The Brazilian Soybean Research Institute (BRI) has attracted a large number of visitors to conduct an open field trial of a "super weed" resistant amaranth vine herbicide in Jiagu.

The islanders in suits and leather shoes came, the Americans who wore only shirts and no ties, the Brazilians in floral shirts came in droves, and the Argentines in jeans came......

There is a lot of interest in "super weed" herbicides, and even grain companies or biotechnology companies that do not have a presence in Brazil will send employees from domestic companies to Brazil for inspection.

This commotion is only because of the super weed that directly threatens soybeans.

Soybeans are currently the main crop with the highest protein content, providing 30% of the fat and 60% of the vegetable protein for humans, and it is the most economically profitable crop, and it is a crop that plays a pivotal role in the field of agricultural trade.

In the eyes of international grain merchants, stable soybean production is always the most important.

After all, in the entire soybean industry chain in North and South America, most of the financing of soybean farmers comes from international grain merchants, and most of the funds needed for soybean production, pesticides and fertilizers are also provided by them. When the soybeans are harvested, the soybean farmers pay back with the soybeans.

If there are uncontrollable factors that cause a sharp drop in production, even if there is an insurance company, it will be an unspeakable pain for both soybean farmers and international grain merchants.

The "super weed" amaranth vine is such an uncontrollable factor.

It is more vigorous and adaptable, and has a stronger inhibitory effect on soybeans than any other weed, and is considered the number one dangerous plant in the genetically modified soybean industry.

Weeds that are resistant to genetically modified herbicides are not the first to appear, but they can all be eliminated by changing the herbicide. Sadly, the "super weed" amaranth vine beats almost every herbicide on the market today.

This weed is already a thorn in the side of soybean farmers in the eastern United States, as well as a thorn in the side of multinational grain traders. However, the major grain merchants and biotechnology companies have not yet done a good job.

China Jiagu has, and major companies naturally want to know whether it is true or not.

Therefore, with the completion of the toxicological test of the biological herbicide in Jiagu by the Brazilian Soybean Research Institute and the official start of the field efficacy test, the experimental field area has been crowded with delegates or observers.

A group of people stared at Brazilian researchers in white coats spraying herbicides on a test field.

However, there is nothing to see.

After the researcher had sprayed the potion, all that remained was observation.

This is the case with herbicide field efficacy tests, many times, the waiting time is longer than the time worked, but when the results are available, they are often clear at a glance.

The representatives or observers waited and waited until a week later, when they had the answer in their hearts.

In the open field and greenhouse environment, more than a dozen control groups were artificially set up in the experimental plots in Brazil.

Experiments have shown that when different types of herbicides are used to treat this super weed, the results are mixed.

For example, Monsanto's Roundup (i.e. glyphosate), which is the most commonly used, is damaged when three times the stated amount of glyphosate is used, but after a week, you can see that new healthy tissue has grown again.

- Not to mention how weak the effect is, not to mention how high the cost is, the glyphosate residue that is destined to exceed the standard is enough for everyone to throw this solution in the trash.

Again, there are still some herbicides that are effective. High concentrations of paraquat, for example, can completely kill this super weed, but if you look at it, paraquat can kill you – and the soybeans in the test field are also killed.

Even before soybean planting, paraquat is used to kill this super weed. Facts have proved that in the process of soybean growth, this super weed may "recover" at any time, and its damn super vitality can often "catch up", squeezing the living space of soybeans.

In the experimental field where Jiagu biological herbicide was applied, there was a stark contrast between the lush soybean seedlings and the yellow and dead super weeds.

Qi Zheng appeared on the scene under the eyes of everyone who were either hot, admiring, or vigilant.

Schroders, CEO of Bunge South America, also appeared at the scene.

Representatives of other companies saw Qi Zheng and Schroder Qi Zhi, and suddenly had a bad feeling.

Bunge is definitely a big Buddha in South America, and Schroeder, the CEO, has more power than the delegates or observers present, and can often make important decisions on the spot.

Schroeder didn't contact Qi Zheng for the first time, he stared at the experimental field where Jiagu biological herbicide was applied for a while, and asked the people around him: "Is the efficacy test process standard?"

"Standardly, we kept recording the data and also observed the whole experiment from start to finish. The employee next to him replied quickly. Bunge has a much stronger presence in Brazil than other companies, and the collection and analysis of data is much more comprehensive.

"In other words, this herbicide is exactly effective?" Schroeder first determined Kagu's bargaining chips.

His subordinate nodded lightly and said, "Judging from the current experiment, it is effective. ”

"What's the principle?"

