Grainswest - Winter 2023

Winter 2023 Grains West 32 WHAT ARE BIOSTIMULANTS? Companies that market products in this relatively new input category have made many claims about the power of biostimulants. Farmers have been told they will boost crop yield and quality, as well as decrease reliance on conventional fertilizers. It has also been claimed biostimulants can improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress. This despite the fact there is little consensus on the definition of the term “biostimulant.” Perhaps the best description is they are biological agents in the form of micro-organisms or plant extracts that, when applied to seeds, plants or soil, stimulate existing biological and chemical processes in the soil. Biofertilizers, on the other hand, are made of materials of biological origin, including plants and seaweed. According to Doug Grandel, Western Saskatchewan territory manager for OMEX Agriculture, the main difference between the two is biostimulants don’t contain nutrients, while biofertilizers do. That is, biostimulants are not fertilizers, pesticides or biocontrol agents. No matter their form, biostimulants are expected to do big business in coming years. Market research company The Brainy Insights expects the global biostimulant market to grow from US $3.13 billion and surpass $7.63 billion by 2030. This predicted growth includes use in the ornamental plant, turf, fruit and vegetable sectors. AGRIBUSINESS GIANTS INVEST BIG BUCKS Key players in the biostimulant market include agribusiness giants Corteva and Syngenta. Both launched nutrient efficiency biostimulants in recent years. Corteva launched Utrisha N in November 2021, while Envita will be available from Syngenta for the 2023 growing season. Utrisha N is a foliar-applied natural bacteria product Corteva classifies as a nutrient deficiency biostimulant. The bacteria fixes nitrogen from the air and converts it into a usable form for the plant, resulting in a constant supply of nitrogen to the plant. “The idea is to provide the nitrogen the plant needs, but also when that plant needs it,” said Kirsten Ratzlaff, product manager for seed-applied technology, fungicides and nutrient management at Corteva Agriscience Canada. To determine how Utrisha N works in the field, Corteva ran two large- scale demo programs over the last two seasons that utilized more than 100 L I V I NG P R O O F Use of biostimulants continues to grow, but remains experimental T here is growing interest among farmers on the use of biostimulants to boost crop yield and quality. But with curiosity comes skepticism, as limited data on their effectiveness is available. To dispel some of the mystery around these potentially powerful tools, we spoke with companies now developing biostimulants, researchers who aim to quantify their efficacy and farmers who have adopted them in crop management systems. BY MELANIE EPP LEAD PHOTO: NICOLE MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY