Productivity from plants, for plants
Pyrobiotics for improved crop performance
SylvaCo produces safe, sustainable phytoactive - plant extracted - compounds for agriculture, horticulture and viticulture. These pyrobiotic compounds regulate abiotic and biotic plant stressors.
SylvaCo does not use compounds created in the production of high temperature pyroligneous acids or wood vinegars.
The SylvaCo range is carefully designed to assist farmers across the growing season to improve crop performance by triggering natural plant hormone responses.
Innovative biochemistry from the thermo-chemical conversion of select Australian hardwood species
SylvaCo uses novel technology to extract pyrobiotic compounds from select feedstocks.
The active ingredients in SylvaCo products are sourced from sustainable managed plantation hardwoods, marine kelps and alkamide extracts from oxidised carbon compounds.
SylvaCo products incorporate active compounds that enhance plant resilience: depending on the need, SylvaCo has developed applications across the growing cycle.
SylvaCo is collaborating extensively with Australian universities and State agricultural research agencies to assess, refine and trial new, sustainable compounds that enhance crop performance.
SylvaCo’s product portfolio
Seed Spark
Designed to support crop germination, maximise available moisture, and alleviate crop stress at emergence to enhance early vigour.
Seed Spark contains pyrobiotic compounds, fulvate and phytoactive complexed micronutrients.
Amplify
Amplify is a foliar application that has been formulated to initiate a phytohormone response in crops to alleviate abiotic stress (drought, cold, heat, salinity) and provide an antioxidant boost to improve yield potential.
Backstop (Horticulture)
Reduce the risk of peak exposure to excessive heat, chilling stress or sub-zero temperatures, which is proven to limit yield potential in horticultural crops.
Pod Save
Improve the ability of canola and legumes to minimise ‘silique dehiscence’ (pod opening) at maturity, which diminishes yield.
Pod Save is a unique blend of kelp derived auxins, cytokinins, amino acids, alkamides and phenolics.
Active ingredients
SylvaCo products contain a range of beneficial pyrobiotic compounds that have been extracted from the process of controlled pyrolysis plant materials: these include polyphenols, antioxidants, lactones, aldehydes, pyrans and furans.
The most powerful are specific forms of pyrobiotic compounds that are recognised as plant antioxidants, germination stimulants, modulators of pathogenic bacterial virulence and catalysts for plant resilience to abiotic stresses (chilling, heat, drought, salinity).
Extensive independent research over the last 20 years has demonstrated that phytoactive ingredients have a powerful impact in improving plant resilience throughout the growing season.
Beneficial effects include robust seed germination, early plant vigour, abiotic stress alleviation, increased length and fresh weight of roots and shoots, increased number of leaves, total leaf area, and stem thickness.
Protein, carbohydrate, and chlorophyll contents have also been demonstrated to increase in response to plant derived pyrobiotic compounds that SylvaCo extract from sustainable plantation wood pyrolysis.
Application rates
Seed Spark is an ‘in-furrow’ application: it should only be mixed with water.
Amplify, Backstop and Pod Save are foliar applications: SylvaCo also recommends these should only be mixed with water.
If being mixed with any other compounds or chemicals other than water, please always jar test prior to any application as the phenolic compounds in the product may affect mixes.
Contact SylvaCo if in doubt.
Seed Spark - Germination agent
100 - 180mls per hectare in furrow at sowing (depending on tyne/seeder configuration)
800 - 1200 mls per tonne of seed as seed treatment pre-sowing (with a minimum of 3 litres of water). Seed cultivar will determine final rate.
Always seek advice on application rates and application methodology from your adviser before any use or contact SylvaCo.
Amplify - Antioxidant agent
500mls – 800mls per hectare as mid season foliar application on cereals (late tillering) and brassicas (bolting). Timing based on field conditions.
800mls – 1200 mls per hectare as late season foliar application on cereals (early head emergence) and brassicas (podding)
Always seek advice on application rates and application methodology from your adviser before any use or contact SylvaCo.
Backstop - Abiotic stress protection
6 to 10 litres per hectare as late season foliar application on horticultural tree crops in high rates of water (400 to 1500 litres per hectare).
Always seek advice on application rates and application methodology from your adviser before any use or contact SylvaCo.
Pod Save - Slows pod lignification in oilseeds and legumes
1200mls to 1800mls per hectare as later season foliar application on brassicas (podding) and legume crops (pod fill)
Always seek advice on application rates and application methodology from your adviser before any use or contact SylvaCo.
Latest published research
Seed Germination – stimulating early growth and crop emergence
Jiaren Yao, Mark T Waters, Perception of karrikins by plants: a continuing enigma, Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 71, Issue 6, 25 March 2020, Pages 1774–1781
Plant Defence – biostimulant promoting antioxidant activity
Aremu AO, Masondo NA, Gruz J, Doležal K, Van Staden J. Potential of Smoke-Water and One of Its Active Compounds (karrikinolide, KAR1) on the Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Eucomis autumnalis. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Dec 3;8(12):611
Abiotic Plant Stress – mitigating heat, cold and salinity stress
Yang T, Lian Y, Wang C. Comparing and Contrasting the Multiple Roles of Butenolide Plant Growth Regulators: Strigolactones and Karrikins in Plant Development and Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Dec 12;20(24):6270
Modulation and Regulation of Plant Based Pathogenic Bacteria
Hartmann A, Klink S, Rothballer M. Importance of N-Acyl-Homoserine Lactone-Based Quorum Sensing and Quorum Quenching in Pathogen Control and Plant Growth Promotion. Pathogens. 2021 Nov 30;10(12):1561.