What is the difference between CropDefense™ Shield and CropDefense™ Boost?

Shield increases stress tolerance in addition to both water and nutrient use efficiency. Boost is a microbial fertilizer that provides nutrients and assists in mineralizing nutrients from the soil. The best examples we have seen so far are in Ghana and India, where stresses are high and the combination of products compensate for 100% of the fertilizer normally applied. The combination of Shield and Boost products work synergistically, conferring elevated stress tolerance and resource availability.
 

How many applications are recommended per crop? Is there any data of further benefits from additional application?

The optimal situation is to first treat seeds so germlings can get established sooner and stronger, and then follow that with a later season foliar spray either just before forecasted heat waves or when plants are in reproductive stage. In the US, the best results occur when farmers foliar apply between late July and mid-August. Times may vary seasonally in Africa. A second foliar application may be applied any time during the growing season – especially if plants appear stressed. Some crops such as maize that grow quite tall, due to height limitations, may require earlier second foliar application depending upon the equipment available to farmers.For non-annual crops such as alfalfa that are grown for 3-7 years and have multiple cuttings during the growing season, several applications during growing season has shown added positive benefits in plant health and yields.
 

It can be difficult to understand around how such a small amount of product can have an impact on such a large amount of farmland. What is a way of effectively communicating this?

Think of it this way - each 4oz bottle of Shield contains more than 14 billion spores and the optimal application rates range from 100 to 1000 spores/plant. These spores are microscopic – tiny, and not visible to the naked eye. Our products are very concentrated, allowing for easy transport that is cost effective. These savings we pass along to the farmer. It may be a small package, but the products are packed full to provide optimal results to large amounts of acres.
 

What sets CropDefense™ Shield apart from other Trichoderma products on the market?

Virtually all Trichoderma products on the market are described similarly. The main difference that sets our product apart is that the CropDefense™ fungi are endophytes and do not live in soil, but instead within the non-reproductive plant tissues. These unique Trichoderma endophytes are not able to survive in the surrounding soils as they cannot compete with other microbes. They chose an alternative lifestyle and live symbiotically within plants. These fungi communicate with the plants and through direct manipulation of plant gene expression from inside the plants. They are able to help the plant, and in so doing itself - the fungi, survive stressful environments. Together the plant and fungi work to mutually to benefit both partners in the relationship.