversify the crop nutrition strategy and reduce exposure to volatile global input markets.
By helping crops access soil nutrients and use applied fertilisers more effectively, bacteria can reduce the need for additional mineral inputs when prices rise or supplies become restricted. This is particularly relevant in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and environmentally sensitive catchments, where farmers must carefully manage nitrogen applications and reduce the risk of nutrient losses.
The aim is to use biology to make every kilogram of fertiliser, every hectare of land and every crop input work harder – while building a farming system that is less exposed to volatile prices, geopolitical conflict and fragile international supply chains.
The challenge: losses occur throughout the crop-production cycle
Crop losses do not begin at harvest.
They can start with poor germination, weak establishment or uneven plant development. They can then increase through nutrient inefficiency, environmental stress, root-zone problems, pest pressure and a reduced capacity of plants to recover after damage.
Even where the crop reaches harvest, a significant proportion may still be lost because it is:
- too small or poorly developed;
- uneven in size or maturity;
- damaged by pest feeding;
- affected by environmental stress;
- unsuitable for storage or processing;
- outside retailer or consumer specifications.
The result is lower marketable yield and a greater environmental footprint for every tonne of food that is successfully harvested and sold. BactoTech’s approach is to intervene at several key stages, rather than relying on a single product applied in response to one isolated problem.
One programme, four complementary biological technologies
1. NPS BactoPlus – Bringing nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur together in one biological nutrient system
NPS BactoPlus contains selected microorganisms supporting biological processes connected with:
- nitrogen availability;
- phosphorus mobilisation;
- sulphur transformation;
- root-zone biological activity;
- balanced plant nutrition.
Soils may contain considerable quantities of nutrients, but the presence of a nutrient does not automatically mean that it is available to the crop in the correct form or at the time when the plant requires it. NPS BactoPlus is designed to increase biological activity around the root zone and support the conversion of nutrients into forms that can enter the plant-production cycle.
The often-overlooked relationship between sulphur and nitrogen
Nitrogen is essential for crop growth, but nitrogen nutrition cannot be considered in isolation. Plants require sulphur to produce the sulphur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine. These amino acids are essential building blocks of plant proteins and enzymes.
The formation of cysteine is one of the main biochemical points at which sulphur metabolism and nitrogen assimilation are connected. Sulphur is therefore not simply an additional nutrient alongside nitrogen. It helps determine how effectively absorbed nitrogen can be converted into amino acids, proteins and productive plant biomass.
Where sulphur availability is insufficient, a crop may have access to nitrogen but use it less effectively. This can contribute to:
- inefficient nitrogen assimilation;
- weaker protein synthesis;
- an imbalance between vegetative growth and nutrient supply;
- lower nitrogen-use efficiency;
- a reduced crop response to nitrogen fertilisation.
NPS BactoPlus supports microbiological transformation of sulphur alongside biological nitrogen processes and phosphorus mobilisation. This creates a more balanced nutrient-efficiency proposition: It is not only about supplying or mobilising more nitrogen. It is also about helping the crop obtain the sulphur and phosphorus required to convert nutrition into productive growth.
How NPS BactoPlus helps reduce crop losses
Balanced nutrient availability supports:
- early root and crop development;
- more consistent growth across the field;
- reduced risk of nutrient-related growth limitations;
- better conversion of available nitrogen into plant biomass;
- more efficient use of fertiliser already applied;
- stronger yield formation;
- improved crop resilience under variable soil conditions.
NPS BactoPlus creates an opportunity to introduce measured and progressive fertiliser reductions, supported by biological nutrient cycling.
2. SeedVital – Protecting the potential of the crop from the beginning
SeedVital is a bacterial treatment for seeds and planting material, designed to support germination, early development and the establishment of a biologically active environment around the emerging root system. The earliest stage of crop development is also one of the most vulnerable. Young seedlings must establish quickly while facing variable temperature, moisture, nutrient availability and pressure from soil-borne microorganisms.
Beneficial bacteria associated with the seed and root zone can support the developing plant in several complementary ways.
They may:
- colonise the immediate environment around the seed and emerging roots;
- support early root development and nutrient availability;
- help the plant maintain growth during early stress;
- contribute to a more biologically balanced environment around young tissues;
- prime the plant’s own defence readiness.
Scientific research on beneficial Bacillus strains shows that they can stimulate induced systemic resistance (link). Microbial signals can prepare the plant to activate its own physical and biochemical defence responses more rapidly when challenged. This process is often described as priming.
SeedVital role is to support early crop development and biological resilience, helping the plant establish and continue growing under conditions where pathogenic pressure could otherwise contribute to plant losses. Independent potato trials conducted by IHAR-PIB assessed SeedVital across two locations with different soil and environmental conditions. The research evaluated establishment, crop development, yield structure, marketable yield and tuber health. The results showed that SeedVital supports:
- vegetative development and canopy formation;
- the development of yield components;
- a greater proportion of larger, marketable produce;
- a reduction in the proportion of reject or waste tubers;
- improved yield structure across different growing conditions.
The trials also demonstrated that the strongest health-related results were achieved when SeedVital was used as part of an integrated crop-management programme rather than treated as a universal replacement for authorised plant-protection products.
How SeedVital helps reduce crop losses
SeedVital aims to reduce the risk that the crop loses its yield potential at the very beginning of the production cycle.
A stronger and more uniform start can help produce:
- a more consistent plant population;
- better use of available space, water and nutrients;
- fewer weak or poorly developed plants;
- improved crop uniformity at harvest;
- a higher proportion of produce meeting market specifications.
