The Overview
In this Olympic year, the Congress is also aiming be ‘faster, higher, stronger’ along with a fourth term introduced in 2021 – ‘Communiter’ in Latin – meaning ‘together’. One of the unique features of this world-leading event is that it brings together delegates from both the scientific and commercial side. There are the conference tracks, the busy exhibition floor, panel discussions, innovation showcase, and a day of pre-show workshops. All of which help the industry to move faster, go further, and be more resilient, to paraphrase the Olympic motto.
The following is a summary of what is in store for Miami. The schedule is provisional and can be subject to late changes. So do check the Connect Me app for the finalised programme. And lastly, get a feel for last year’s Congress in Milanwith our E-book HERE.
The Biostimulants World Congress (BSWC) formally opens with the Welcome address from the BSWC Scientific Committeee co-chair Professor Patrick Brown. The conference programme begins with the first keynote presentation, Plant signaling and the optimization of plant regulatory networks to achieve climate resilience, by Gloria Muday, Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Molecular Signalling, Wake Forest University.
This is followed by a high-level panel discussion with insights on the state of the industry, investment potential and corporate strategy.
The two tracks – scientific and commercial – then divide for the remainder of the first day.
Professor Patrick Brown, UC Davis and co-chair of the Scientific Committee for the BSWC, will give a Welcome address on Wednesday13 November.
Following a welcome to the scientific track, there is a keynote speech, The effects of biostimulants and other agronomic inputs on plant growth regulation and crop response to stress, by Jing Li, postdoc researcher in Bioengineering, Ghent University, and Guilia Forghieri, PhD student, Ca'Foscari University. Jing Li was winner of the Student Poster Award in Milan 2023.
The morning session of the scientific track then gets underway with three presentations before lunch.
These begin with The rhizobox perspective: a holistic analysis of biostimulant effects on plants, by Alexandre Kerckhove from the Institut Agro Rennes Angers (IRHS).
Followed by Foliar application of humic acid enhances corn root growth: Insights into mechanisms and signalling pathways, by Danial Zandonadi, Senior Plant Physiologist, Huma.
Finishing the session with Future of biostimulants: role of brassinosteroids in improving plant and human health, by Rajnish Khanna, Senior Investigator, Carnegie Institution of Science.
The first of two sessions on Wednesday afternoon in the Scientific track begins with Exploring biostimulant potential of six microalgae species: a comprehensive assay using Arabidopsis Thaliana, by Bram Vangenechten, PhD, KU Leuven. Also in this session: Exploring biostimulant potential of keratin hydrolysates recovered from chicken feather, by Hongzeng Luo, Post Doc Researcher, Ghent University; Enhancing photosynthesis with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus velezensis UFV 3918) for sustainable sugarcane growth, by Hariane Luiz Santos, PHD student, Sao Paulo State University; and Metabolic regulation of rhizobacteria for cool-season grass tolerance to heat stress, by Bingru Huang, Professor, Rutgers University.
The second session on Wednesday in the Scientific track begins with a keynote presentation: Stress mitigation by plant mineral nutrition, by Ismail Cakmak, Professor, Sabanci University, Turkey.
Ismail Cakmak, Professor Sabanci University, Turkey, will be presented as keynote in the Scientific track on stress mitigation by plant mineral nutrition.
Also in this session: Research advancement on physiological mechanisms of seaweed extract for enhancing plant abiotic stress, by Xunzhong Zang, Associate Professor, Virginia Tech; Biostimulant response of foliar application of rare earth elements on physiology, growth, and yield on rice, by Luiz Guilherme, Professor, Universidade Federal de Lavras; The mechanism of a protein hydrolysate and Ascophyllum nodosum-derived biostimulant to reduce the impact of long duration salinity stress on crop yield, by Elomofe Ikuyinminu, Researcher, Brandon Bioscience.
In the Commercial track on Wednesday, a welcome address will be given and then the day continues with an ag retail power panel, which includes Rob Clayton, senior VP, Retail North America, Nutrien Ag Solutions, and Glenda Gehl, VP R&D & Diversified Field Crops, WinField United. This not-to-be-missed discussion format is new to the Commercial track and will provide Insight from key stakeholders from retail and distribution.
Before lunch there are two presentations picking up on themes from the panel discussion. Meeting the needs of rural farmers and understanding the distributor and supply chain in Brazil, by Casa Bugre from Valent Biosciences; and Feedback and insight from fresh fruit and food producers - are biostimulants on their radar? presented by Syngenta Biologicals.
