A NORTH-EAST scientific firm has developed a technology that could reduce the amount of fertilisers used by farmers, slashing the levels of nitrogen reaching water supplies.

Environmental biotechnology company CBio (Cleveland Biotech), based in Stockton, said its breakthrough increased and improved the biological activity in the soil, leading to less fertiliser usage.

The development of Amnite A100 comes as recent changes have been made to legislation regarding fertiliser usage.

Ben Hoskyns, of CBio, said: “Initial controlled field trials have been conducted that have proven the efficacy of the product in improving crop yields – which could be very good news for farmers of course – but the environmental benefits are of extreme significance.

“This product could provide the means to significantly reduce the quantity of nitrogen applied to the soil and therefore the amount that reaches the waterways and this will have a direct impact on water quality, the sustainability of intensive agriculture and could possibly provide a replacement product for banned fungicides.

“These products could have the ability to revolutionise agriculture and solve one of the burning issues facing farmers today – how to reduce nitrogen levels whilst not risking yield.”

Further trials will take place next year before the product can be marketed.