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Tag Archives biologicals

Powdery mildew on a squash leaf.
Biologicals, Wheat & Chaff

Plant-based plant protection

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Crop chem firm Gowan Canada has picked up registration for its first biological product in the Canadian horticulture market. The product, called EcoSwing, is approved for control of mummy berry in high-bush blueberries and powdery mildew in cucurbits such as pumpkins, squash and cucumber. It’s also approved for suppression of apple scab in apples and […] Read more
Some biostimulant products are meant to help see crops through environmental stressors such as unusual cold or heat.
Biologicals, Crops

Biologicals aren’t the silver bullet

The products can be complements, not replacements, for other inputs

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Glacier FarmMedia — Biological products have been touted as replacements for synthetic chemistry and fertilizer in crop production, but that may be a false promise. According to one pitch, if farmers add biological X to the soil, they can cut nitrogen rates by 15 pounds per acre. According to another, biological Y can control a […] Read more
nitrogen nodules on faba beans
Biologicals, Crops

Nitrogen-fixing biologicals fall short at field level

Challenges remain for products to achieve their hoped-for potential

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Glacier FarmMedia — Dave Franzen is a straight shooter. If he doesn’t know the answer, the North Dakota State University soil scientist will admit it; if he does, he’ll tell you. As an example, in the summer of 2022 researchers from land grant universities across the north-central U.S. studied commercially available, biological nitrogen-fixing products to […] Read more
Adding biologicals to the soil doesn’t always work in the field, so a better approach could be altering the plant genome to work in synergy with soil microbes, a plant scientist and soil microbiology expert from the University of Kansas says.

Biologicals, Crops

Ways to improve the microbiome

Scientists consider how we could better support relationships between plants, soil and microbes

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Glacier FarmMedia — The hyperbole around biologicals and what they can do for crop production sounds like 10 million crickets in a suburban backyard. There’s a lot of noise around biologicals, and for good reason. Soil contains millions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that perform vital functions for plants. As a result, global agri-science […] Read more
canola in manitoba
Biologicals, Crops

Farmer interest growing in plant biostimulants

Companies hope to fill an existing 'knowledge gap' about the purpose of these products

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Glacier FarmMedia — At 2 p.m. on July 17, Ryan Bonnett and many other people at the Ag In Motion farm show near Langham were seeking a place in the shade. The temperature was around 30 C and the word “hot” came up in most conversations at the show. The afternoon temperature was also on […] Read more
Photosensitizers are expected to help control "soft-bodied" insects such as aphids, Loveland's Francisco Manzano says.
Biologicals, News

Nutrien buys into biocontrol

How did the seller — oil company Suncor — wind up in crop pest control?

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Glacier FarmMedia — Photodynamic inactivation is not a phrase used in everyday conversation, but it could become an effective control of insect and fungal pests in agriculture. “Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) of micro-organisms using natural photosensitizers has shown itself to be a powerful tool to combat bacteria and fungi (in crops),” says a 2019 paper published […] Read more
Overall, biologicals tend to be more effective in marginal soils and under stressful conditions. When talking about crop types, vegetables and pulse crops have been shown to have a high response to biologicals while cereals generally have a moderate response.
Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Biologicals and soil health

Q & A with an expert

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Q: What are biologicals and how do they work?  A: Have you ever thought about the link between biologicals and soil health? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. This article will attempt to clear up some confusion around biologicals and how they improve soil health, with some insights on when and where […] Read more
Corteva Agriscience field trials have shown as much as a five- to six-bushel yield increase in corn treated with Utrisha N.
Features

Survey shows farmers ready for biologicals

Companies like Corteva Agriscience are helping producers find a fit for natural products

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Research, demonstration projects and greater investment from crop protection companies have readied Canadian farmers to learn more about biological inputs and their potential to improve crop production without harming the environment, according to a survey by Corteva Agriscience. “The survey is a pretty solid indicator that the market is ready for biologicals,” says Kirsten Ratzlaff, […] Read more

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