The Commercial track continues after lunch with the popular subject of scouting for technology. In the session entitled Scouting for technology - key criteria, must have's and what makes something a no go! Francisco Manzano, Director of Global Business Development, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Cody Eubanks, Innvictus Bioscience Product Manager, JR Simplot Company, and Guillermo Bort, Senior Director, Global Biostimulants, Valent Biosciences will discuss the best strategies – as well as the pitfalls – of pitching new technology to an investor or potential partner.
The commercial track contains the popular subjectof scouting for technology in the session entitled Scouting for technology - key criteria, must have'sand what makes something a no go!
This session is then followed bythe lively Innovation Showcasewith Start-Ups. The premise is that each competing company has 5 minutes and 5 slides to convincethe judging panel that they should win the showcase.
Following the excitement of the showcase, the rest of the afternoon is reserved for biostimulant product case studies. This afternoon session is the place to be if you are looking to pitch a new product or on the verge of launch.
Thursday Scientific programmeThe second day of the conference programme will begin with a welcome for the Scientific tracks.
The Scientific track is packed with knowledge-filled presentations, and begins with Priming plants for enhanced stress response, by Uwe Conrath, Professor, RWTH Aachen University. This is followed by: Identification of active seaweed ingredients to improve the drought resistance in perennial ryegrass, by Antonie Grandin-Courbet, PhD student, Algaia; Biostimulants as stress alleviators in agronomic biofortification programs, by Leo Sabatino, Professor, University Palermo; Novel phytosterol-based products to help farmers secure yields of broadacre crops exposed to water scarcity and heat, by Slavica Djonovic, Chief Scientific Officer, Elicit Plant; Exploring rhizosphere microbiome interactions to boost plant performance, by Rodrigo Mendes, Researcher, Embrapa; Foliar application of a red seaweed based biostimulant reprograms soil microbial diversity via the stimulant of root exudates, by Sri Sailaja Nori, Co-Founder & CSO, Sea6 Energy.
Taking us to the lunch break is: Native Rhizobia: A key player in sustainable agriculture, by Georgia Ntatsi, Associate Professor, University of Athens; and Establishing the networks of phosphorus cycling microbes in California agriculture: A metagenomic investigation, by Jenna Brouwer, PhD, University of California-Davis.
Uwe Conrath (left), Professor RWTH Aachen University returns this year to expand on ideas ofpriming plants for enhanced stress response.
After lunch on Thursday, there is a strong roster of presentations.
Application potential and evaluation of soil beneficial bacteria in horticultural crops, by Wojciech Kepka, Product Manager, Intermag; The influence of a bacterial-based biostimulant on the recruitment of beneficial microorganisms, by Camila Levy, Rovensa Next; Bioprospecting of root endophytic biostimulants from halotolerant plants of Sundarban Mangrove saline belt for ameliorating salt stress in non-host food crop, by Harsata Pal, Assistant Professor, Amity University, Kolkata.
Also in this session, and with a focus on phenotyping, Phenomics and Field Testing: strategies to screen and validate biostimulants, by Michael Selvaraj, Senior Scientist, Alliance Biodiversity & CIAT; Precision-orientated Peptides (POPs): Innovating climate-smart crop production, by Huu-Sheng Lur, Technology Consultant, CH Biotech R&D Co; Comparative study of high-throughput phenotyping technologies and physiological analysis, by Davide Lucien Patono, Post Doc Researcher, University of Turin; Effect of different biostimulant products on transcriptional changes and physiological behaviour of rocket (Diplotaxis Tenuifolia L ) plants, by Antonio Ferrante, Professor, University of Milan; Navigating challenges and embracing opportunities of digital plant phenotyping for biostimulant screening, by Karin Jakob, Technical Engineer, Phenospex.
Thursday concludes with the ever-popular Interactive Poster tour. This gives attendees a chance to talk to researchers presenting results in the Poster display.
Thursday concludes withthe ever-popular Interactive Poster tour. This gives attendees a chance to talkwith researchers presenting their results.
Thursday Commercial programme The Commercial programme begins with a market overview from consultancy DunhamTrimmer. These presentations always attract a crowd, and this year, Vatren Jurin, VP, DunhamTrimmer, will present A focus on China: Market trends and insight for Biostimulants in China.
The session continues with Jacky Wang, General Manager, Tbio Crop Science, who will present Farmer Adoption and Crop Consultant Feedback on Plant Biostimulants, and then Larry Fiene, Founder, Planet Earth Agronomy.
