Agronomic Innovation Insight

A next-generation biostimulant formulation designed for the demands of broadacre crops

Bioiberica Unveils Terra-Sorb® granum to Optimize Tank-Mix Synergy and Nitrogen Efficiency

What core operational challenge does this new broadacre biostimulant address?
Broadacre farming operations contend with highly compressed, narrow application windows where every single spray pass must achieve multiple objectives simultaneously. To address this constraint, Bioiberica developed Terra-Sorb® granum, a next-generation biostimulant formulation designed for the demands of broadacre crops, which combines physiological support, nitrogen efficiency, and high tank-mix compatibility within a single, streamlined intervention.

How does the composition of Terra-Sorb® granum support crop metabolism?
The formulation integrates high-purity, plant-available free L-α amino acids with ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) and a targeted micronutrient package containing boron, zinc, and molybdenum. The ATS provides a readily available source of sulphur that is tightly linked with nitrogen metabolism and protein synthesis. Meanwhile, the micronutrients support critical pathways including enzyme activation, biological nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction, and pollen viability during demanding reproductive stages.

What role does the amino acid fraction play in a multi-product tank mix?
Beyond standard nutrition, the high-purity free L-α amino acid fraction functions as an active co-adjuvant ingredient that improves spray-solution behavior in complex chemical mixes. Certain crop protection treatments can trigger transient phytotoxic reactions and growth suppression. In these conditions, the amino acids deliver safener-like support, helping crops preserve photosynthetic activity and recover swiftly from temporary setbacks caused by early-season herbicide or fungicide treatments.

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Núria Sierras, Head of R&D at Bioiberica Plant Health, walks through the keys to addressing the biostimulation needs of broadacre crops when application windows are narrow and every pass must deliver multiple objectives. That is where Terra-Sorb® granum provides physiological support, nitrogen efficiency and tank-mix compatibility within a single programme.

In broadacre systems, application windows are narrow and single-pass tank mixes with multiple inputs are the operational norm. Terra-Sorb® granum is a formulation-driven biostimulant designed to be tank-mix practical while delivering physiologically relevant inputs that support primary metabolism, particularly nitrogen, sulphur (N, S) assimilation, together with selected micronutrients and L-α amino acids.

Beyond its nutritional contribution, the L-α amino acid fraction can also be considered a functional ingredient, with potential to enhance spray-solution performance in complex mixes.

Terra-Sorb® granum was designed for broadacre crops where every spray pass must deliver multiple objectives. The formulation combines high-purity, plant-available free L-α amino acids with ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) and a targeted micronutrient package (B, Zn and Mo) to support crop metabolism and stress tolerance, while remaining practical in multi-product tank mixes that include herbicides, fungicides or other crop protection products.

“Terra-Sorb® granum was designed for broadacre crops where every spray pass must deliver multiple objectives: supporting nitrogen metabolism, providing micronutrients and remaining practical in multi-product mixes,” notes Núria Sierras.

Formulation highlights (Terra-Sorb® granum)

This multifunctional logic translates into a specific composition, in which each element addresses a concrete agronomic need of broadacre crops:

• Free L-α amino acids (high purity): fast plant availability, with potential co-adjuvant value in multi-product tank mixes with crop protection products.
• ATS sulphur: a readily available sulphur source aligned with nitrogen metabolism and protein synthesis, especially relevant during rapid growth and grain filling.
• Micronutrient package (B, Zn, Mo): supports reproductive performance, enzyme activity and nitrate reduction/fixation pathways.

Nitrogen use efficiency: why sulphur and amino acids matter

Improving nitrogen assimilation and remobilisation is central to yield and quality in cereals and oilseeds. Because nitrogen and sulphur metabolism are tightly linked, providing a readily available sulphur source helps plants convert absorbed nitrogen into proteins more effectively, supporting grain filling and nitrogen redistribution during late developmental stages.

