MIR/Stress Guard™ System

Molecular Impulse Response (MIR) is a patented, environmentally safe technology for treating dried seeds at normal storage moisture. MIR produces no genetic changes and no foreign substances are added to the seed. The technology improves the seed’s antioxidant capacity (Source: Purdue U.), and therefore its shelf-life (Iowa State U.) and its ability to withstand a wide variety of environmental stresses. It also enhances growth in numerous ways and can be used in conjunction with traditional chemical seed coatings and on genetically-modified seed. Most tests have been on chemically-treated seed. Thirty days are required between treatment and planting.

The Process: The MIR/Stress Guard™ process is ideally suited for mass production. Large amounts of seed pass between two electrodes that are calibrated to produce an electrical impulse specifically targeted for that type of seed. This "electron shower" initiates a cellular response within the seed that ultimately increases its growth rate, uniformity and yield while improving its tolerance to external environmental factors such as drought, flood and temperature extremes.

What happens within the seed: The MIR/Stress Guard™ works because of what occurs at the cellular level. Through eight years of laboratory testing and six years of field tests, the proper amount of electrical pulse has been determined based on the type of seed (corn, soybean, wheat, etc). When a seed receives the calibrated electrical impulse, it responds by releasing "free radicals" which, in high concentration, would be harmful to the seed. The seed then produces antioxidants to compensate for the "burst" of free radicals and to restore cell balance. The role of the antioxidant is powerful. After the MIR treatment and cellular response, the free radical level is actually lower than the amount at the start of the process, all to the credit of the antioxidants. Plus, the seed is able to better counteract other stress-induced free radical bursts that may arise in the future. In fact, the seed's redox ratio (the level of free radicals divided by the level of antioxidants) is reduced to the low levels preferred for an organism to begin reproductive growth. Notice the considerable difference between navy bean seedlings after just four days.

The results of a side-by-side comparison: The MIR/Stress Guard ™ process produces a heartier type of seed that has increased antioxidant levels and stress tolerance in comparison to untreated seed. The following pictures demonstrate the difference between treated and untreated seed in a carrot crop from seedling to yield:

Mir carrots are located in the center two rows of this photo. These rows show more foliage and full beds that corresponded to increased yield as shown below. 

The cultivar is Danvers 126.

Click here to learn about how MIR-treated seed performed in field tests. Click here for an in depth explanation of the redox ratio tests performed on MIR-treated seeds.