Turbocrop: Field crop plant establishment biostimulant

Specialized biostimulant for root development and vegetative growth on field crops

Turbocrop is a specialized biostimulant product designed to enhance the development of roots and promote vegetative growth in crops. It is specifically formulated to improve plants' ability to withstand and cope with abiotic stress factors, such as extreme temperatures, drought, or nutrient deficiencies.

This technology is validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive high

Under 18: No impact

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Water use: Same amount of water used

Soil quality: Not yet estimated

Problem

Soil Nutritional Imbalance: Nutrient imbalances in soils constrain crop establishment and growth in farming systems.
Limited Root and Plant Development: Nutritional constraints restrict root development and vegetative growth, weakening crop establishment.
Low Nutrient-Use Efficiency: Poor root development limits the ability of crops to effectively use available nutrients.
Reduced Crop Productivity: Limited growth and nutrient-use efficiency constrain the yields farmers can obtain from field crops.

Solution

Complementary Crop Nutrition: TurboCrop combines macro- and micronutrients with biostimulant elements and can complement existing crop fertilization practices.
Improved Crop Establishment: The formulation stimulates root development, root hair formation and vegetative growth, supporting stronger plant establishment.
Improved Nutrient Utilization: Enhanced root development helps crops make more effective use of available nutrients.
Improved Crop Productivity and Resilience: Stronger root and vegetative development supports crop productivity and helps plants cope with abiotic stresses such as drought, extreme temperatures and nutrient deficiencies.

Key points to design your program

TurboCrop is a specialized plant biostimulant that enhances root development, vegetative growth, nutrient use efficiency, and crop resilience to abiotic stresses such as drought, heat, and nutrient deficiencies. The technology can be integrated into sustainable crop production, climate-smart agriculture, soil fertility management, and food security programs to improve crop productivity while promoting the efficient use of agricultural inputs. Its adoption contributes to SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land).

To integrate this technology into your project, plan and budget for the following activities and prerequisites:

Assess crop production systems, soil fertility constraints, nutrient management practices, and abiotic stress conditions in target areas.
Establish partnerships with UPL, extension services, input suppliers, private sector partners, and development organizations to support technology dissemination and scaling.
Facilitate access to TurboCrop through certified distributors and integrate its use into existing crop nutrition and soil fertility management programs.
Implement demonstration plots and training for farmers, extension agents, cooperatives, women's groups, and youth enterprises on biostimulant application, integrated nutrient management, and climate-smart crop production practices.
Support extension and dissemination activities to promote the adoption of biostimulants and good agronomic practices.
Promote the participation of women, youth, and smallholder farmers in sustainable crop production, input distribution, and technology adoption activities.
Implement monitoring, learning, and inclusion activities throughout the project lifecycle.
Track key indicators such as crop establishment, nutrient use efficiency, yield improvement, resilience to abiotic stress, farmer adoption rates, and profitability.

460 Kg/ha

Yield increase

170 USD/ha

Benefit on maize in South Africa

IP

Patent granted

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology's development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology's readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 9 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: validated

Level of use 9 out of 9

Common use by intended users, in the real world

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
South Africa	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid		–		–
Subhumid	–	–	–	–
Humid	–	–	–	–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 15: life on land

Preparation:
- Ensure that Turbocrop is in its liquid form.
- Measure the required quantity for application, recommended at 2-3 L/ha.
Tank Mix:
- Turbocrop can be easily associated with other products in a tank mix.
- This versatility allows for customization based on specific crop and ecological needs.
Application:
- Apply Turbocrop using any type of aerial sprayer.
- Ensure even coverage on the aerial parts of the plant.
Optimal Timing:
- For best results, apply Turbocrop between growth stages V4 to V6.
- This specific timing enhances the effectiveness of the product.
Dosage:
- Adhere to the recommended dosage of 2-3 L/ha for a single application.
- This ensures the right amount for optimal results.
Complementary Benefits:
- Utilize Turbocrop as a complementary solution for both crop protection and fertilization.
- Its proven results across a variety of crops and ecologies make it a reliable choice.
Yield Increase:
- Turbocrop is designed to consistently provide a yield increase.
- Expect quick returns on investment due to its efficiency.

Last updated on Sep 30, 2026

UPL
Florent Clair

Commodities

Wheat Maize Groundnut Common bean + 1 more

Sustainable Development Goals Details ›

public.components.sdgs.motre

Subcategory

Fertilizer

Value chain step

Production

Solution to

Low Productivity Soil Degradation

Tested/adopted in Details ›

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Where it can be used Details ›

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones.

Target groups

Farmers