Organic plant food: Things you should know - BAC Online

As more people are becoming aware of the devastating effects of climate change to our planet and livelihoods, so too are those that cultivate crops. Moving towards more organic and sustainable ways of growing is a necessary but also a beneficial and rewarding process, the use of organic plant food is a great step in this direction. This article discusses some of the things you might want to know about using organic plant food:

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• Why organic plant food is better for the environment
• How organic plant food improves soil quality
• How you can add organic plant food to the soil yourself

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Organic plant food is better for the environment

This might seem obvious, but it is worth highlighting why the use of organic plant food is better for the environment. There are many reasons why, here are just some of them:

• Using a non-petroleum based fertilizer means decreasing one’s carbon emissions and ecological footprint. Less CO2 emissions mean your growing practices will contribute less to human-driven global warming.
• Synthetic fertilizers, especially those high in nitrogen and phosphorus, can have a devastating effect on ecosystems and waterways. Leaching is common with synthetic fertilizers, and they might end up in water sources causing algae blooms that consume all the oxygen in the water, killing fish and other inhabitants and contributing to biodiversity loss and destabilising ecosystems.
• Organic plant food actually contributes to better soil quality and is more sustainable and efficient in the long term, making it an environmentally friendly choice. Read more about organic plant food here.

Organic plant food improves soil quality

Avoiding chemical fertilizers and opting for organic plant food instead will actually improve the quality of the soil. Where chemical fertilizers can acidify, deplete and exhaust your soil and kill beneficial micro-organisms, an organic fertilizer will increase soil quality. They will also help improve water retention and will help oxygen reach the roots more easily. This way you can be sure that you will have great yields and healthy crops, also in the long term. If you have any questions about soil health or about our products, feel free to get in touch with our knowledge centre for personalised advice here.

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You can add organic plant food to the soil yourself

Biostimulants are natural derivative substances that aid plant growth and development, improving their nutrient use efficiency, crop yield, quality, health, and their ability to tolerate abiotic stress. These components can include everything from seaweed extracts and inorganic compounds to advantageous fungi and bacteria. They are not recognized as fertilizer, nor have any pest-killing properties. With the growing demand for high-quality crops expected to double by with the addition of two billion people on the planet, expectations of farmers and their ability to produce high-quality crops are rising, creating a rise in the biostimulant market.   

What Are Biostimulants?

The EPA recently drafted this definition of biostimulants, “Plant biostimulants are products containing naturally occurring substances, microorganisms, or their synthetic equivalents that, when applied to seeds, plants, or the rhizosphere, stimulate natural processes to enhance nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, or crop quality and yield.”

Biostimulants can influence a plant’s vigor and yield but do not manage or protect against pests and other detrimental factors to plant quality like weeds, disease, or insects. They are also in a separate category from Plant Growth Regulators, which are chemicals that alter plant growth. These chemicals are regulated by the EPA, which provides guidance for their use in agriculture.

Categories of Biostimulants

While there is no federal definition of biostimulants, there are several widely accepted categories that biostimulants can fall into. View these components in-depth below.   

1. Protein Hydrolysates:

Amino acid-based biostimulants are created through chemical and enzymatic methods commonly associated with protein hydrolysis from crop residue and animal excrement. These essential amino acids and peptides are commonly referred to as the building blocks of protein.

These amino acids play a crucial part in enhancing plant growth and resilience. When incorporated into biostimulant formulations, they help improve nutrient uptake, stimulate root development, and enhance stress tolerance in plants. This is particularly beneficial in agricultural settings, where plants are often subjected to abiotic stresses such as drought or salinity.

2. Humic and Fulvic Acids:

As organic soil matter breaks down, humic and fulvic acid biostimulants naturally form in the soil. This can be due to the decay of plant, animal, and microbial residues, and the biochemical reactions of soil microbes like bacteria and fungi.

