Arevo introduces Arginex to tackle nitrogen loss in peat-free substrates

Europe’s professional horticulture industry is experiencing a significant transition as regulators, retailers, and consumers encourage a shift from peat-based growing media. Arevo notes that this move to peat-free substrates reveals a critical weakness in conventional fertilizer systems: nitrogen loss.

The company reports that standard ammonium nitrate fertilizers, designed for peat-based systems, perform poorly in peat-free alternatives such as coir, bark, and wood fiber. In these substrates, over half of the nitrogen is lost after the first watering, and retention drops to approximately 10% after six watering cycles.

Arevo states that this issue threatens both grower profitability and the environmental goals of the peat-free transition. Growers experiencing nutrient losses often increase fertilizer use and irrigation, which can raise runoff and production costs.

“A combination of EU climate law, biodiversity regulation, corporate disclosure requirements and national bans has created structural pressure on peat extraction and use,” said Niklas Astrom. “But the nutrition systems currently being used were designed for peat, not for modern peat-free substrates.”

Growers face inconsistent performance from peat alternatives

The move away from peat has accelerated in ornamental horticulture, nursery production, and increasingly in food crop cultivation. However, growers report inconsistent performance from peat-free products, especially regarding water retention, nutrient stability, and crop uniformity.

Peat has historically offered a stable, moisture-retentive, and uniform growing environment. Alternative substrates require changes to watering schedules and fertilization strategies due to their different properties.

Arevo notes that these challenges have increased skepticism among commercial growers, who are also facing higher substrate costs and inconsistent crop performance.

“The peat-free transition has a nitrogen retention problem that growers are trying to compensate for with more frequent topups, higher application rates, and increased runoff,” Astrom said. “This is a category-level issue, not a product-level one.”

Arevo positions Arginex as alternative nitrogen technology

Arevo is promoting its patented nitrogen technology, Arginex, as a solution specifically developed for peat-free systems.

The product uses arginine phosphate nutrition and is formulated to bind to negatively charged substrate particles, reducing nutrient leaching during irrigation. The company reports that independent trials across Europe showed Arginex retained nearly 80% of its nitrogen after six leaching cycles in commercially available peat-free substrates, which is about seven times higher than conventional fertilizers.

The technology is non-living and has a shelf life of up to five years. Arevo states this reduces complications linked to biological additives, including cold-chain logistics, storage management, and batch variability.

Arginex is already used commercially in forestry planting, forest nurseries, and seed treatment for crops such as soybeans, corn, and winter wheat in Europe. The company states the product is CE-certified and backed by more than 70 patents and over a decade of research into nitrogen uptake and nutrient efficiency.

Industry searches for scalable peat-free solutions

The debate over peat alternatives has intensified as European policymakers strengthen environmental standards related to carbon emissions and biodiversity protection. Peatlands are major carbon sinks, and extraction restrictions are reshaping substrate supply chains across Europe.

Manufacturers are also under pressure to provide peat-free products that maintain crop performance and meet sustainability expectations from retailers and consumers.

Arevo plans to market Arginex as both a standalone branded nutrition product and as an ingredient in third-party substrate formulations labeled as “powered by Arginex.”

Arevo and the challenge of peat-free nutrition