Carbon Farming

CARBON FARMING

What is Carbon?

The foundation of life on earth is considered to be carbon because the molecules that make up living things, such as DNA and proteins, are linked together by carbon chains. The movement of carbon in and out of the atmosphere, oceans, minerals, plants, animals, and microorganisms is known as the carbon cycle. Carbon is always moving, even if the overall quantity in the system is fixed. Too much release of carbon into the atmosphere from on-earth reservoirs, termed "carbon sinks," leads to a broad number of harmful impacts. According to scientific estimates, at least 50% of the carbon that was once held in Earth's soils has been released into the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, which is made up of the element carbon. The naturally occurring and man-made gases on Earth known as greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, warming the whole planet. With carbon making up the majority of GHG emissions (77%) from human activity, the effects on the planet's natural systems, especially agricultural systems, have been disastrous over time.

On the other hand, for biological production, ecological vitality, and plant and animal health, soil must have carbon in order to operate as a living system. The main component of soil organic matter (which includes all organic elements of the soil system, including live and dead plant and animal tissues, soil microorganisms,) is soil carbon. Plant organic matter is converted to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) molecules by microorganisms and their enzymes. The soil acts as a reliable carbon sink because DOC's ability to bond to soil particles enables long-term carbon storage.

Carbon farming, consists of techniques that increase soil fertility and production while concurrently reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Multi-species cover cropping, low or no till planting, holistic livestock management, and many other regenerative approaches all boost a farm's potential to capture and store more carbon (with significant co-benefits).

Many benefits, both below and above ground, may be gained by improving carbon sequestration in soil.

• Better aeration of the soil
• Increased soil structure and stability
• Superior water drainage and storage
• More nutrient uptake
• Increased biological activity
• Higher yield
• A more resilient agricultural ecology as a whole.

Farms may benefit financially from carbon sequestration by taking part in carbon market schemes that pay them a premium for this service. Companies around the globe are trying to lessen their impact on the environment by providing financial incentives to farmers who use carbon sequestration strategies. This has resulted in the emergence of a number of carbon markets.

What we do?

Carbon credits can be earned in the agricultural sector through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil-based carbon sequestration, as well as through widespread adoption of farm management practices that replenish the soil. Texas Biotechnology, Inc. is preparing to launch a carbon farming program that will be recognized across the world. This program will guide farmers through the steps of turning regenerative practices into premium carbon credits. Farmers will produce premium carbon credits and get access to a network of international carbon credit purchasers through our relationship with carbon credit companies.

HOW WILL IT WORK AND ELIGIBILITY

Our carbon farming program will be open to farmers who are already using regenerative agricultural techniques as well as those who are just starting out, thanks to the novel biological products called " Regenzym," which help to meet the necessary criteria for the transition from conventional agriculture to regenerative agriculture. Farmers will be eligible to take part in the carbon credit program in addition to gaining access to Regenzym’s impressive features, which include restoring soil health, increasing yield, and improving produce quality.

Farmers will be asked to detail their present regenerative practices as well as their past management records and soil analysis for the past years. Then; Texas Biotechnology Inc. will conduct soil tests at each participating farm as part of the program. Based on the soil test results, an optimal treatment strategy can be developed that is customized to each participant.

Regenzym Carbon Credits will be calculated on an annual basis according to the applied regenerative methods and soil test results.

If an activity is verified to have prevented 1 ton of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, it earns carbon credits. 3rd party verification institutes will verify the carbon offset.

Once verified, Credits will be sold each year, based on the verified practices implemented.

What is Regenzym?

Regenzym is a next generation, liquid, bio-stimulant, and a soil catalyst which contains a propriety blend of bacterial enzymes, peptides, amino acids, oligosaccharides, and organic matter.

Regenzym biostimulant products specifically were developed by Texas Biotechnology Inc to meet the UNEP goals in reducing synthetic fertilizers, more particularly Nitrogen, but more importantly address key objectives under the UN Sustainability Goals.

Regenzym contributes to climate change action by firstly reducing Nitrogen loss due to greatly increasing Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), secondly by increasing overall plant growth (more photosynthesis) and root mass, thirdly by enhancing microbial activity in soils.

