A TEAM of researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños has developed a natural product that enhances the growth of plants’ roots.

The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development said that HormoGroeTM can speed up seed germination, induce rooting, enhance shoot growth and flowering in plantation crops, high value ornamentals, fruit trees, and vegetables.

The product, which is naturally produced by bacteria, yielded positive results after being tested in coffee, cassava, banana, vegetables as well as some ornamental plants such as gumamela and bougainvillea.

Project leader Dr. Lilia Fernando said that unlike other root enhancers available in the market, HormoGroeTM is not synthetic, and is nano-encapsulated which increases its utilization rate and reduces the impact of environmental risks.

The researchers plan to initially sell the product to farmer cooperatives, plantations as well as to retail stores through distribution channels by its spin-off company, MaikilingTek, when it becomes commercially available in 2021.