How TillZyme Helps Break Down Crop Residue

Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 14, 2026

Field work may be done for the year, but residue breakdown is just beginning.

Lignin forms a tough protective barrier around cellulose and hemicellulose, making crop residue naturally resistant to decomposition. TillZyme™ uses laccase enzyme technology to help accelerate this first step in the breakdown process. By using oxygen to react with lignin, laccase helps destabilize the structure and begin opening the residue.

As that lignin barrier loosens, soil microbes gain greater access to the carbohydrates inside the plant material and continue the decomposition process. This can help support more complete residue breakdown, return organic matter to the soil and create more manageable field conditions ahead of the next crop.

Rather than viewing residue as something to simply manage, TillZyme helps unlock its value by helping start the biological process that turns tough plant material into a resource for the soil.

Crop residue is not just waste. It is a valuable resource waiting to be unlocked.

What could more efficient residue breakdown with TillZyme mean for your fields next spring?

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By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • October 21, 2026

Biological products rely on living microbes that must survive changing field conditions or on blends of naturally occurring compounds with multiple modes of action. ZymeCO enzymes are different. They are non-living, purified proteins designed to catalyze specific biochemical reactions.

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Breaking down lignin is only the beginning of managing residue after harvest

By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 30, 2026

Effective residue management does more than reduce excess residue on surface. It helps turn this year’s residue into healthier soil and a more uniform start for next year’s crop.

There’s More Value in Your Corn Residue Than You Think

By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 8, 2026

Corn residue can decompose slowly because lignin gives stalks and leaves their rigid structure. TillZyme™ uses laccase enzyme technology to help accelerate the breakdown of tough crop residue.

Break it Down with TillZyme

By Stephanie Wedryk, Ph.D. • September 2, 2026

After harvest, crop residue is not just leftover stalks and leaves. It is an active biological system that adds nutrients to the soil, increases organic matter, and builds better soil structure for next year. Actively managed residues help create a favorable seedbed for better stands and yield. The enzymes produced by fungi accelerate the process by breaking down tough lignin before naturally occurring soil microbes take over. Learn more here .