MAUMEE, OHIO – The Andersons announced the availability of a new biological product, Bio Reverse, which reverses nutrient tie-up in crop residue by enhancing residue breakdown. Maximizing residue breakdown post-harvest provides a better seedbed in the spring and releases valuable nutrients into the soil from the previous crop.

Bio Reverse is a specially selected package of soil-borne microbes chosen for their ability to break down the cellulose and lignin in plant tissues. The product is a liquid formulation with a significant volume of colony forming units (CFUs) to ensure excellent coverage and performance. Bio Reverse features an unprecedented shelf-life of two years or more, which means the microbes stay viable much longer and will be alive when applied.

“The application of Bio Reverse breaks down crop residues post-harvest, making nutrients more available the following season to meet crop needs,” states Sarah Pirolli, vice president of sales and operations for The Andersons Plant Nutrient Group. “The degradation of stalks also provides better seed-to-soil contact in the spring, helping to improve consistency of seed depth in the field.”

The consortium of microbes in Bio Reverse are in a robust sporulated form that provides ease of use and allows for any of the following application methods: broadcast with fall herbicides; mixed with liquid fertilizers; impregnated on dry fertilizers; included in pivot irrigation; or sprayed with any other carriers that may be applied in the spring or fall. The microbial strains in Bio Reverse survive cold weather, becoming dormant under sustained freezing temperatures. When the weather warms, the microbes in Bio Reverse become active again and continue colonizing the crop residue.