In addition, free L-α amino acids can support nutrient assimilation by acting as readily usable metabolic building blocks and by helping plants maintain a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen metabolism under fluctuating conditions. Research with L-amino-acid-based biostimulants has reported improvements in nitrogen use efficiency in crops.

“The L-α amino acid fraction can also be considered a functional ingredient, with potential to enhance spray-solution performance in complex mixes”.

Micronutrients: small inputs, significant impact

Even when macronutrients are well managed, small micronutrient shortages can quietly limit yield stability, particularly in high-output, high-stress seasons. Boron, zinc and molybdenum are included to support pathways linked to nitrogen metabolism, reproductive development and stress tolerance, helping crops perform more consistently when agronomic and climatic pressure is high:

• Boron supports pollen viability and the movement of sugars and photoassimilates, key for pod and seed set in oilseeds and legumes.
• Zinc is involved in enzyme activation and chlorophyll formation and is often associated with improved tolerance to heat and water stress.
• Molybdenum is essential for nitrate reductase activity and, in legumes, for biological nitrogen fixation.

Terra-Sorb® granum: potential contributions of the amino acid fraction

Free L-α amino acids are not solely a nutritional input. Their role within Terra-Sorb® granum can be analysed from three perspectives:

• Physiological support: free L-α amino acids are plant-available compounds that may support metabolism during demanding growth stages and stress periods.
• After-spray support: amino acids sustain crop function during physiologically demanding periods, including the timings close to crop protection treatments.
• Operational fit: the objective is to add physiological support within multi-product passes without compromising timing, compatibility or field execution.

“Providing a readily available sulphur source helps plants convert absorbed nitrogen into proteins more effectively, supporting grain filling and nitrogen redistribution during late developmental stages”.

Amino acids in the tank: the co-adjuvant angle

In spray programmes, the amino acid fraction is described for its co-adjuvant role in tank mixes with herbicides, fungicides and other crop protection products. Specifically, certain crop protection treatments can elicit transient phytotoxic responses and oxidative stress (ROS overproduction), which may translate into short-term growth suppression, particularly when applications coincide with abiotic stressors such as low temperatures, drought or other adverse conditions. In that context, free L-α amino acids have been suggested to provide safener-like support and may contribute to maintaining photosynthetic activity under certain conditions.

Where it fits: herbicides, fungicides and low-volume applications

Terra-Sorb® granum was formulated for broadacre realities: products need to be easy to handle, predictable in the tank and compatible within multi-product programmes. In practice, it is often used alongside early-season herbicide sprays, where the amino acid fraction may help support crop recovery from the temporary setback sometimes observed after weed-control treatments. Later in the season, it can also be tank-mixed with fungicides, with the aim of supporting crop vitality during grain filling while keeping application efficiency at the core of the programme.

“Free L-α amino acids may provide safener-like support and contribute to maintaining photosynthetic activity under certain conditions”.

Sustainable intensification in practice

Sustainability in modern broadacre agriculture is increasingly defined by efficiency: producing more with fewer losses and better-targeted inputs. By supporting nitrogen use efficiency, micronutrient functionality and crop activity during stress periods or after crop protection treatments, Terra-Sorb® granum aligns with this objective. In addition, integration into existing tank-mix programmes can reduce operational pressure by avoiding extra passes. Where agronomically appropriate, consolidating objectives into fewer applications may also support improved timeliness, lower fuel use and a reduced soil compaction risk.

The new generation of biostimulants: Terra-Sorb® granum is a biostimulant for broadacre agriculture combining ATS sulphur, micronutrients (B, Zn, Mo) and high-quality free L-α amino acids to support crop metabolism and resilience. For farms operating under limited spray windows, the formulation is designed to integrate into multi-product passes, where the amino acid fraction may also provide co-adjuvant value within tank mixes, supporting spray-solution behaviour and crop tolerance around crop protection applications.

Bioiberica Plant Health – R&D Insights

Barcelona, Spain | Technical Report | May 2026