"Jiagu is developing a microbial herbicide, and the active ingredient is a fungus of the genus Fusarium, which the Chinese name 'Amaranth mold'. Under the appropriate application conditions, the initial infection was completed after 8 hours of inoculation, and it directly invaded from the intercellular space and the center of the cell of the amaranth vine, decomposing a specific substance to destroy the cell structure; after 20 hours, the cell damage was serious; after 3 days of application, the amaranth vine visibly turned yellow with the naked eye and gradually died......" He wrote down many pages in his notebook, and gave the answer without pause at this time.

"The appearance of this biological reagent is gray loose powder, each gram of bacterial agent contains about 50 million spores, and the spore germination rate is more than 80%; ”

Schroeder pondered for a moment and then asked, "How sensitive are you to environmental conditions?"

Like other biopesticides, bioherbicides are extremely sensitive to climatic conditions such as temperature and humidity due to their role mainly on living microorganisms.

"This bioherbicide is more stable. The subordinate paused and sighed: "Although I don't know how the Chinese do it, in general, microbial herbicides and chemical pesticides cannot be applied at the same time." However, this bioherbicide can interact with glyphosate and be mutually beneficial......"

Schroeder's eyes were fixed, that is, the biological herbicide only for super weeds does not affect glyphosate for ordinary weeds, which is undoubtedly conducive to the large-scale promotion of this biological herbicide.

"Can we replicate it?" Schroeder asked in a deep voice.

"The specific nature of the amaranth mold is not yet known, so it is difficult to say. The subordinate hesitated for a moment and said, "Our research team is already doing relevant research, but because it is a living organism that plays a role, it is particulate matter that is insoluble in water. This granularity and hydrophobicity will directly affect the physical properties of its formulation, such as wettability, dispersion and suspension, making it more difficult to process its dosage form than chemical herbicides......"

"That said, this bio-herbicide is worth taking. Schroeder has made a decision.

"Well, maybe we need more observation and experimentation. The subordinate whispered.

Schroeder no longer hesitated, waved his hand and said: "Opportunity will not wait for anyone." I'm going to talk to the chairman of Kagaku. ”

After that, Schroeder enthusiastically walked to Qi Zheng on the other side, stretched out his hand and said: "Please allow me to introduce myself, contemptible Schroeder, in charge of Bunge's South American business, I heard that Jiagu has made a great biological herbicide, I came immediately, I hope to investigate, it will not disturb you." ”

The Brazilian researchers beside Qi Zheng said goodbye to Qi Zheng with interest under Schroeder's glance.

Qi Zheng and Schroeder shook hands gently.

He knew it.

As we all know, South America is at the heart of Bunge's strategic map. As a result, most of the Bunge leadership has a South American background. In two years, Schroders will be promoted from CEO of South America to CEO of Bunge.

Judging from the representatives of the various families at the scene, only his status was slightly equal to Qi Zheng, and the others could only watch the two "talking happily".

But in fact, Qi Zheng is a pair of people who say humble words without nutrition, and Schroeder also has a pair of people who say unnutritious compliments.

Qi Zheng was not in a hurry to understand Schroeder's intentions, while Schroeder was silently evaluating the value of Jiagu's biological herbicide in his heart.

Through several years of research, American scientists have discovered that the "super weed" amaranth vine can increase the production of detoxification enzymes in the body, that is, these enzymes can neutralize herbicides before they destroy important cellular processes.

Unfortunately, even knowing the herbicide resistance strategy of "super weed", metabolic resistance can be difficult to identify, or even more difficult to combat, because hundreds of detoxification enzymes may be involved.

As he said, Kaya has found a feasible path by starting with microorganisms, which is truly remarkable.

Microbial herbicides are actually pathogenic bacteria of weeds in the final analysis, and because of this, biological herbicides have strong target specificity. However, agroecosystems are complex, with a wide variety of weeds, and in general, microbial herbicides that can control only one weed are not of high value.

It's a pity that the "super weed" amaranth vine can't be viewed with common sense.

There is evidence that the evolutionary trend of amaranth vine continues.

Just as antibiotic-resistant infections are feared by medical scientists, the spread of superweeds in a world where the expansion of food production is subject to many technological limitations, is catastrophic.

If nothing else, the effect of the biological herbicide is enough for him to pay attention to.

It's a pity that Schroder's technical department, as well as other biological companies that have cooperated with Bunge, have invested nearly 10 million dollars in anti-super weed technology in the past three years, why haven't there been such obvious results?

But he didn't know that the initiator of all this was the thing in front of him.

-- Three years ago, when Qi Zheng first "spawned" the super-weed amaranth vine in the eastern United States, he only intended to destroy the non-GMO soybean production system of the Americans and enhance the market competitiveness of GMO soybeans in Northeast Africa.

But, as a phrase in a certain movie says - life will always find its own way.