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These organic acids are crucial for plant biostimulants, as they enhance nutrient availability and improve soil structure. By chelating essential nutrients, they facilitate better uptake by plants and stimulate beneficial microbial activity, promoting a healthier soil ecosystem. This leads to increased crop resilience against diseases and stresses while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, making agriculture more sustainable.

3. Seaweed Extracts & Botanicals:

Seaweed extract and botanical biostimulants have been used in agriculture for centuries, though only recently studied in depth for their biostimulant properties. When applied to soil, seaweed can enhance water retention and support overall soil health.

4. Chitosan & Other Biopolymers:

Chitosan is a plant biostimulant that is extrapolated from the biopolymer chitin, which is a fibrous substance used in the cell walls of fungi. In the agricultural sector, chitosan has been used to increase plants’ ability to handle abiotic stressors like cold and hot weather conditions. 

5. Inorganic Compounds:

Inorganic element biostimulants, including silica, selenium, cobalt, sodium, and aluminum, can strengthen plant cell walls and promote growth when applied in appropriate amounts.

Benefits of Biostimulants

Discover the multiple benefits of effectively utilizing biostimulants for plants. 

1. Biostimulants help protect against the effects of environmental stresses.

Biostimulants can help influence a plant’s response to stress and adverse changes in its environment. They can stimulate plant growth by increasing germination and root development. This allows plants to better access water and minerals.

2. Biostimulants help increase grain or fruit fill and quality.

Plants like corn rely on biostimulants to advance grain fill—the period between pollination to when kernels are fully matured. Used in agriculture, biostimulants can optimize grain fill by boosting drought protection during the vital grain fill phase, allowing the plant to take in more water. They can also aid in coloring fruit and postharvest quality. 

3. Biostimulants encourage plant growth.

Biostimulants can contain particular growth-promoting bacteria for increased crop yields. When applied to the seed, biostimulants have been known to increase the leaf area, height, and development of seedlings. 

Differences Between Plant Biostimulants and Traditional Fertilizer

While both plant biostimulants and traditional fertilizers aim to improve plant growth, they function in distinct ways. Understanding the differences between them can help you decide when and how to use each for optimal crop health.

1. Functionality: Fertilizers primarily supply essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that plants need for growth. Their primary role is to directly nourish the plant by replenishing nutrient levels in the soil. Biostimulants, on the other hand, do not directly provide nutrients. Instead, they enhance a plant’s ability to absorb and use nutrients more efficiently, stimulating natural processes that promote growth, resilience, and productivity.

2. Focus on Plant Health: Fertilizers are nutrient-based and focus on feeding the plant to ensure it has what it needs for basic growth. Biostimulants take a broader approach by focusing on overall plant health, improving stress tolerance, and enhancing the plant’s response to environmental conditions like drought or extreme temperatures.

3. Impact on Soil Health: Fertilizers, especially synthetic ones, can sometimes lead to soil degradation over time if not managed carefully, as excessive use can cause nutrient imbalances and harm soil microorganisms. Biostimulants contribute positively to soil health by improving the microbial environment and encouraging beneficial biological activity that supports long-term soil fertility.

4. Regulation: Fertilizers are strictly regulated based on their nutrient content and effects on the environment. Biostimulants are typically less regulated and fall into a separate category. They are defined by their role in enhancing the plant’s internal processes rather than acting as a direct source of nutrients.

5. Environmental Impact: Fertilizers can lead to runoff and pollution if over-applied, contributing to issues like eutrophication in water bodies. Biostimulants offer an environmentally friendly solution by reducing the need for excessive fertilizer use and minimizing harmful environmental impacts.

In agriculture, by combining traditional fertilizers with biostimulants, growers can provide plants with both the essential nutrients and the biological support they need to thrive, leading to healthier crops and more sustainable farming practices. 

Verdesian Solutions

At Verdesian, we use the latest science to transform agriculture and improve the health of crops, including innovative plant biostimulants. Our solutions are used in a wide range of crops to maximize yield, improve crop quality, increase nutrient availability, and much more. today to learn more!

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