For thousands of years, the world regarded the act of growing a plant in the soil as a biological process. But – as in all systems – the need for scalability to meet growing demands called for new, more efficient technologies to improve food production. The agricultural advancements of the post–World War II era were nothing short of transformational in the scheme of human affairs. Worldwide, food production skyrocketed, owing to improved seed varieties, modernised irrigation, better control of plant diseases and pests, increased use of chemical fertilisers, and evangelists like Dr Norman Borlaug, who brought these practices to the world to help it feed itself.
From 1966 to 1999, total rice production increased by 132% and wheat production increased by 91%5. The efficiencies created by the broad availability and use of chemical fertilisers were a driving force behind this transformation. However, as the agricultural practices of the Green Revolution swept the world, the contribution of biological elements to crop production received significantly less and less attention. In more recent years, we have realised that the gains achieved through the tools of the Green Revolution are not limitless.
We have also realised that the intensity of agricultural production has some significant, long-term impacts on soil, air and water resources. These realisations have prompted a renewed interest in the biological elements of crop production, including the use of soil management practices meant to improve the conditions of the soil and the organisms that it harbors.
Based on Nature, Built on Science
They have also led to the development of new biological and biochemical technologies that are rooted in science and can be incorporated into current production practices to enhance agricultural sustainability and increase yields. However, until recently, agronomists and other researchers have largely dismissed the possibility that biologically sourced tools – things like agricultural biologicals and biostimulants – could contribute significantly to feeding a growing population. Why is that? What have been some of the challenges to the development of this field?
One of the challenges has been the profusion of companies over the years selling “miracle” microbial solutions of indeterminate quality or origin. By making claims that were often overstated and not backed by any rigorous science, these companies contributed to the perception that biologically sourced tools for plant nutrition were little more than “snake oil.”
Another major challenge has been the complexity of the soil-plant system (also called the “phytobiome”), coupled with the limitations of the technology to meaningfully analyse this system. In fact, developing a full understanding of the complex microbial communities in the soil is a challenge of staggering magnitude. Today, even with sophisticated genetic analysis tools, we can identify only about 10%6 of the microorganisms found in any soil sample at the species level (Fig. 3).
Thus we know very little about how the remaining 90% of the microbial community, which is still unidentified, functions in the soil-plant system. Even more challenging – and perhaps more important -may be trying to understand how these microbial communities biochemically impact plant nutrition. Each of these organisms may be the source of unique biochemical compounds that affect a variety of soil, plant and microbial community functions through interactions triggered at the molecular level.
Molecular analysis
Indeed, with the evolution of next generation tools for molecular analysis, there are now numerous examples in the scientific literature of signaling compounds and other molecules that are capable of “turning on” various plant genes that affect plant functioning – improving things like nutrient acquisition, rooting responses and the production of secondary metabolites within the plant itself.
Researchers today are working to deepen their understanding of how these complex microbial communities and their metabolites affect plant nutrition, and they are applying this knowledge to improve crop production. Fueled by the development of improved methods for molecular and genetic analysis, their efforts are reflected in a growing body of literature that supports the use of biological tools in agriculture. These efforts are also reflected in the increasing recognition by growers, policymakers and international organisations such as the FAO of the importance of integrated nutrient management, which involves incorporating both organic and inorganic elements into growing practices.
It’s time for another look at using the tools of biology to enhance an inherently biological system. This doesn’t require an anti-chemical approach. Rather, we can make our agricultural practices both more productive and more sustainable by incorporating the next generation of biologically sourced tools into existing growing practices – in a sense, an “integrated nutrient management” approach similar to the integrative frameworks used in crop protection practices.
It will take time for this science to evolve and mature. Years – perhaps even decades – of work lie ahead in deciphering the biologically induced changes within the soil-plant system. However, we don’t have to wait until all of the mysteries are solved to start putting the knowledge we do have to work for us – and solving some of the great challenges of the day.
Agricen is advancing the Next Generation of Biologically sourced tools for Plant Nutrition
Agricen is a plant health technology company delivering innovative products and solutions for efficient and sustainable plant nutrition. Its products, which are derived from complex microbial communities and their metabolites, work with both conventional and organic fertiliser programs to increase nutrient availability, improve nutrient use efficiency and help growers increase their yields more sustainably.
This means more bushels per acre and more income for the grower. For more than a decade, Agricen has invested in rigorous scientific research focused on developing practical applications rooted in biology and biochemistry to improve the quality and performance of plant nutrition programs. Today, Agricen is leading the innovation and delivery of biochemical technologies that provide growers with the tools they need to increase productivity and sustainability.
Over 1,000 field and greenhouse trials have been conducted by Agricen, universities, government and other third-party evaluators to test its plant health solutions, both in the US and internationally. These trials have shown that Agricen’s technology can consistently, effectively and sustainably improve plant health. In addition, new and ongoing studies with its many research partners (figure below) continue to enhance the understanding of how biologically sourced tools can contribute to the economic and environmental sustainability of production agriculture.
An active laboratory research program complements these efforts. Agricen’s scientists, who are specialists in plant pathology, soil microbiology and molecular microbiology, are helping to unravel the complexity of microbial communities and their interactions within the plant-soil system.
Source: https://www.agricen.com