The eagerly awaited Farmers Award 2024 will then be presented before a keynote speech from Shawn Hackett, Hackett Financial Advisors. He poses the following question in his presentation title: What will the impact of pricing model for biostimulants? Forward thinking strategy discussion around biostimulant pricing and theag industry.
This will be followed by a panel discussion that will draw on themes from Hackett’s presentation as well as exploring topic in business leadership in the ag sector.
Vatren Jurin, VP, DunhamTrimmer will present A focus on China: Market trends and insight for Biostimulants in China.
The session continues with a focus on regenerative agriculture. Syngenta Biologicals asks the question in the title of its presentation: Regenerative Agriculture - can biostimulants playa role in regenerative farming systems?
This is followed by Yara probinginto Biostimulants and climate change: how can this technology tackle climate change challenges?Is there real-world evidence to demonstrate impact?
The session continues with insight into how to launch new products and achieve a growth trajectory: How to strategically propel your biostimulant technology to the next level, by Ry Wagner, Chief Growth Officer, Concept Agritek.
Case study reviewing the commercialisation of a new biostimulant derived from Moringa oleifera lam, by Antonia Nicosia, Co-Head, Agroindustry Business Unit, SICIT Group / Chiara Pituello Agronomic R&D SICIT Group.
A strategic approach to functional crop nutrition, by Nikolaos Rigakis, Head of Agronomic Development, Agrology. There will then be opportunities to hear biostimulant product case studies.
Attendees can see the technology and products on display at the bustling exhibition
Friday Scientific programmeThe final day looks to the future and the role of AI in biostimulant development: AI's role in optimising biofertilizer impact and crop resilience, by Alberto Acedo, CSO, Biome Makers Inc.
The session continues with Overcoming field experiment challenges to increase biostimulant product adoption, by Luke Samuel, Manager, AgriThority, and Harnessing generative AI for the discovery of new biostimulants, by Ouri Fischel, Biologist and VP Business Development, Agrematch.
The penultimate presentation is the Student Researcher Award, following by reflections and closing remarks by Patrick du Jardin, Scientific Committee co-chair, Professor and Head of Plant Biology Laboratory at Gembloux Agro-BioTech University of Liege, Belgium, Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege.
Reflections and closing remarks will be given by co-chair of the Scientific Committee Professor Patrick du Jardin
Friday Commercial programme The Commercial programme has a regulatory theme to the final morning and includes Regulatory updates and feedback from the California Department of Food & Agriculture on Biostimulant Policy in the USA, by Nick Young, Environmental Program Manager, Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program, California Department of Food and Agriculture. This is followed by a panel discussion on Regulating Biostimulants in North America, with an esteemed panel of Terry Stone, Board member BPIA, Ed Thomas VP Government Affairs, The Fertilizer Institute; Nick Young, Environmental Program Manager,
Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program, California Departmentof Food and Agriculture.
The four-day programme in Miami starts with a Workshop day on Tuesday 12 November. Check that your delegate pass covers the Workshops, which are additional. The Workshops have three tracks – one for biostimulants, another for biocontrol and biomes and there is also the extremely popular workshop on formulation and manufacturing.
The biostimulant track begins with critical updates and information on the regulatory landscape for European markets. This is followed by feedback from Notified Bodies for registration of biostimulants within the European Union markets.
There will then be a dive into the EU reg 2023/956 (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - CBMA) and what this could mean for biostimulants.
The second half of the day looks at biostimulant regulation in Brazil. See a review by New AG International HERE as an overview.
The biostimulant regulatory workshop includes India and China.
Then there is a case study from the seed sector, with an intriguing title: “Navigating regulatory pressure with Biostimulants: Evidence from seed sector in France.”
The workshop day concludes with a global regulatory panel, when the audience get the chance to pose questions to experts.
Biocontrol & Biomes The Biocontrol and Biomes workshop day is spun-off from the conference held last year. It begins with biocontrol market trends and analysis with a focus on USA.
Attention then turns to the Asian agricultural markets and the opportunities for biologicals, and then there will be a focus on the biocontrol market in Brazil.
An industry pioneer will then be open to questions from the floor on the opportunities for the biocontrol market.
There will then be an industry case study presented by leading biotech company.
