French agritech start-up Elicit Plant is about to launch a new product in Europe. The basis of this product is phytosterol, and its purpose is to increase the productivity of the sunflower. However, phytosterols are plant-derived lipids that activate plants' physiological defense mechanisms in response to environmental stress.
During periods of water stress, phytosterols play an important role. They regulate the opening of the stomata, small pores that facilitate the exchange of gases between the plant and the environment. “There are more than 200 different phytosterols in nature. However, each of them is stress and species specific,” said Elicit Plant CEO Jean-François Dechant on September 21.
The company said it designed EliSun-a to spray on sunflower plants, allowing phytosterols to enter the plant and stimulate root growth. Therefore, this was essential to improve the exploitation of the soil by plant roots and to increase the water reservoir to which they have access, allowing them to tolerate drought.
“EliSun-a integrates a new technology that generates productivity gains even in a critical climate context. In conclusion, the product will be available to order from the network of distributors and partners across Europe from December 2023,” said Ralph Beckers. Beckers is chief strategic officer at Elicit Plant, and posted this statement in a blog on the company's website on October 3.
Source: Oils & Fats International