Root Mass is especially important as the greater root mass, the greater the sequestration of carbon.

Increasing the root mass in soil is an important contributor to building soil carbon as roots contribute 2-6 times the organic carbon of shoots. This is due to the higher amount of lignin in roots protecting them from degradation by microorganisms. As roots grow deeper, microorganisms follow the food source from root exudates, which in turn increases organic carbon deeper in the soil.

Most importantly, however Regenzym addresses the UN Sustainability Goals by offering a superior replacement to synthetic fertilizer, as our products;

• Can increase crop yields and quality;
• Can assist in increasing plant resistance to climate stressors;
• Can improve soil health leading to greater opportunity to increase soil carbon sequestration potential
• Are a cost-effective alternative.
• Regenzym is a certified organic (OMRI and FIBL listed), biological product that aims to improve soil fertility, biological activity, and plant growth.
• Regenzym has unlimited potential to proactively rehabilitate damaged soils by improving soil organic matter storage, increasing water holding capacity, and enhancing nutrient uptake capacity of plants thereby boosting plant growth, yields and ROI.

What are the goals?

• Our goal with Regenzym is to eliminate reliance on the usage of chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals, and to strive to be a leader for sustainable agriculture.
• By improving crop yields and quality as well as restoring the health of the soil, we want to boost farmers' incomes in a sustainable manner.

UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future (United Nations )

Business has the unique opportunity to embrace the new global development agenda and recognise it as a driver of business strategies, innovation, and investment decisions.

In addition to these goals, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) facilitated UN Member States to endorse the Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management, which sets an ambition to halve nitrogen waste from all sources by 2030.

UNEP also recently established the global “Halve Nitrogen Waste” campaign, highlighting the fact that improving nitrogen use efficiency not only supports climate, nature and health goals but also saves US$100 billion globally annually (an estimate based on half the value of global synthetic fertilizer sales).

Nitrogen is essential for life on Earth but in excess, it is a dangerous pollutant and is poisoning water bodies, plants, animals, and humans, while driving climate change through emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide.

As Texas Biotechnology Inc where we have placed sustainability at the heart of our business and adopted the UN Sustainability Goals as a foundation for our business focus.

Regenzym specifically was developed to meet the UNEP goals in reducing synthetic fertilizers, more particularly Nitrogen and phosphorus but more importantly address key objectives under the UN Sustainability Goals.

The guiding purpose for Texas Biotechnology Inc is inspired by our corporate commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Following, we have highlighted some of the goals where we believe we have the greatest potential to enhance positive impacts, and mitigate negative impacts, on society and the environment.

Facts
GOAL 2 - ZERO HUNGER

Our ability to feed 9.8 billion people in 2050 in a context of climate change will depend, among other things, on our ability to keep soils alive.
Regenzym is used to grow nutritious food and support the home gardener, large scale, and small holder farmers around the world to improve yields and quality. This directly strengthens local and regional food systems in an environmentally responsible manner.

Regenzym works to restore and improve soil health, it is non-hazardous, certified-organic, cost-effective, and gives all farmers an important new tool to help them farm profitably under increasingly volatile climate conditions and sustainably in terms of their environmental footprint.

Particularly Regenzym can play a significant role in meeting new policy objectives in respect to reducing synthetic fertilizer applications through greater efficiency and helping achieve sustainable agriculture, most especially amongst small-holder farmers.

Regenzym works both above ground and around the root system in a holistic approach that promotes plant health, increases nutrition, and dramatically reduces the use of synthetic fertilizers. This ensures the health of growers and their workers, and that of consumers.

The scientifically demonstrated effects of Regenzym’s biostimulants converge to at least one or several of the following agricultural functions, they;
• Enhance nutrition efficiency;
• Provide abiotic stress tolerance;
• Improve crop quality traits; and,
• Help to sequester carbon in soils.
Quality traits may refer to nutritional value, grain protein content, shelf life, and forth. These are significant contributors to reducing global hunger.

GOAL 6 - CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

Agriculture accounts for 70 percent of freshwater use worldwide (FAO, 2017).

Greater food demand, driven by a rising world population, has put further strain on water resources.

