As always, the aim of the BSWC is to disseminate the latest understanding on biostimulants, combining scientific and agronomic research with commercial aspects, such as strategies for product development, new uses and case studies, and the latest regulatory developments. And, as always, the scientific committee had the difficult task of assessing the abstract submissions. I asked the two co-chairs what they are looking forward to with the upcoming event.
"The number and quality of attendees, the conference format, giving the floor to outstanding scientists and providing in parallel the opportunity for business-oriented presentations and for networking, will make the event a hub for all those interested in biostimulants," said Patrick du Jardin (scientific committee co-chair), professor and head of the plant biology laboratory at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech – University of Liège, Belgium.
Patrick Brown, professor at University of California, Davis, shared these thoughts with me: “As we approach the fifth Biostimulants World Congress, we can look back upon the wonderful progress in science and application that has made these products mainstream for so many growers around the world. Nevertheless, even with all of this progress, it is clear we have barely scratched the surface of the opportunities this technology can provide. The fifth BSWC will increase our understanding of the biology of plant and microbiome response to the environment, and highlight new strategies to develop improved products, new uses and new integrative management strategies that, together, will help growers achieve productive and efficient cropping systems.”
In this issue of New AG International We’ve tailored this issue very much with the BSWC in mind. We particularly wanted a grower perspective on biostimulants, and with that in mind, Janet Kanters, Editor of New AG International, provides fascinating insight in her piece: ‘Biostimulants Finding Their Place in Agriculture’. As she notes, while biostimulants are a fast-growing part of the agriculture input market and a highly attractive business opportunity, some growers are still hesitant to make them a regular part of their operation. But sources she spoke with agreed that as science supporting biostimulant knowledge advances, and with development and extension service done by leading companies in the space, it’s expected more growers will adopt biostimulants in an increasing number of crops and agroclimatic conditions and management practices going forward. New products are a key feature of the BSWC, and in these pages I have speculated before that the combination with conventional fertilizers is one route to mass adoption of biostimulants in broad acres. In this issue, we spoke to Brandon Bioscience, based in the Republic of Ireland, which has recently launched a biostimulant product applied as a coating to fertilizer granules. The coating can be applied during the blending process, and this makes sense for markets, such as the Republic of Ireland, where NPK blenders play an important part in the fertilizer supply market. Elsewhere, we have a report on another show that came back to in-person format – the Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) in October, with the winner of the Bernard Blum Award. Staying with biocontrol, we hear about the pheromone market from DunhamTrimmer. Pheromones are a part of a broader group of substances known as semiochemicals. Rick Melnick from DunhamTrimmer notes that pheromones companies began commercializing lures for pest monitoring in the 1970s, but it has taken another 50 years for the pheromones industry to achieve its modest level of development. And now a teaser question: What do a llama, a fungal plant disease and a town in Belgium all have in common? Find out in our Leader Profile. Without giving too much away, the technology that is being used in vaccine production can be used to produce proteins that can be used as a biofungicide. In Products and Trends, we hear from New AG International contributor Leonardo Gottems who had access to a new report detailing the fertilizer consumption on coffee in Brazil. The report offers a breakdown by product type, such as NPK and foliar application. Another producer of coffee in South America, and a large exporter of organic coffee, is Peru. This country is the subject of our country profile. We hear from Professor Sady García Bendezú with the department of soil science, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, who offers some insight on the biological markets, as well as comments on the prospects for fertilizer consumption. These are just some of the highlights from this issue. For those able to make the trip to the BSWC, we look forward to welcoming you. We will be publishing an e-book shortly after the event, which will bring together some of the highlights. ●To sponsor this e-book, please contact: Alexander Zenonos or Jacqui French
Luke Hutson, Editor-in-Chief
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is currently testing and validating different biostimulant products for greenhouse vegetable production and nursery production, mainly looking at their effects on crop productivity and resistance to abiotic stresses.
Photo: Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
