Have you ever heard someone say sometimes, what’s old can find new purpose? In the case of Azospirillum brasilense it couldn’t be truer. In the late 90’s and early aughts, the bacteria showed mounds of promise for enhanced root growth in turf grass. Formulation and delivery made it an economic challenge to incorporate into a turf management system.
Although Azospirillum has been a well known bacterium in the turf industry for decades, new formulation and packaging from 3BarBio have completely reinvented how it can be delivered, stored, and activated, making it more accessible, efficient, and powerful than ever. The new product is called Azo Root. “When the bacteria in Azo Root (Azospirillum brasilense) attach to the roots, it colonizes producing growth hormones and fixing atmospheric nitrogen to enhance rooting,” says Phil Dwyer, PhD turf grass scientist. “This relationship benefits both the plant and bacterium, enabling robust root growth, which is essential for turf health, drought resistance, and faster recovery.”
In its earlier iterations, Azospirillum brasilense delivery posed challenges. The product was shipped on ice to maintain its live microbial content, which limited its shelf life and made transportation both cumbersome and costly. Customers had to use it quickly, often within a week, to harness its full effectiveness. Although this method worked, it created inefficiencies that prevented the product from reaching its market potential.
Breathing New Life into Azospirillum brasilense