The afternoon will see a move towards the biome and a look at some innovative products. The last presentation will describe the crop response to biologicals using transcriptomic analysis in product optimization and development. ●
Luke Hutson, New AG InternationalChief Analyst
Based in Slovenia, Acies Bio is a specialist in microbial biotechnology. The company provides strain engineering services, moving to bioprocess development. “With scale-up starting from 5L, and increasing through 30L to 150L bioreactors, we ensure stepwise optimization of key bioprocess parameters and finally smooth bioprocess transfer to production site which we facilitate,” the company says on its website.
https://www.aciesbio.com/
Biostimulant and fertilizer producer based in Spain. Founded in 1893, Azufrera y Fertilizantes Pallarès specialises in biostimulant products based on amino acids, humic and fulvic acid, plant and vegetable extracts. Large range of sulphur-containing products. In June 2024, AFEPASA opened a new 5,000 sqm facility in Constanti, near port town of Tarragona.
https://www.afepasa.com/en
US-based biostimulant producer, Agricen is part of Loveland Products Company, part of Nutrien Ag Solution’s retail business. Founded in 1998, Agricen has a range of biostimulant products with different properties, such as improving tolerance to abiotic stress, and using a variety of raw materials. Its products are manufactured both in the United States and in Australia and available globally from Nutrien Ag Solutions locations acrossthe U.S., Australia, Canada and South America.
https://www.agricen.com/agricultural-biostimulants
AgroShield specializes in the sales of high-quality crop protection products, fertilizers, and organic growth regulators with the lowest prices and best services possible. Founded in October 2015, AgroShield has grown to become one of North America’s fastest-growing agricultural supply companies.
https://www.agro-shield.com/
Founded on the research from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Arevo has technology that uses the amino acid arginine as a natural source of nitrogen. The company has a portfolio of seed coating, granules and liquid precision nutrition for agriculture, focussed on three sectors: agriculture, horticulture and forestry.
https://arevo.se/en
Founded in California in 2015, Biome Makers is a specialist in crop and soil data analysis through its BeCrop technology. The company uses proprietary DNA Sequencing workflow and Intelligent Computing to monitor the most relevant bio-indicators of more than 200+ crops analysed from 56+ countries worldwide of ag-soil microbial profiles.
https://biomemakers.com/
Borregaard is a world leader in providing sustainable biopolymers used in a variety of applications and markets, and is an ingredient supplier within agriculture sector. The company offers high-performance products for crop protection, granulation and plant nutrition, including OMRI certified products that promote nutrient use efficiency, reduce soil salinity stress and reduce drought stress.
https://www.borregaard.com/
BTU is a Ukrainian producer and exporter of microbial and enzyme products for agriculture. With 25 years’ experience, BTU has more than 500 employees across its group. The company’s portfolio includes more than 60 products for nutrition and plant protection, as well as soil restoration, used on more than 4 million hectares.
https://btu-center.com/en/
Headquartered in Taiwan, CH Biotech was founded in 2013 and is a developer of biotechnology for agriculture. The company has two R&D centres in Taiwan, and a manufacturing centre in California, USA. Its product range spans nutrient-use efficiency, stress reduction, plant growth promotion, crop fruit quality and plant-derived biotechnology.
https://www.chbio.com.tw/en/
Founded in 2010 as a distributor of N, P, and K, and micronutrients, Concept AgriTek moved quickly into foliar and biological products. By 2015 it was offering seed treatments, and has since launched various microbial products, such as for root development and soil penetration. The company is expanding its manufacturing capacity in Charleston, Missouri.
https://conceptagritek.com/about/
Doriane is a pioneer and leader in crop innovation software. The company provides digital solutions to collect and interpret data, enabling smarter decisions and assisting teams in adopting more useful, efficient, open, conscious and resilient practices.
https://www.doriane.com/
A manufacturer of ingredients for feed and fertilizers, Farpro Modena has developed a range of hydrolysates, both biological and nonbiological, which are suitable for fertilizer formulations, both foliar and root application. Established in 1972, the company began production at Spilamberto of organic and organo-mineral liquid fertilizers in 2005.
https://www.farpro.it/en/
Hebei Mengbang (MONBAND) originated from agricultural plant protection technology services in 1995 and is a global professional producer of water-soluble fertilizers. Hebei Mengbang Water Soluble Fertilizer Co., Ltd. was established on May 31, 2009, and was changed to a joint stock limited company on September 29, 2017.
https://en.monband.com/
Formerly Bio Huma Netics (BHN), the company has rebranded as Huma for its 50-year anniversary to synchronise with its products based on leonardite and humic shales. From its own mines, the company produces liquid, dry and water-soluble humic and fulvic acid products, as well as its proprietary Micro Carbon Technology.
https://huma.us/
Humintech is a biotech company based in Grevenbroich, Germany. It is primarily focused on the research, development and industrial production of humic matter and humic acids for the agricultural sector. Its products find further use in pharmaceutical, construction industry, for ecological purposes such as water purification and soil decontamination.