When the Americans used various herbicides to fight against super weeds, the amaranth vine adapted to the high-intensity natural selection brought by the "Green Bamboo Lark Array", and the waist was no longer sore, and the kidneys were not deficient...... Ahem, in short, it's all the way on the road of continuous evolution.

In just two or three years, amaranth vines have been "invulnerable".

Of course, if Qi Zheng makes a move, no matter how poisonous you are, the annihilation of the group is also a matter of turning over your hands.

It's just that, after reacting, how could Qi Zheng let go of this opportunity to strengthen Jiagu's voice in the international soybean industry?

After the emergence of the "invincible" super weed in the United States, scientific research institutions around the world have launched research on it, and Jiagu Laboratory is no exception.

With the "help" of someone, Jiagu Laboratory successfully mutagenesized a pathogenic fungus of amaranth vine - Amaranth mold, and conducted systematic research on its solid fermentation spore production technology and dosage form processing technology, and the result is the biological herbicide that Brazilians are experimenting.

Well, the spread of super weeds in Brazil is also the handiwork of Qi Zheng. As the "father of super weeds", if Qi Zheng is "full fire", it will not be difficult for super weeds to crawl all over Brazil's farmland in a short period of time.

Schroeder didn't know that the "big profiteer" in front of him was spinning the idea of "evil" in his mind, and when he saw his subordinates desperately glaring at him, he said "sorry" to Qi Zheng.

Walking to the side with his subordinates, Schroeder asked, "Tell me, what's the situation?"

His men looked around before whispering, "...... The research team reported that the amaranth mold is not easy to reproduce, has low spore production, and has extremely poor spore viability. From this point of view, Amaranth mold requires special conditions for growth and sporescence......"

Qi Zheng, who was deaf and clear-sighted, "happened" to hear the words of the Bunge employees, glanced at Schroeder, who did not change his face, and smiled faintly.

Amaranth mold does need a special means of "inducing" - without him, only the spirit.

Profiteers must have the consciousness of profiteers, how can there be obvious loopholes?

Just now, a representative of Marubeni stood up at the scene and said, "Chairman Qi, can you provide more samples so that we can learn more about the specific effects?"

"Absolutely. Qi Zheng agreed very happily and said: "Anyone who is interested, you can ask us for samples and take them back for verification." ”

The foreigners did not hesitate to give Qi Zheng applause. Applause and no money, Westerners like it the most.

Only Schroeder's heart sank.

That's exactly what Schroeder has been worried about, and Kaya is not afraid that someone will be able to replicate this biological herbicide. And when more and more people realize this, the difficulty of getting the biological herbicide is completely different.

Can't wait any longer.

Schroeder gritted his teeth, returned to Qi Zheng's side and said, "You want to promote this biological herbicide by making such a public exhibition, right?"

"Huh?"

"Super weeds are currently only found in the Americas, and there is no need for this bioherbicide in China, is it? We, Bunge, can help Jiagu to obtain a commercial license smoothly. "Schroeder was very emotional and infectious.

Qi Zheng has no doubts about this.

Bunge's main sphere of influence is in the Americas, especially South America. Although pesticides are not Bunge's main business, Bunge's industry position and market voice in the Americas are leveraged.

If there is a push from Bunge, at least in Brazil, Qi Zheng believes that Jiagu Bioherbicide can pass the government approval and obtain commercial approval as soon as possible.

However, Qi Zheng raised his eyelids and chuckled: "You're right, we don't need the herbicide in China anyway, so I'm not in a hurry, just take your time when applying for a commercial license or something." ”

The corners of Schroeder's mouth twitched.

Of course, you are not in a hurry, and your home field in Jiagu is not in the Americas, but Bunge can't help but be in a hurry.

Not to mention the fact that the spread of superweeds to Brazil could lead to a sharp drop in soybean production, the Americas are also the world's largest grain exporter, and superweeds can easily lurk in bulk plant commodities, especially soybeans, and invade soybean importing countries.

Although it is impossible for most countries to completely refuse grain imports, if they are in a tight position, the trade costs of multinational grain merchants will inevitably rise, and this is all their money!

The best way to do this is to address the threat of "super weeds" at the source.

Schroeder finally couldn't help it and asked, "Chairman Qi Zheng, what do you want if you transfer this herbicide to Bunge?"

Qi Zheng smiled, waited for a while, and then said softly: "What if, I want to take a stake in Bunge's export terminal in Brazil?"

Schroeder's eyes widened, and he really wanted to say, "You go away!"

But after a few thoughts, I still obediently endured.

The price is sky-high, and the money is just paid on the spot.

What's more, if this super weed is allowed to run rampant, the soybean yield will be greatly reduced, and the value of the dock will also plummet!

......