Glycolipid Soil Conditioners

Glycolipid soil conditioners are offering growers a non-mechanical approach to soil compaction with Locus Agriculture’s Unpac. The treatment uses fermentation-derived glycolipids to reduce surface tension, helping water penetrate and spread through compacted soil more effectively. Applied at approximately four fluid ounces per acre, Unpac can create looser root-zone conditions that improve access to available water and nutrients. Third-party laboratory testing also demonstrated reduced soil density and improved water penetration compared to untreated water.

For growers, the technology offers a way to address compaction while working within existing crop-management programs rather than relying solely on mechanical soil disturbance. Locus Agriculture has incorporated Unpac into potato and strawberry production, with programs combining Unpac and microbial technology showing potato yield increases of 10% to 15%. Expanding the treatment across crop systems could strengthen demand for fermentation-derived agricultural inputs focused on water and nutrient efficiency.