https://www.humintech.com/
Greek company Humofert S.A. is engaged in producing fertilizers and specialty products that enhance plant growth. Since taking on the name Humofert in 2005, the company has steadily increased its product range, which includes adjuvants, beneficial microorganisms, biostimulants, micronutrients, organic NPKs, organo-mineral NPK and soil amendments.
https://www.humofert.gr/
Founded in Poland in 1988, Intermag has expanded its operations in Europe, Asia, Africa, North, and South America. Its product range includes biostimulants, activators, foliar fertilizers, seed treatments, fertilizers for fertigation. In 2023, Intermag announced that its biostimulants Tytanit (containing titanium) and Optysil were registered in the EU as non-microbial plant biostimulants.
https://intermag.eu/
IntraCrop is a UK-based company specialising in the development, registration and distribution of products which improve the efficacy of crop inputs on arable farms. Operating across Europe, the company works with a network of local distributors, supported by its own European sales and technical managers. Through its parent company, Frontier Agriculture, Intracrop has access to leading precision farming expertise from SOYL and environmental stewardship from Kings.
https://intracrop.co.uk/
JRF Global offers comprehensive GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) research services for worldwide regulatory submissions. The company has extensive experience in handling a wide range of crop protection chemicals, including conventional chemical pesticides, biopesticides, and biostimulants (such as PGRs).
https://www.jrfglobal.com/
KRILLTECH is a Brazilian agtech that emerged from a partnership with the University of Brasília and EMBRAPA, focused on the development of sustainable and high-productivity agriculture, and which developed a unique product in the Brazilian market: Arbolin Biogenesis.
http://krilltech.com.br/en/
IIndian company Kriya BioSys Private Limited was founded in 2020, a manufacturer and exporter of neem-based products, including Azadirachtin, Neem Oil, Neem Cake, Biostimulants, Biopesticides, and other botanical fertilizers. Its mission is to deliver high-quality, cost-effective organic crop inputs, empowering agriculture to produce chemical-free products on a larger scale. The company offers 100% organic crop care solutions, certified by OMRI, Ecocert, US NOP, and JAS. In addition, it provides toll manufacturing services and tailored products to meet the unique needs of clients. Zhengzhou Shengda Khumic Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is the largest humic and fulvic products manufacturer in China. The company’s factory covers an area of about 100,000 square meters in Hami city-Xinjiang province in China. Using the best high activity young leonardite as raw materials, its annual production capacity of humate products is 200,000 metric tons.
https://www.khumic.com/
Norwegian company Nordox has a long history dating back to 1886 and is the world-leading producer of superior cuprous oxide (copper oxide) for agrochemical use. The red oxide is manufactured at its factory in Norway by a catalytic oxidation process. Nordox cuprous oxide products are formulated for use as both plant protection products and micronutrient fertilizers.
https://nordox.no/agricultural-applications/
The Moroccan phosphate fertilizer giant has broadened its portfolio in recent years, most recently forming a new subsidiary in 2024 known as OCP Nutricrops, which forms part of the group’s strategy to produce sustainable farm inputs. OCP Nutricrops will spearhead the development of customised products aimed at soil health and plant nutrition.
https://www.ocpgroup.ma/
Plant Flow Solutions (PFS) is a startup specialized in the measurement of plant performance. Using the most novel and innovative measurement technologies, it performs advanced agronomical trials in fully controlled environments. PFS employs advanced methods like gas exchange analysis and fluorometry.
https://plantflowsolutions.com/eng/
Qingdao Blue Treasure Seaweed Biotech.Co.,Ltd goes under the brand name BlueAlga. The company is based in Qingdao, China, and produces seaweed extract fertilizer, seaweed polysaccharide, enzymolysis seaweed, alginate oligosaccharide, fish protein, chitosan oligosaccharide and other organic liquid fertilizer.
https://www.bluealga.com/en/
Sacco is a biotech company that has positioned itself in the international market since 1934, as a producer and partner in research areas, scale-up, production and packaging of selected frozen and lyophilized microbial cultures, to be used for the production of food and beverages, and probiotic products.
https://www.saccosystem.com/home/en/
Sea6 Energy is unique in producing a plant biostimulant from red seaweed grown in tropical waters. The Indian company produces a range of products, including agricultural inputs, animal health products, food additives and is also working on developing scalable solutions for bioplastics and biofuels.
https://www.sea6energy.com/
