Elías Muñoz, general coordinator of the Quiver Ibérica Group: “The support of the CDTI Innovation and the European MRR funds has been fundamental to accelerate our R&D and validate in the field a new generation of nanoencapsulated fertilizers”

Agriculture faces the challenge of producing more with fewer resources, in a scenario of climate change and increasing environmental demand. The low efficiency of many conventional fertilizers, with losses of nutrients in soil and air, has driven the search for more precise and sustainable technological solutions. In this context, nanotechnology applied to plant nutrition emerges as one of the lines of innovation with the greatest transforming potential.

In this line and in little more than three years, Quiver Ibérica has consolidated itself as a technology-based company specializing in advanced plant nutrition. Founded in 2022 in Almería, the company was born with a clear purpose: to transform the way in which crops receive and take advantage of nutrients, relying on biotechnology and nanotechnology to respond to the great challenges of the agri-food sector.

At the head of the project is Elías Muñoz, agricultural technical engineer and general coordinator of the Grupo Quiver Ibérica, together with Enrique Muñoz De Morate, doctor in Agronomy and creator of an internationally patented formula for use in plant nutrition. From its headquarters in the Scientific-Technological Park of Almería (PITA), the company has promoted the development of nanoencapsulated fertilizers with the support of the Neotec initiative of the CDTI Innovation, cofinanced by the Mechanism of Recovery and Resilience (MRR).

This collaboration has been key to accelerating research, validating technology and laying the foundations for a productive model that aspires to become a reference in efficiency, sustainability and agricultural resilience.
 

Joaquín Amat, Enrique Muñoz, Elías Muñoz and Sandra Miranda, part of the team of the Grupo Quiver Ibérica
 

Detecting the problem: low efficiency and high environmental impact

The creation of Quiver Ibérica responds to a reality known to technicians and farmers: the limited efficiency of conventional fertilizers. As Muñoz explains, “Extraction studies in phytotechnics indicate that conventional fertilizers have low efficiency due to leaching, volatilization or blockage losses in the soil.”

This phenomenon not only increases production costs, but also increases environmental pressure on soils and aquifers. Faced with this situation, the company identified a strategic need: optimizing the delivery of nutrients to the crop with less input and greater biological efficiency. According to the general coordinator, "It was about optimizing the delivery of nutrients to the crop in a more efficient way using less fertilizer and thus reducing the environmental impact and also improving the farmer's profitability."

The mission is clear: to produce more with less, without compromising soil health or the economic viability of farms.
 

Nanoencapsulation as a technological leap

The differential bet of Quiver Ibérica focuses on the nanoencapsulation of nutrients. Compared to traditional fertilizers, this technology allows to improve the absorption and use of essential elements.

According to Muñoz, "The nanostructured formulation favors a better assimilation via irrigation due to its molecular weight and its negative electrostatic charge, which facilitates the passage through the root system and prevents its immobilization in the soil." And he adds: “In foliar application, nanometric size makes it easier to cross cuticles and cell membranes.”

One of the most relevant aspects is controlled release. The general coordinator underlines that "It is released in a more sustained way, so the doses are reduced," achieving "the same biological effect (or greater) with a fraction of the active matter, minimizing the chemical footprint." This reduction in the amount of fertilizer applied represents both an economic and an environmental advantage.

In addition, the technology enhances the catalytic role of nutrients in the metabolic processes of the plant. "It increases the presence and durability of cations inside plant cells, and this translates into better plant nutrition," he says.

The origin of the project: science, collaboration and opportunity

The company’s core project, developed in collaboration with CDTI Innovation, and focused on the nanoencapsulation and development of state-of-the-art fertilizers for sustainable and resilient agriculture, emerged in the first months of the company’s life in the PITA environment, where scientific knowledge and technological capacity converged.

Muñoz recalls that the idea took shape when they presented their patent to the nanotechnology company Nanointec, also located in the technology park. From that exchange came the possibility of improving the original formula by means of advanced nanotechnology. "The project is to create innovative nanotechnological solutions for crop nutrition," he explains.

The development was articulated in three stages: the synthesis in laboratory —with the support of the Department of Organic Chemistry of the University of Granada—, the industrial pre-scaling together with Nanointec and, finally, the agronomic validation in field by the technical team of Quiver Ibérica.