Regenzym contributes to improving water management through its product use in fertigation, and best practice crop nutrition management.

It also enhances a plants ability to use water in a more efficient way thus reducing the need for large irrigation inputs. Regenzym is also 100% organic and biodegradable thus, where used as a replacement to or in reduction of other fertilizer inputs, mitigates risks associated with run-off and leaching of synthetic fertilizers, such as nitrogen, into freshwater systems.

GOAL 12 – RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

The UN FAO estimates that 9 to 10 billion people will need to be feed by 2050. With increasing pressure on dwindling natural resources, the need to provide sufficient safe food for the world’s growing population, means that growers will need to significantly reduce crop losses and food wastage, and increase production yields and outputs. Regenzym biostimulant promotes beneficial microorganisms and enhances plant nutrient uptake, which reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, thus reducing pollution and our carbon footprint. Regenzym has been part of a major agricultural programme in Algeria. This project highlighted how Regenzym could be used to reclaim desert to generate new agricultural food production that contributed to meeting domestic market demand and export potential.

Furthermore, the programme shows farmers how they can increase their yields by using Regenzym and move away from synthetic fertilizers, with additional increases in yield. As a result, farmers have increased their yields sustainably, reducing poverty and pollution in the area.

OAL 13 - CLIMATE ACTION

Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges we face and is a serious threat to agricultural productivity in many parts of the world.

Regenzym is contributing towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by offering new organic plant based biostimulants/liquid fertilizer and fertigation solutions to farmers, both conventional and small-holder as well as home gardeners.

Environmental performance is a vital part of our product range.

Carbon Sequestration

The process of carbon allocation to soils happens predominantly through leaves (photosynthesis), root growth and rhizodeposition, though a portion of the carbon is also transferred to heterotrophic microorganisms that symbiotically benefit from valuable plant sugars.

The combined effects of time, plant litter and plant death eventually lead to most terrestrial carbon stocks being sequestered not in plants but instead in soils.

The soil holds twice as much carbon as does the atmosphere, and most soil carbon is derived from recent photosynthesis that takes carbon into root structures and further into below-ground storage via exudates therefrom. (Douglas B. Kell ).

Globally, vegetation is estimated to contain 450–650 gigatons of carbon (GtC), while 1,500–2,400 GtC are sequestered in soils and ~1,700 GtC in the permafrost (Friedlingstein et al. ).

Therefore, while plant growth plays an essential role in carbon fixation, the importance of plants is primarily their function as necessary tunnels and dams of long-term underground storage.

Soil nutrients are the determinant factor for plant-based carbon sequestration, but the richness of ecosystem interactions again suggests a more complicated picture. Soil composition varies not only in terms of nutrients, but also in the communities of plants, animals and microorganisms living in the soil. Dramatic differences in plant nutrition can result from the activity of plant-symbiotic microorganisms. (Alonso-Serra, j. ).

Microorganisms include beneficial bacteria, mainly PGPRs, and beneficial fungi. They can be free-living, rhizospheric or endosymbiotic. The life cycle assessment from a cradle to gate perspective, which covers all processes related to crop cultivation up to harvest, was conducted to calculate the carbon footprint of the production chain for zucchinis and spinach by Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy. The results of the comparative analysis revealed that the CO2 equivalent emissions of both crops were reduced due to plant based biostimulant applications (Hamedani et al ).

The world’s soils contain 2 to 3 times more carbon than the atmosphere. If the level of carbon stored by soils in the top 30 to 40 centimetres of soil increased by 0.4% (or 4‰) per year, the annual increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere would be significantly reduced (4 per 1000 ).

Regenzym contributes to climate change action by firstly increasing plant growth and root mass and secondly enhancing microbial activity in soils. Root Mass is especially important as the greater root mass the greater the sequestration of carbon.

Increasing the root mass in soil is an important contributor to building soil carbon as roots contribute 2-6 times the organic carbon of shoots. This is due to the higher amount of lignin in roots protecting them from degradation by microorganisms. As roots grow deeper, microorganisms follow the food source from root exudates, which in turn increases organic carbon deeper in the soil.

