Murica, Spain-based Ideagro, an agricultural research and development firm, is expanding its international presence with the opening of its first agricultural research center on another continent.
On April 29, Ideagro Brazil was officially opened, located at the Ingá University Center (Uningá) in the city of Maringá, in northwestern Paraná. The investment by Alltech Crop Science (ACS), in partnership with the university, makes possible physical, chemical and biological analyses, as well as development of high-impact biotechnological solutions to address the challenges, of Brazilian agriculture with sustainable and profitable productivity gains.
In its first year of operation, Ideagro will invest more than US$1 million in research, development and product registration in Brazil.
“We are facing significant challenges, but also great opportunities for Brazilian agriculture. With this confidence, Ideagro decided to bet concretely on the country’s productive potential,” said Pedro Palazón, CEO of Ideagro.
He emphasized that Brazil is one of the world’s main agricultural production hubs, with a diversity of crops, regions and unique production systems.
“Being present here allows us to develop more effective solutions tailored to local realities and act directly where transformation happens,” he said.
To build a highly qualified local technical team, up to 10 professionals will be hired in the first year. As a way to develop talent and connect science, practice and innovation on an international level, Uningá, students interning at Ideagro Brazil will be eligible for an exchange program at the Spanish headquarters. For Palazón, the European experience in technical standardization, quality control and regulatory innovation complements the dynamism and complexity of Brazil’s agricultural sector.
“Our expectation is that by 2028, the Brazilian operation will become our largest, surpassing even the European unit,” he said.
With more than 20,000 soil health analyses and studies across more than 90 crops, Ideagro is a leader in agricultural innovation in Europe and was recognized in 2021 as a reference laboratory by the FAO’s Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) and the International Fertilizer Analysis Network (INFA). Among the distinguishing technologies the company will offer in Brazil are its expertise in microbiological solutions and the use of precision fermentation processes.
One of the services available is qPCR analysis for quantifying microorganisms in soil and plants – a molecular technique used to amplify DNA in samples, aimed at diagnosing agricultural pathogens. Similar analyses can be conducted for viruses via RNA amplification. The major advantage of this innovative diagnostic system in Brazil is its ability to deliver rigorous and precise results in less than 24 hours – something not possible with conventional microbiological techniques.
“We’re also developing a biological indicator of soil health, a tool that enhances understanding of the production environment and enables more functional, integrated and decision-orientated diagnostics in the field,” said Palazón.
Located on the Uningá campus, Ideagro Brazil features a 230-square-meter laboratory equipped to detect 340 pathogens in major Brazilian crops via PCR; perform traditional nematology and phytopathology analyses; evaluate enzymes that indicate soil health based on the presence of beneficial microorganisms; and develop products derived from beneficial microorganisms. The facility also has access to a 15-hectare experimental area for real-world field trials.
“We have quite intensive agriculture in Brazil, with many regions able to produce up to three cereal crops a year. This offers huge economic benefits but also increases pathogens and depletes soil nutrients,” said Dr. Mayra Soares, research manager at Ideagro Brazil and agronomist with a Ph.D. in plant nutrition with a focus on nematology. “Our fast analyses will show producers where they can improve to grow more sustainably and plan to meet plants’ nutritional and physiological needs – helping mitigate challenges such as climate conditions.”
Since 2023, Ideagro has been the global research center for Alltech’s agricultural division, Alltech Crop Science.
“Ideagro Brazil is the next step in Alltech Crop Science’s commitment to delivering solutions to our clients based on cutting-edge science, focused on soil and plant health,” said Andy Thomas, CEO of Alltech Crop Science.
According to Thomas, Brazil is an extremely diverse agricultural powerhouse, with a proven willingness to integrate biological solutions into crop production and soil management.
“The ability to conduct research and development locally in the market is a key factor for excellence,” Thomas said.
With an eye on the rapid expansion of the biologicals market in Brazil, Ideagro will develop innovative biotechnological solutions such as biostimulants and beneficial microorganisms.
“In the next three to five years, our goal is to establish Ideagro Brazil as a benchmark in applied research in the tropical context, with technologies developed locally and tailored to Brazilian producers,” said Palazón.
To achieve this, Ideagro Brazil plans to launch at least five new solutions focused on improving soil health, biological control and root development stimulation, while also adapting solutions for other Latin American countries and regions.
Another goal is to expand the local collaboration network to create an innovation ecosystem capable of accelerating the development and validation of sustainable technologies.
“We are specialists in soil health, and one of our main goals in Brazil is to advance the concept of suppressive soil – a biologically balanced environment that is less conducive to pathogen development and more favorable to plant vitality,” Palazón said. “Through applied knowledge backed by solid scientific support, we aim to contribute to the transformation of the agricultural sector in Brazil with practical solutions for agronomic efficiency that enhance productivity and profitability while reducing environmental impact.”