3. BactoStym Nitro – Foliar biological nitrogen support when crop demand is high
BactoStym Nitro is a foliar microbial product containing the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It is applied to the plant canopy and is designed to support biological nitrogen supply and nitrogen-use efficiency during crop development. This foliar route complements the activity of NPS BioActive in the soil and root zone.
NPS BioActive supports nutrient availability in the soil and root zone, while BactoStym Nitro works above ground through foliar-applied endophytic bacteria that enter and colonise leaf tissues, supporting biological nitrogen supply directly within the growing plant.
BactoStym Nitro supports:
- biological nitrogen supply;
- nitrogen-use efficiency;
- canopy formation and vegetative growth;
- crop development during periods of high nitrogen demand;
- plant performance during dry, cold or otherwise stressful conditions;
- reduced dependence on additional synthetic nitrogen applications.
Independent laboratory testing compared BactoStym Nitro with another commercial nitrogen-fixing foliar product in a growth medium containing no added nitrogen source. Samples were analysed by an external laboratory operating under an accredited quality system. During the test period, BactoStym Nitro demonstrated increasing measured nitrogen forms, particularly ammonium nitrogen, while the comparison product did not show the same pattern.
How BactoStym Nitro helps reduce crop losses
A crop that cannot access or use enough nitrogen at a critical growth stage may develop insufficient canopy, limited biomass or reduced yield potential. BactoStym Nitro is designed to support the crop when nitrogen efficiency matters most, helping to protect yield formation and maintain more consistent plant development.
4. EntoBalance – Supporting the plant’s natural response to pest-related stress
EntoBalance is a microbial crop-resilience technology intended for use when crops are exposed to insect pressure. It supports the plant’s biological resilience and its capacity to respond to pest-related stress. It is not claimed to act as a direct toxicant or universal repellent.
Its role is to support plant condition, natural defence responses and the crop’s ability to remain productive when exposed to biological stress.
Product-specific field evidence
EntoBalance has already been evaluated in independent field trials in oilseed rape and onions. In oilseed rape, repeated applications reduced cabbage root fly pressure and limited root damage. In onions, EntoBalance was tested against thrips in a trial conducted according to GEP standards. Repeated applications helped reduce the number of larvae compared with untreated crops, and no phytotoxicity was recorded at the tested rates.
These trials demonstrate the practical outcome – reduced pest pressure and crop damage.
How EntoBalance helps reduce crop losses
By supporting plant resilience during pest pressure, EntoBalance helps:
- protect functioning leaf and root tissue;
- reduce the extent of feeding-related damage;
- improve crop resilience;
- maintain nutrient uptake and photosynthetic capacity;
- support recovery after biological stress;
- reduce risk of yield and quality losses;
How the programme works as one system
Agricultural losses rarely have a single cause.
A weakly established plant may develop a smaller root system. A restricted root system may use fertiliser less effectively. Nutrient stress may reduce the plant’s ability to respond to drought or pest damage. Pest-damaged plants may then produce smaller, less uniform or unmarketable produce.
The four technologies address these connected risks at different points in the crop cycle:
| Crop stage | Technology | Primary purpose |
| Soil and root zone | NPS BactoPlus | Balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur availability |
| Seed or planting material | SeedVital | Establishment, early development and biological defence readiness |
| Vegetative development | BactoStym Nitro | Foliar biological nitrogen support |
| Periods of insect pressure | EntoBalance | Plant resilience and support following pest-related stress |
Supporting different crops
The programme can be adapted to both arable and horticultural production.
- Cereals
- Oilseed rape
- Maize
- Potatoes
- Onions and other vegetable crops
- Sugar beet
Reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers
Incorporating microbial products into crop fertilisation systems allows for a 30% reduction in the use of synthetic nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers without compromising yield or quality. The programme’s objective is to help farmers and growers move from input substitution towards input efficiency.
This means:
- improving access to nutrients already present in the soil
- supporting biological nitrogen supply;
- mobilising less-available phosphorus;
- improving sulphur availability;
- helping the plant assimilate nitrogen into productive growth;
- reducing the need for precautionary or inefficient additional applications.
Potential to reduce carbon footprint
Reducing synthetic fertiliser use may also create a pathway to lower the carbon footprint of crop production.
The potential benefit comes from two main areas:
- reducing the quantity of fertiliser that must be manufactured and transported;
- reducing surplus nitrogen in the production system that could contribute to nitrogen losses and field emissions.
When nitrogen and phosphorus inputs exceed what crops can use, part of those nutrients can be lost from fields through runoff, erosion and leaching, entering rivers and groundwater.The River Wye is a prominent UK example, where agricultural runoff from fertilisers and manures has been identified as a major contributor to nutrient overload—particularly phosphorus-fuelling algal blooms that reduce oxygen levels and damage aquatic ecosystems.By improving nutrient-use efficiency and reducing unnecessary synthetic fertiliser applications, microbial programmes can help protect both marketable crop yield and the quality of surrounding watercourses.
From stronger plants to less wasted food
Reducing crop losses requires more than treating symptoms after they appear. It requires supporting the plant at the stages where yield potential is created, protected and converted into a marketable crop.
BactoTech’s integrated microbial programme connects:
balanced nutrition → establishment → nitrogen efficiency → natural plant resilience → marketable yield
The result is a practical biological strategy designed to help farmers/growers produce more usable food from the land, water, fertiliser and energy already invested in the crop.
