Beauveria bassiana is a generalist.

Beauveria bassiana is a generalist: This is why our products work on essentially all plants.

By Dr. Paul Rushton

A symbiosis can be a very intimate thing, with two different organisms interacting in such a way that both benefit. In some cases, these interactions can be very specific and occur between just two species. One of the classic symbioses that people often think about is that between an anemone (Heteractis magnifica) and a clownfish (Amphiron ocellaris). The anemone provides the clownfish with protection. The clownfish provides the anemone with nutrients in the form of waste and can also deter potential predator fish.

Dmitry Domrin

The symbiosis that is the biological basis for Prime Superior products is, however, the opposite of this narrow, species-specific interaction between an anemone and a clownfish. This is because Beauveria bassiana is a generalist and appears to be able to form a beneficial symbiosis with pretty much any plant. Over the last few years, we have been able to confirm many species that Beauveria can beneficially interact with. The list is a very long one and takes in monocots and dicots. The plants include dicot row crops such as soybeans, wheat and potatoes; monocot row crops such as wheat and corn; turf grass; house plants; hemp and cannabis plants; trees such as citrus trees and ash trees; and probably pretty much all plant species. The only ones that I am not sure about are plants that have different/modified/no root systems such as orchids or parasitic plants like striga. We need to test them!

So, Beauveria bassiana is found pretty much the whole world over and can form symbioses with pretty much all plant species. That makes it very special because this means that our products, and the benefits they bring, can be used on anything as long as it can photosynthesize. If you add to this the many agronomic traits that the products have so far been documented to be able to improve, then you can be forgiven for getting very excited about the future of growing plants!

Even more so when you factor in that Beauveria is safe for you, your family, and your pets and that using the fungus will help put this beneficial organism back into dead soils – so you are contributing to regenerative agriculture.

This truly is a safe vision for the future of agriculture and growing plants. Our latest results show that the interaction between Beauveria and plants can help the plants take up more nutrients and hence reduce the inputs required in agriculture. In addition, the use of insecticides, fungicides, and other chemicals used to control crop diseases can also be reduced. In fact, if you are an organic grower that cannot use these chemicals, the use of Prime Superior products can fill a gap where there are little or no other options.

So, this is why we are so confident that Prime Superior can benefit so many people and so many plants!