All this resulted in the Calcium Nanoagriacid, a nanoformulated fertilizer whose structural basis is based on the original patent and which inaugurates the company’s technological portfolio.
 

Prototype of calcium agriacid enhanced by nanotechnology

Agronomic impact: more calcium, more stability

Calcium was the first nutrient developed under this technology and it is not casual. It is a key element in the cellular structure of plants and in the final quality of fruits.

Once applied, the nanoformulated fertilizer has a high assimilation rate. According to the general coordinator, "The assimilation of the nanoformulated nutrient is higher due to the reduced molecular weight comfortably traversing the root system and the electrostatic charge of the molecule." In foliar application, he adds, "It is released in a more sustained way achieving the same biological or superior effect."

But the impact is not limited to the plant. The product also contributes to improving the properties of the soil, favoring greater structural stability and helping to maintain a more balanced pH. This has a direct impact on the soil-crop system’s ability to absorb water and nutrients.

At the cellular level, the increased presence of calcium in plant walls involves more resistant tissues. Muñoz highlights that there is "a greater thickening of plant tissues", which translates into "better rates of rigidity of plants that help avoid stress and favor their defense against pathogens and phytotoxicities". Overall, nutrition and plant health are optimized.
 

Applications in strategic crops

Although the technology is applicable to any crop, the first results have been especially relevant in horticulture in southeast Spain. The general coordinator points out that they have observed improvements against physiopathies such as Blossom End Rot or apical rot, a frequent alteration in tomato, cucumber and pepper. "These results make us think that it will also be very efficient to palliate other similar pathophysias," he says, mentioning conditions such as cork spot in fruit nuts or cold pitting in citrus. The versatility of nanoencapsulation opens the door to expanding the technology to new micro and macronutrients in the future.
 

Current phase: industrial scaling and validation

After successfully completing the laboratory phase, the project is currently in the stage of industrial scaling and field validation. As Muñoz states, "One of the most relevant technical milestones has been the stabilization of the liquid formulation, ensuring that it maintains its effectiveness over time."

This progress is crucial for future production on a larger scale and for the creation of a nano-formulated synthesis plant at the PITA in Almería, one of the company’s strategic objectives.
 

Sustainability and resilience in times of climate change

Muñoz emphasizes that the technology developed is sustainable both in its synthesis process and in its application in the field. "Its assimilation by the plant is very high, and the small percentage that remains in the air is harmless," he says, marking differences with nitrogenous fertilizers that release greenhouse gases.

The reduction of active matter necessary to achieve the same agronomic effect implies a lower environmental footprint and an optimization of resources. In addition, the improvement in the soil structure contributes to strengthening the resilience of the agricultural system against episodes of water stress or salinity.

The combination of nutritional efficiency, soil structural improvement and plant tissue strengthening forms a more robust production model in the face of adverse scenarios.
 

The role of the CDTI Innovation

A key element in the consolidation of the project has been institutional support. For Muñoz, this collaboration has been decisive: "The help of CDTI Innovation through Neotec has been fundamental for Quiver Ibérica." Thanks to this support, the company has been able to accelerate its R&D&I activities, hire specialized staff, cover the costs of scientific collaborators and carry out rigorous validation tests.

In addition, he assures that "for a technology-based company, the CDTI seal is a guarantee of quality. In a sector where scientific and technical credibility is essential, this institutional guarantee represents a competitive advantage."
 

Looking to the future: from emerging technology to sectoral standard

Quiver Ibérica’s bet goes beyond a single product. Looking to the future, the company plans to expand its portfolio with new nanoformulations and develop its own industrial plant for the synthesis of state-of-the-art fertilizers.

For its part, Muñoz hopes that nanoencapsulation will cease to be an emerging technology to be consolidated as a standard in the agricultural industry and aspires to position the company as a reference in biotechnology applied to agricultural inputs. "The agriculture of the future will have to produce more with fewer resources, integrating innovation, sustainability and profitability," he says. In this context, nanotechnology will be key to moving towards a more circular and efficient production model.

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2024, within the framework of a new strategic plan, the CDTI provided more than 2.3 billion euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

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