NEW: RF-80 and RF-90

With RhizoFix® RF-80 Zwischenfrucht and RhizoFix® RF-90 Kleegras, we are adding two universal inoculants to our range. They specifically improve nitrogen fixation in legume mixtures – across a wide range of species.

Rising fertiliser costs and growing demands for sustainable farming leave many farms facing the same question: how can nitrogen be supplied as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible? Biological solutions such as RhizoFix® are becoming increasingly important. After all, legumes take nitrogen from the air – provided the right nodule bacteria are present in the soil.

This is exactly where our two new products come in. They ensure that the symbiosis between plant and bacterium establishes reliably. This increases nitrogen availability during growth and also benefits the following crops.

Why inoculating legumes pays off

Legumes such as clover, lucerne, vetch or peas form a symbiosis with nodule bacteria known as rhizobia. The bacteria colonise the roots, form nodules there and convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form the plant can use. In return, the plant supplies them with carbohydrates.

However, this partnership is selective: each legume genus only works effectively with certain rhizobia strains. If the right bacteria are missing from the soil, nodulation remains weak or fails altogether. This is often the case where a legume has not been grown on a field for a long time or never at all, after long breaks in the rotation, or on sites with unfavourable soil conditions.

By inoculating the seed, you bring the right partners straight to the root. This lays the foundation for rapid nodulation and efficient nitrogen fixation.

What's new: one inoculant for many legumes

Our existing products RhizoFix® RF-10 to RF-70 are each tailored to specific species or genera. That is ideal if you grow a legume as a pure stand or sow a mixture with just one legume partner.

In practice, however, clover grass and catch crop mixtures often contain several legume species with different requirements for their bacterial partners. Until now, that meant combining several inoculants or accepting compromises.

RF-80 and RF-90 solve this problem. This is made possible by an innovative combination of different rhizobia strains in a single product. As a result, each legume in the mixture finds its matching partner – with just one inoculant and in a single pass.

The two products at a glance

RF-80 Zwischenfrucht is ideal for catch crop mixtures containing legumes. The inoculant is particularly recommended in green manure systems or in preparation for crops with high nutrient requirements. RF-80 is suitable for, among others, all catch crop mixtures in the TERRA GOLD® series available from us, as well as fallow and wildflower strip mixtures containing legumes. The strains it contains reliably form a symbiosis with both small-seeded and large-seeded species.

RF-90 Kleegras was developed for clover grass mixtures and is particularly useful for new sowings. The inoculant supports legume establishment and ensures a stable nitrogen supply from the outset. RF-90 is suitable for all Freudenberger forage mixtures containing small- or large-seeded legumes. It also adapts very well to different species combinations in arable forage and on grassland.

Both inoculants are supplied in handy 500 ml bottles. One bottle is sufficient for around 50 kg of seed. We will be happy to advise you personally on the right combination of mixture and inoculant.

Your benefits on the farm and in the rotation

• More nitrogen in the system: Well-inoculated legumes fix more atmospheric nitrogen. Both the crop itself and the following crop benefit.
• Lower fertiliser costs: Biologically fixed nitrogen can replace part of your bought-in mineral fertiliser. That eases the pressure on your farm budget.
• Easier handling: One inoculant for the whole mixture instead of several individual products saves time and avoids selection errors.
• Greater reliability: The combination of strains increases the likelihood that every legume in the mixture finds its matching partner.
• Sustainable farming: Less mineral nitrogen means lower energy and resource use. At the same time, you promote soil life and soil fertility.
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Practical tips: getting inoculation right

Inoculants contain living micro-organisms. With a little care in storage and application, you will get the most out of RF-80 and RF-90:

1. Store cool and dark: Protect the inoculant from heat and direct sunlight. Observe the use-by date.
2. Apply close to sowing: Apply RF-80 and RF-90 immediately before sowing, or dilute with water and apply during seed placement. Do not leave treated seed standing in the sun for long.
3. Ensure even coverage: Make sure the seed is fully and evenly coated.
4. Avoid contact with harmful substances: Certain seed treatments or mineral fertilisers can damage the bacteria. Please follow the instructions for use on the packaging.
5. Check for success: A few weeks after emergence, it is worth taking a look at the roots. Active nodules are pink to reddish inside; inactive ones tend to be whitish or greenish.

Root checks also make an excellent teaching tool for agricultural colleges and vocational schools: they make the symbiosis between plant and bacterium visible right there in the field.

Conclusion

With RhizoFix® RF-80 Zwischenfrucht and RhizoFix® RF-90 Kleegras, we are offering universal inoculants for legume mixtures for the first time. They combine the proven performance of our RhizoFix® range with a broad spectrum of application. This allows you to make full use of the nitrogen potential of your clover grass and catch crop stands – simply, economically and sustainably.

Would you like to know which inoculant suits your mixture? Our advisory team at Feldsaaten Freudenberger will be glad to help. 

Contacts 

RhizoFix® Sales

Benedikt Blumenraht 02151 /4417-229, b.blumenraht@freudenberger.net

RhizoFix® Technical questions

Michael Sulk 0162 / 4626 682, rhizofix@freudenberger.net