About Us

FytoSol Pte. Ltd. was formed in 2017 as a spinoff by a team of scientists from the School of Materials Science and Engineering (Nanyang Technological University) in Singapore.

Our tagline, "Redefining Irrigation", leads our vision of harnessing a set of optimum properties from natural materials towards developing viable solutions in regenerating parched barren lands, as well as helping to increase harvest yields of land-scarce areas (including Singapore) and/or less nutritive lands.

By introducing advanced innovative formulations that are environmentally friendly, sustainable and non toxic, we aim to address global challenges posed by feeding increasing populations, accelerated degradation of green cover, and aridity intensified by climate change.

Our suite of proprietary formulations comprising nano- and micro-sized gels improve soil penetration, wettability, water retention and release. These simple functions are fundamental for extending water availability to plants when soil moisture is low. Additional nutrient supplementing variations of our products are also available by request. Under conditions of global warming, our formulations can play an increasing role to alleviate the challenges of crop growers and producers who need to maintain yields and harvest from less arable, dry soils.

Contact us to explore available options today.
 

Highlights

Our Products:


Soil regeneration:

RetenSol: formulations for garden soils
RetenSol-G: formulations for sandy soils (with nutrient supplementing options)

Soil alternatives:

Zeolites: zeoponic substrates for vertical / rooftop / indoor farming

 

Besides offering a suite of customizable formulations for improving soil health, we also offer soil-less Zeolites mixes as an appealing alternative to landscapers and indoor farmers who prioritize minimum growth monitoring and maintenance.

RetenSol, our pioneer product, is a proprietary formulation comprising nano-sized, plant material-based gels that improve wettability, water penetration and help regulate water retention and release in garden soils commonly found in Singapore.

Following insight and feedback from growers, we developed RetenSol-G, a formulation of new micro-sized gels better suited for arid, sandy soils which are often nutrient deficient. RetenSol-G offers similar drought stress protection, with optional nutrients cocktail encapsulation designed to support a wider range of crop cultivars to match growers’ needs.

RetenSol and RetenSol-G are available as powder or liquid concentrate. Application may be done at any time during crops’ life cycle by simply dissolving RetenSol-G in water and watering manually or through existing irrigation channels.


Contact us to explore available options today. 


Global Effects of Climate Change:

 

Problematic Water Availability for Plants:

Limited soil water permeation
Limited soil moisture retention

 

 

 

Validations: Testbed Results

 

     
RetenSol: Ascendas Techlink

Watering frequency stretched from daily to once every 5 days 		 RetenSol-G: Improved Seed Germination Rates in Sand

Buffers against leaf wilting despite not rewatering for 1 week		 Zeolites: Rooftop garden 

Soil-less, plastics-free 1 sqm plot, supporting >10 species’ growth with only a yearly maintenance

 

 

FAQ

 

 

Videos

RetenSol-G mitigates high drainage losses in porous, sandy soils without the need for soil churn. Dispensed as a liquid formulation using regular irrigation water, tiny particles of water banks are distributed evenly within the soil and help retain some of the water that percolates through, while still allowing excess water to drain through. This creates a soil moisture buffer that plant roots can draw from during droughts, thus increasing plants' climate resilience.

With RetenSol-G, growers may gain critical time to rescue crops from impacts of drought, epidemics, manpower or water crises.

Surface runoffs commonly occur on sloped dry sandy soils, where rainfall or irrigation is poorly absorbed. RetenSol-G formulation improves soil surface water penetration and soil moisture levels, which then help to buffer against crops' drought stress.

Subsequent normal rewatering on areas where RetenSol-G has been applied retains this improved water penetration.

 

 

 

Our Team

 

Team RetenSol-G:
Student Assistants:
Prof. Lam Yeng Ming
Sherwin L. Escayo
Zhang Liling
Wang Yamin
Goh Chin Foo
Junianto
Sebastian Heng Yee Qing
Leung Zhi Ying

 

Other Research

Materials Characterization

Nanomaterials for Clean Energy

Printed Electronics