Between 2015-2022 Regenzym conducted a number of trials to determine the effects of Regenzym application on plant growth and root mass. As an example.

• Wheat Trial – Trial conducted in Algeria where 2.5L of Regenzym Gold was applied at sowing. Initial tillering stage development indicated an average root mass increase of 15% between treated and untreated.
• Red Oak Lettuce – Tria Gila River Valley, Arizona, USA. Seeds were treated with 20mls : 2 Litres water per 100kgs seed, followed by 1 Litre per acre fertigation using drip irrigation, at first watering. Treated Lettuce root mass indicated a 29% increase as opposed to untreated.
• In Panama, peanut, maize, otoe, and yam plants have been studied. The application of Regenzym resulted in increased root mass, improved plant development and higher yield up to 230%.
• In Germany Regenzym treated corn plants had over 35% higher plant growth.

Coping with a Changing Climate

Tolerance to difficult growing conditions is a key function of many biostimulants. There are various mechanisms through which they provide such benefits. Where plant biostimulants promote root growth, they increase water uptake and thus make it easier for plants to withstand dry conditions and additionally help plants better tolerant very high, or very low temperatures. Further benefits are provided assisting with reducing flower or fruit setting times relative to expected frosts or heat.

Abiotic Stress

An ideal sustainable agricultural system is one which maintains and improves human health, benefits producers, and consumers both economically and spiritually, protects the environment, and produces enough food for an increasing world population (Shrivastava & Kumar ).

One of the most important constraints to agricultural production in the world today is abiotic stress conditions prevailing in the environment.

Plant-associated microorganisms can play a significant role in conferring resistance to abiotic stresses. These organisms could include rhizoplane, rhizosphere and endophytic bacteria and symbiotic fungi. These operate through a variety of mechanisms like triggering osmotic response, providing growth hormones and nutrients, acting as biocontrol agents and induction of novel genes in plants. The development of stress tolerant crop varieties through genetic engineering and plant breeding is controversial and a long drawn and expensive process whereas using Bio-stimulants to alleviate stresses in plants is not only a more cost effective environmentally friendly option but more cost effective, sustainable and achievable in a shorter time frame.

Alleviation of abiotic stress in plants by rhizospheric bacteria

Microorganisms impart some degree of tolerance to plants towards abiotic stresses like drought, chilling injury, salinity, metal toxicity and high temperature. In the last decade, bacteria belonging to different genera including Rhizobium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Paenibacillus, Burkholderia, Achromobacter, Azospirillum, Microbacterium, Methylobacterium, Variovorax, Enterobacter etc. have been reported to provide tolerance to host plants under different abiotic stress environments (Grover et al., 2011 ).

Use of Regenzym as such can alleviate stresses in agriculture and the home garden.

In 2022 Regenzym conducted field trials in Watermelon in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA. During the trial, a cold snap was experienced, unexpectedly. Watermelons treated with Regenzym survived whilst the untreated, control, crop did not. In addition, the Regenzym application in eastern Turkey has shown its effectiveness against drought on wheat plants.

GOAL 14 - LIFE BELOW WATER

The use of synthetic fertilizer comes with a risk of runoff, leaching or volatilization, which can cause eutrophication of waterways, or even dead zones in lakes or coastal waters.

Regenzym biostimulant is wholly plant based and enhances the efficiency of crop nutrition whilst reducing the need for synthetic fertilizer. This in turn helps to mitigate risk of nutrient pollution.

GOAL 15 - LIFE ON THE LAND

Our future is linked to the survival of land ecosystems. Through photosynthesis, plants provide the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat and are thus the foundation of most life on Earth.

Millions of people are currently living on degrading agricultural land.

Historically, the development of resources, mining and agriculture has led to significant land degradation, deforestation, and water scarcity.

According to estimates, today 33% of global farmlands are moderately or highly degraded.

Sustainable Development Goal 15 of the 2030 Agenda aims to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”.

The economic and social significance of good land management, including soil and its contribution to economic growth and social progress, is critical.

Land degradation is a creeping phenomenon (Vlek etal. ) and is often recognized only when corrective action, has become prohibitive.

