Biostimulants: Revolutionizing Modern Agriculture

The search for sustainable agriculture has led to innovative approaches to improve crop flexibility, yield, and nutritional quality. Biostimulants are one of the emerging tools that growers can use to sustainably improve crop productivity. Using biostimulants and fertilizers creates a comprehensive crop nutrition strategy, leading to healthier plants, improved soil quality, and increased crop yields. So, how do biostimulants and fertilizers differ? Dr Eduardo Cancellier, ICL Biostimulants Agronomy Specialist, offers a comprehensive overview of this emerging field of biostimulants and their critical role in the new normal of agriculture.

Understanding Biostimulants and Fertilizers

Biostimulants and fertilizers both promote plant growth, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Fertilizers are substances that are applied to the soil or directly to plants to provide the essential nutrients plants need. Traditional fertilizers focus on supplying macronutrients, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), as well as the micronutrients required by plants. Biostimulants, on the other hand, are a diverse group of substances and microorganisms that improve plant growth, nutrition, and tolerance to abiotic stress without being direct sources of nutrients. They work by improving nutrient use efficiency, improving physiological processes, or promoting beneficial microbial activity in the rhizosphere.

Comparing Biostimulants and Fertilizers

Fertilizers come in many different forms, but the one thing all fertilizers have in common is that they contain nutrients. Fertilizers can either contain a single nutrient or a combination of macronutrients and micronutrients to meet the nutritional needs of crops. Fertilizers create a source of essential nutrients that plants can take up and utilize as they grow. Biostimulants are different. Biostimulants do not contain nutrients but consist of organic substances and beneficial microorganisms, which increase nutrient use efficiency, improve physiological processes, and promote beneficial microbial activity in the rhizosphere. The net result is that biostimulants improve the plant’s inherent abilities to absorb nutrients, resist abiotic stresses, and improve the overall plant health. As biostimulants can improve the nutrient use efficiency of crops, they can reduce the amount of other crop inputs required, enhancing sustainability and potentially delivering further economic benefits for growers.

The Future of Agriculture with Biostimulants

Biostimulants offer growers an innovative approach to crop management, focusing on improving the natural processes of the plant. Using biostimulants alongside traditional fertilizers is a sustainable route to improving crop productivity, resilience, and quality. As the agricultural industry continues to evolve, biostimulants promise to play a significant role in shaping a more sustainable and productive future.