As agriculture moves toward more sustainable practices, the demand for biological inputs is surging. Once dominated by synthetic herbicides and chemical fertilizers, the agbio input industry is undergoing a deep change driven by environmental concerns, the emergence of resistant species, increasing regulatory pressures, and demand for bio-based products.

Biological agricultural inputs present effective and sustainable answers to many of the pressing challenges in modern farming. Their advantages are backed by decades of dedicated research and a substantial body of scientific evidence. In the European Union alone, publicly funded research institutions have produced over 3,000 publications within the fields of agriculture and biological sciences, exploring a diverse range of bioproducts and their potential impacts. While there is no lack of scientific evidence confirming the efficacy of microbial solutions, they are still far from disrupting the agrochemical industry.

Bringing microbial products to market requires more than scientific validation – it demands the ability to produce consistent, high-quality outputs at industrial scale and competitive costs. Without solving this biomanufacturing bottleneck, many innovations remain stuck in development, unable to achieve their potential and impact.

Phoma macrostoma – A Case Study in Untapped Potential

One of the most compelling examples of how manufacturing challenges are limiting the commercial success of biologicals is Phoma macrostoma. This naturally occurring soil fungus was discovered and developed over more than two decades by the Canadian government as a selective bioherbicide targeting broadleaf weeds. Unlike traditional synthetic herbicides, Phoma exhibits a novel mode of action: it produces metabolites that inhibit chlorophyll biosynthesis in susceptible plants. The result is a distinct bleaching effect that disrupts photosynthesis and leads to the slow death of target weeds, while leaving grasses and other non-target plants unaffected. This selective mechanism made Phoma macrostoma an ideal candidate for integrated weed management systems, especially in turf, rangelands, and other grass-based cropping systems where broadleaf weeds pose a persistent threat to productivity.

Critically, the product cleared regulatory hurdles – a milestone few bioherbicides achieve. In 2011, the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) approved Phoma macrostoma for commercial use under the trade name “Phoma Macrostoma 94”, registered as a microbial pest control agent. The product demonstrated strong efficacy against common and problematic broadleaf weeds such as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album), and white clover (Trifolium repens), among others.

Yet despite its scientific credibility and regulatory green light, the product failed to scale commercially. Key limitations stemmed from its manufacturing and formulation approach. Produced using solid-state fermentation, the product was delivered in a granular form that restricted it to pre-emergent use and made it incompatible with standard foliar spraying systems. Moreover, the product required an extremely high application rate of over 350 kg per hectare, with costs above €1,000 per hectare. These economic and practical barriers ultimately made the product unviable for broad adoption in agriculture.

The story of Phoma macrostoma is not one of failure in the lab, but of unrealized potential in the field. held back by technical bottlenecks in biomanufacturing that limited its scalability, usability, and cost-effectiveness. Now, with new technological breakthroughs, that potential is being unlocked.

Evologic Unlocks Commercial Viability Through Advanced Manufacturing

Evologic Technologies has taken significant steps to overcome the production bottlenecks that previously stalled Phoma’s market success. By applying its proprietary biomanufacturing platform and deep expertise in fungal fermentation, Evologic has re-engineered the production process to enable higher yields, consistent quality, and scalable output at a fraction of the original cost.

At the heart of Evologic’s success lies its robust biomanufacturing platform, engineered to deliver scalable, cost-efficient, and high-quality microbial products. Moving away from inherent quality and reproducibility limitations of solid-state fermentation, Evologic has adapted Phoma production to a highly controlled liquid fermentation process using proprietary bioreactor technology. Evologic’s manufacturing tech allows unprecedented control of fungal growth parameters, ensuring bioactive compound expression, high product purity, and unmatched reproducibility at industrial scale.

One of the most significant outcomes of this approach is the dramatic improvement in product economics. Evologic’s current formulation of Phoma has achieved a 90% reduction in both application rate and cost, turning a once impractical product into a field-ready solution. The fungus can now be delivered in a sprayable formulation, compatible with standard foliar application systems used across conventional agriculture. This is a critical shift from the original granular-only product, which limited use scenarios and increased logistical efforts.

With this transformation, Phoma is no longer confined to niche applications. Evologic’s development roadmap aims to push boundaries even further, targeting one-digit figures in both application rate (kg/ha) and cost (€/ha) by 2027. These improvements not only make Phoma commercially viable but also strategically relevant as the industry seeks alternatives to chemical herbicides like glyphosate and 2,4-D.

The impact of this innovation goes well beyond one product. By unlocking the potential of Phoma macrostoma, Evologic is demonstrating how modern biomanufacturing can turn high-performing microbial strains into economically and practically feasible solutions. With an addressable market size estimated at over €5 billion, Phoma is set to become not only a sustainability milestone but a major commercial achievement, delivering value to farmers, crops, and the environment alike.

As the agricultural sector intensifies its search for safer, more sustainable tools, Phoma macrostoma – once shelved due to manufacturing limitations – is now emerging as a cornerstone of future broadleaf weed management. Owing to Evologic’s advanced manufacturing technologies and expertise, this natural solution is finally set to deliver on its long-recognized promise. This transformation is already yielding tangible results. Evologic has achieved more than a 3x reduction in both application rate and per-hectare cost, while also unlocking a foliar spray formulation. These developments dramatically improve the product’s practical viability and commercial potential.

By solving the biomanufacturing challenges that have long held back microbial innovation, Evologic is not just reviving a powerful bioherbicide – it is setting the stage for a new generation of agricultural inputs that combine biological efficacy with economic scalability.