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Dr. Atila Mogor: Biostimulants: The quiet agronomic revolutionizer

July 12, 2018

Are growers adopting biostimulants as the new frontier in soil management? 

The following is an edited transcript of Nicole Erwin's interview with Dr. Atila Mogor, faculty at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Click below to hear the full interview: 

 

Nicole:         I'm talking with Dr. Atila Mogor, faculty at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Dr. Mogor has dedicated his work to sustainability in agriculture with a focus on plant physiology and plant nutrition. Dr. Mogor joins me today to discuss what could be the next green revolution: biostimulants. Thank you for joining us.

 

Atila:             Thank you very much for inviting me.

 

Nicole:         To get started, what are biostimulants?

 

Atila:             Biostimulants are natural sources that can act on plant physiology as signaling molecules to possibly improve the plant growth, the fruit sets, the fruit enlargement, the shelf life of some horticultural crops and also the ability to face the big challenge in agriculture, which is abiotic stresses like drought and salinity.

 

Nicole:         It was Dr. Norman Borlaug who kicked off the first green revolution with his contribution of disease-resistant, high-yielding varieties of wheat that saved many people from starvation. Some farmers are turning their backs on modern agriculture methods — the use of modified seeds, fertilizer and pesticides — so today, biostimulants seem to be a way forward in that respect. Can you tell us a little bit about developments with microalgae and their multifunctionality and their roles as biostimulants?

 

Atila:             The most frequently reported biostimulant sources were the humic substances, kelp extracts, algae harvested from seas and amino acids. The new frontier is the use of microalgaes, because of their production systems and their reactors or photobioreactors. Microalgae are completely sustainable, help to reduce the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere because they are photosynthetic microorganisms, and could also release some bioactive molecules that act in plants as biostimulants.

 

Nicole:         Biostimulants, to me, are one of the most interesting areas of agriculture. There's so much potential with microalgae as fuel, food, animal feed and fertilizers, like you mentioned. Where would you say research has come the furthest in being able to use biostimulants on these platforms?

 

Atila:             Yes. We use biostimulants frequently in organic horticulture at the university, and we are also testing the new sources of biostimulants and the traditional sources. The university's farm is on an environmental protection area because it's very close to a main freshwater source of Curitiba. Curitiba is a main city of Parana state — 2 million people live there — and we are safeguarding these water sources. The microalgae produced at the university are frequently used as a stimulant to improve the plants' root growth and the sequence of plant development.

 

Nicole:         Who's using it right now in agriculture, would you say?

 

Atila:             It is being used in drip irrigation, on hydroponics or by foliar sprayers.

 

Nicole:         I recently joined a Master Gardeners group. During one of the classes, we were given this thick packet of chemical pesticide and herbicide information on applications — just being able to understand how to read the labels. But there wasn't anything about biostimulants mentioned.

 

Atila:             No. It's because the regulation is not clear enough. The Brazilian regulations on biostimulants are as biofertilizers. The Brazilian regulation called these kind of natural sources biofertilizers; the rest of the world calls them biostimulants.

 

Nicole:         Gotcha.

 

Atila:             This is like a carnival. The regulation is not clear and it's under construction, I think, in the U.S. and in Europe. There is the importance to separate the biostimulant effect from the fertilizer effect. It’s not a nitrogen source, for example, but a bioactive amino acid source. This concept is very important because we’re using molecules that can act on plant physiology, and not in the same way as the nutrient can act on plant growth and development. This differentiation, in my point of view, is very important, and the regulation is not clear about it.

 

Nicole:         On the basis of crop type, it's my understanding that the cereals and grains segment is expected to acquire the largest market share of biostimulants due to higher demands for biofertilizers. The North American region is predicted to occupy the highest market share due to bans on harmful chemicals used as inputs in agriculture. Is that what you're seeing?

 

Atila:             Yes. It's possible. It's a new frontier. It's not very clear, actually, but there is knowledge in the field of trophobiosis. When the healthy plant can maintain its health, the microalgae or the biostimulant could contribute in the ability to stimulate the plant's own capacity for biochemical responses against diseases.

 

Nicole:         There are also efforts underway in Appalachia to reclaim mined land and restore the soil for production. How would biostimulants aid in something like this? Could they help regenerate topsoil?

 

Atila:             Yes. In arid areas with high salt level in soils, the biostimulants could improve on some varieties — the genetic background of a soil variety is fundamental for this, as it’s not possible to stimulate something that does not exist. The first step is to understand genetical background of varieties and stimulate growth in this salty soil, improving, for example, the proline amino acid synthesis on plants. This amino acid acts as an osmoregulator on plant metabolism and can help the plant to survive in these kinds of conditions.

 

Nicole:         What are some of the major challenges in increasing awareness about the usefulness of biostimulants? Why aren't we hearing more about them?

 

Atila:             In my point of view, good communication with the growers is very important so the growers understand how these kinds of products work. Plant physiology is not a miracle, but a technology. Also, the regulation could be clearer to separate natural sources from fertilizers — plant growth regulators — or synthetic sources. From my point of view, the biggest challenge is related to clear information for the growers and clear regulation of this issue.

 

Nicole:         What is the outlook for use in emerging countries like China, India, Argentina, Brazil? Are they more or less than the U.S., and are the regulations what is holding it back?

 

Atila:             Yes. Countries are on the same level because it's a new concept, a new technology, and the regulation is slow. It’s the same situation around the world.

 

Nicole:         From an environmental perspective, how would greater global use of biostimulants help heal chemically treated lands and water sources?

 

Atila:             The use of biostimulants will reduce the use of pesticides and will improve the efficient use of chemical nutrients — nitrogen, for example. We have research in Brazil using the microalgae together with the Bradyrhizobium bacteria — that is a nitrogen-fixing bacteria — on soybeans, with very interesting results. We’re using more than one microorganism in a systemic approach.

 

Nicole:         So how do producers interested in biostimulant use get to them? Are they accessible?

 

Atila:             Yes, and the result is very positive. Growers will always choose the natural way because sustainability is the new agenda.

 

Nicole:         Dr. Atila Mogor is an agronomy professor at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Thank you for joining us.

 

Atila:             Thank you very much.

 

 

Dr. Atila Mogor spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference(ONE18)All presentations from ONE18 are now LIVE on the Alltech Idea Lab! Click the button below to view presentations for FREE after sign-up. 

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