Can microbes cut nitrogen fertilizer use in half? Pivot Bio bets on a new agricultural model

In the United States, Pivot Bio is rapidly scaling its microbial nitrogen technology, which CEO Chris Abbott says could supply as much as half of a crop’s nitrogen needs within the next five growing seasons, a milestone with major implications for farmers facing high fertilizer prices and climate pressure. The company told AgFunderNews that it has cut product prices by 30% while increasing distribution across the country, positioning itself to accelerate adoption as growers look for more efficient, predictable and sustainable nitrogen solutions.

Founded in 2011 and operating from Minneapolis and St. Louis, Pivot Bio specializes in engineering soil microbes that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia directly on crop roots. The company argues that this provides a more consistent, non-volatile source of nitrogen compared with synthetic fertilizers, which are vulnerable to losses through rain, heat, and volatilization. Rising fertilizer costs, volatile commodity prices, and mounting climate demands have made nitrogen efficiency a central concern for U.S. producers.

Microbes designed to boost nitrogen fixation

Pivot Bio’s technology centers on bacteria that naturally produce ammonia using the enzyme nitrogenase. By editing microbial genes to increase nitrogen fixation and prevent the shutdown mechanism triggered by synthetic fertilizers, the company transforms these organisms into what Abbott describes as “super-productive ammonia factories.” The microbes colonize plant roots, releasing nitrogen continuously throughout the growing season.

Farmers can apply the products in three ways: in-furrow, as a seed treatment, or as a dry powder added directly into the planter box. “Our goal is to meet the grower however they want to use it,” Abbott told AgFunderNews. The company has introduced new dry formulations that blend microbes with micronutrients, expanding their application options.

Pivot Bio recently launched several products targeting specific crops: PROVEN G3 for corn, CERT-N for cotton, and RETAIN for sorghum. These additions build on the success the company found by initially selling through seed channels, where seed treatment proved an “early home run,” according to Abbott. Now, Pivot Bio is expanding into agricultural retailers, adding more than 500 new points of sale this year. It also expects imminent regulatory approval to enter Brazil, one of the world’s largest agricultural markets.

A shifting business case for farmers

The economic rationale for microbial nitrogen varies by crop, region, and farming strategy. Some growers aim to boost yields using the same synthetic fertilizer levels, while others reduce synthetic nitrogen and maintain or modestly increase yields. Abbott said downstream buyers are also creating incentives: over the past three seasons, companies participating in Pivot Bio’s N-OVATOR program have paid farmers $13 million in premiums for producing crops with a lower carbon footprint.

Trial data suggests growing interest among cotton and corn producers. In large-scale trials across eight states, cotton treated with CERT-N replaced an average 20% of the usual nitrogen program, achieving an average yield increase of 50 pounds of lint per acre and a $35 rise in ROI, according to the company. Early results from Texas corn fields showed that PROVEN G3, when added on top of standard fertilizer rates, increased yields to 154 bushels per acre, compared with 146.6 bushels using synthetic fertilizer alone.

These figures matter for growers facing rising input costs and tightening margins. “In all the years since I was born in 1988, grower margin has never been pressured more than it is right now,” Abbott said to AgFunderNews.

A long-term shift in nitrogen economics

The company’s long-term goal is to become the highest-performing, most cost-competitive, and most sustainable nitrogen source on the market. Unlike fertilizer, microbial nitrogen is not lost to rain or heat, which contributes to its efficiency. Abbott argues that Pivot Bio’s products can meaningfully reduce the amount of synthetic nitrogen farmers need per bushel of grain produced. He says top customers now use 0.4–0.6 pounds of synthetic nitrogen per bushel, down from 0.8–0.9, depending on crop and region.

This shift is significant because nitrogen fertilizer represents one of the largest operating expenses—and one of the biggest environmental liabilities—on many farms. Large amounts of fertilizer volatilize into nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, or wash into waterways after heavy rains. Microbial products that supply nitrogen gradually and predictably throughout the season could help reduce those losses.

Abbott expects Pivot Bio’s microbes to replace 40–50% of synthetic nitrogen by the end of the decade. If achieved, this would transform nitrogen management on U.S. farms and potentially influence global markets. “If I’m a farmer applying anhydrous ammonia and UAN, and Pivot Bio can give me 50% of my nitrogen, I might say I’m done with anhydrous,” Abbott said. “It’s volatile. I lose a lot of it. It’s unsafe. I’m going to just use the bio seed treatment and UAN.”

Competition and next steps

While several emerging ag-biotech firms are vying for a place in the biological nitrogen market, Pivot Bio says it has a competitive advantage because it holds granted patents in the space and publicly releases performance data from farmers who submit results—“good, bad, or indifferent,” Abbott emphasized.

Looking ahead, the company plans to deepen partnerships with fertilizer producers in order to deliver integrated nitrogen solutions. This includes combining synthetic fertilizers with microbial products when appropriate to meet specific crop and soil needs. The company sees value in offering “the right package, the right solution” to each farmer rather than promoting a single, standalone alternative.

As global agriculture faces pressure to lower emissions, cut input costs, and improve nutrient efficiency, microbial nitrogen solutions are drawing increasing attention. For Pivot Bio, the next five years will test whether engineered microbes can truly scale to the point of replacing half of the nitrogen farmers apply today—and whether growers will adopt them widely enough to reshape modern crop nutrition, as highlighted by AFN in its recent coverage.