Regenzym was developed in the context of the need to take-action in both agricultural and forestry environments to halt and reverse land degradation.

Two key impacts of such degradation are resultant soil salinity and chemical residue in soils and plants.

Salinity

Plants that experience salt stress experience inhibited growth and production rates. Soil with high salinity levels reduces a plant’s ability to absorb water, leading to a decrease in growth rate. Plants also risk absorbing salt when there are excessive amounts of salt in their growing environments. This salt absorption would lead to further growth reductions because absorbed salts can injure a plant’s cells in its leaves.

RezFree is a category of biostimulant composed of vital enzymes produced by halophilic bacteria to decrease Electrical Conductivity (EC) of soil and derived from decomposed material including Humic and Fluvic Acid.

As mentioned earlier these ingredients have shown promising effects in salinity stress protection. Where RezFree has been added to salt-affected soil it has improved the affected area’s physical and chemical properties, granting the soil capacity to support plant growth.

In 2015, besides the applications made on Isreal’s Arava Valley and Mexico’s Baja California area, RezFree field trials conducted in saline soil conditions under Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda Zone, concluded that application of RezFree had a significant effect on reducing the level of salinity of the soil, creating favourable conditions for plant nutrition, contributing to an increase in the yield by 3-4 centners/ha (Jamantikov and Myrzahanovic ).

Chemical Residue

Pesticides are used extensively throughout the world to improve agricultural production by reducing pest populations such as insects, weeds, and plant diseases. While the inherent toxicological properties of pesticides allow them to control pests in agriculture, there is significant concern about the potential risks posed by pesticides to the environment, non-target organisms, and to humans who may be inadvertently exposed to them (C.K. Winter 2005 ).

Pesticide residues (PRs) and their transformation products (TPs) may persist in agricultural soils for many years, effecting new crop development as well as causing harm to the wider ecosystem.

Additionally, increased use of pesticides results in contamination of the environment and the excess accumulation of pesticide residues in food products, which has always been a matter of sincere concern. Pesticide residues in food and crops are related to the over application of pesticides to the growing crops. Accumulated pesticide residues in food products have been associated with a broad variety of human health hazards, ranging from short-term effects to long-term toxic effects (Grewal, Singla et al, 2017 ).

RezFree has the potential of reversing both soil degradation and removing persistent chemicals in food crops.

In 2017 a field trial was conducted by RezFree in ITUM10 Table grapes in Spain to determine the degradation of residues of pesticides (Kay 2015 ). 1.4 litres RezFree per ha, with 1,000 litres of water, was applied as a foliar spray 30 days prior to harvest, followed by 0.600 litres per ha, with 1,000 litres of water. No pesticide treatment was performed 5 days prior to treatment. A residue analysis was performed on the untreated area to compare with the end-of-treatment analyses. RezFree at 30 days of application was able to degrade and lower concentration of pesticide residues in table grapes.

In 2015, a protected trial was conducted by Penn State University to determine the degradation of (DDT) 4,4’ -dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in soil and water samples (Hall 2015 ).

The major findings of Penn State University’s trial were as follows:
• RezFree applied to water samples with a dilution ratio of 1/10 was able to degrade DDT concentrations by 68%. Some production of the metabolites DDE and DDD were detected, but the overall mass balance suggested that RezFree degraded 56% of the original pesticide mass added to the samples.
• RezFree applied to soil samples with dilution ratios of 1/100 and 1/400 was able to degrade DDT concentrations by 85% and 78%, respectively over a 30-day period. Some production of the metabolites DDE and DDD were detected, but the overall mass balance suggested that RezFree degraded by 52-56% of the original pesticide mass added to the samples.

SUMMARY

A sustainably managed environment is a prerequisite for socio-economic development. Sustainability is integral to Texas Biotechnology’s core ethos. We believe that our products offer a more sustainable alternative to the existing convention in respect to synthetic fertilizers used in agriculture.

Our mission is to support small-holder farmers and large-scale farmers to restore soil health and sustainably produce healthier, safer and cheaper food.

Our vision is to “cure the earth.”

We believe that “every small- farmer can take climate action – the answer lies beneath our feet, in our own soil.”

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