Sound Agriculture reported that its new seed-applied biological, INFLECT, lifted corn yields by an average of 6 bushels per acre in commercial-scale Midwestern trials and improved yields at 92% of the test sites.

What is INFLECT?

INFLECT is a planter-box powder applied to corn seed at planting. Once seeds hit the soil, two bacteria — Bacillus simplex and Bacillus subtilis — and one fungus, Coniochaeta nivea, colonize the root zone. Sound Agriculture selected the three strains for their tolerance to the high-salt, high-stress conditions that anhydrous ammonia and heavy manure applications create.

Why high-ammonium fields lose yield

Anhydrous ammonia acidifies soil and knocks back microbial populations near the band. Manure locks nitrogen in forms corn can't access during peak uptake.

"High ammonium creates a harsh environment for soil biology — it reduces microbial diversity, which leads to inconsistent root development and lower yields," said Jeff Divan, vice president of agronomy at Sound Agriculture.

The bacterial strains build a buffer between roots and the anhydrous material, stabilizing pH and supporting root growth. The fungal strain breaks down manure and other complex compounds, freeing organic nitrogen and tied-up nutrients.

Where Sound tested it

Field trials ran a full growing season at 12 commercial-scale sites across Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri. Divan declined to disclose total plot acreage. The 6-bushel average and 92% positive-site rate come from those plots.

How it fits the fertilizer-cost picture

The launch lands as most U.S. corn growers report being "more or equally concerned" about farm input costs than a year ago. Many are looking for ways to cut synthetic fertilizer dependence. Divan framed the approach as "making something from what's already there" — letting native soil biology carry part of the fertility load.

"Let biology and products like [those from Sound Agriculture] be your first 25 pounds of fertility," Divan said. "When folks take that approach and peel out expensive applications, we see really good results."

"Far and away, as time goes on, our best wins are when somebody reduces or replaces a portion of dry fertilizer with an active soil microbiome," he added.

How INFLECT fits Sound's portfolio

INFLECT is Sound's third product, joining SOURCE — a signaling chemistry that helps crops draw more nitrogen and phosphorus from existing soil — and BLUEPRINT, an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi blend that lifts nutrient and water uptake. Divan said future pairings could stack SOURCE with INFLECT to lift phosphorus efficiency, much like SOURCE currently "supercharges" BLUEPRINT.

"We're combining our products in ways to support biology's ability to create organic acids and enzymes, and pull phosphorus from the soil and reduce synthetic dependency," he said.

Where Sound goes next

Corn is the immediate target. Divan said Sound is "exploring other crops" for future application but did not name candidates or a timeline.

The bigger question now is whether stacked biological programs can displace meaningful tonnage of synthetic nitrogen and phosphorus at the farm level. Sound Agriculture intends to extend INFLECT beyond corn and integrate it with SOURCE to mine more phosphorus from soil reserves that currently require fertilizer applications.