The Impact of Biologicals on Plant Development and Yield
Does it ever feel like you’ve hit a yield plateau with your crop management strategy? If so, it may be worth considering biologicals to help push those yield boundaries. Biologicals offer many plant growth and development benefits that can lead to higher yields at the end of the season.
5 Ways Biologicals Support Crop Development
Biologicals is a broad term that includes a diverse range of products, including biostimulants, biofertilizers, biopesticides, plant growth regulators and inoculants. They are often derived from naturally occurring sources, such as microorganisms, plant extracts, enzymes and organic matter. Biologicals can be applied in many ways, including in-furrow and foliar, as a seed treatment, or soil-applied. Here are five ways biologicals can support crop development.
One of the key benefits of biologicals is their ability to enhance nutrient availability in the soil. Depending on the product, there are different modes of action to achieve this. For example, Zume® is a biostimulant that uses two enzymes to break down soil organic matter and root exudates to increase nutrient availability and uptake.
Other biological products contain microorganisms that fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it more available to plants. Vault® IP Plus seed treatment is a biological that includes a highly effective rhizobia strain that increases overall nodulation and maximizes nitrogen fixation potential. It also contains a dual biofungicide that protects roots to optimize nutrient uptake.
Some biologicals may use mycorrhizal fungi to establish symbiotic associations with plant roots, increasing the surface area for nutrient absorption. This relationship can significantly boost plant health and resilience, enhancing growth and yield potential.
2. Stimulate Plant Growth
Biologicals can also promote plant growth through various mechanisms. For example, Ascend2® plant growth regulator (PGR) contains an optimized formulation of three plant hormones, auxin, cytokinin and gibberellic acid. These hormones help regulate plant growth and development processes such as cell division, root formation and flower induction. PGRs can offer significant agronomic benefits, including larger root masses with more root hairs, vigorous emergence, increased leaf area, and higher yield. Combined with a starter fertilizer, they are a great way to boost early-season plant health.
3. Protect Against Pests
Biologicals can also offer disease and pest management benefits. Biopesticides, derived from natural materials like plants, bacteria and fungi, can provide effective pest protection against diseases like sudden death syndrome in soybeans and root rots in other crops. CeraMax® biological seed treatment contains a natural anti-fungal active ingredient to protect corn, soybean and wheat crops from early-season fungal diseases.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a well-known biopesticide that targets specific insect pests. When applied, it produces proteins that are toxic to certain larvae, effectively controlling target pest populations while minimizing harm to beneficial insects.
4. Add Stress Tolerance
Another way biologicals support crop growth and development is by improving a plant’s stress tolerance. For instance, beneficial microorganisms can enhance a plant's resistance to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and extreme temperatures. Examples include plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF), which support plant growth and develop during stress.
Voyagro® biostimulant fertilizer can help mitigate stress to corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat and other crops resulting from inadequate rainfall. It promotes the accumulation of proline and glycine betaine in plant cells. These organic compounds help plants tolerate environmental stresses more effectively and can support higher yields.
5. Improve Soil Health
Using biologicals can benefit soil health, improving the productivity potential of future crops. Healthy soils are rich in organic matter and microbial diversity, essential for optimal plant growth. Biologicals can help restore and maintain this balance by enhancing microbial activity and promoting organic matter decomposition.
For instance, biofertilizers like Ion Stryke™ can increase the population of beneficial soil microbes, improving soil structure and nutrient cycling. Healthy soils are more resilient to environmental stressors, enhancing yield potential. Biological products can create synergistic effects that further enhance plant development and yield potential when combined with other agricultural practices, like cover cropping and reduced tillage.
WinField United BioVerified™ Designation
While the benefits of biologicals may sound great, not all products are created equal. So, how do you know which products perform best? We’re making it easy with the WinField® United BioVerified™ designation. Products on the list have been evaluated against four key criteria that matter to farmers: product uniqueness, solid agronomics, operational compatibility and potential economic return. Only the highest rated biological products receive the WinField United BioVerified designation.
If you’re just starting to explore biologicals, I highly recommend starting with products with the WinField United BioVerified designation. Contact your WinField United retailer for more information and product recommendations.
All photos are either the property of WinField United or used with permission.
© 2024 WinField United. Important: Before use always read and follow label instructions. Crop performance is dependent on several factors many of which are beyond the control of WinField United, including without limitation, soil type, pest pressures, agronomic practices and weather conditions. Growers are encouraged to consider data from multiple locations, over multiple years and to be mindful of how such agronomic conditions could impact results. Ascend2, BioVerified, Voyagro, and WinField are trademarks of WinField United. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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