Hort Science Online: Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Biostimulants Adding to the growers plant health toolbox Presented by ICL’s Martin Donnelly and Sam Rivers

Biostimulants

Martin Donnelly – ICL Sales Development Manager

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

What are biostimulants?

Bio-stimulants can be described as substances and/or microorganisms that when applied to plants or the rhizosphere stimulate natural processes in the plant to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic and or biotic stress, and/or crop quality, independent of their nutrient content. •

Bio-stimulants are not a replacement for precise , targeted nutrition and robust IPM practices

•

Bio-stimulants are another tool for the grower to employ

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Types of biostimulants?

Beneficial bacteria- e.g. Bacillus subtilis Beneficial fungi –e.g. Mycorrhizal fungi Seaweeds- e.g.- Ascophyllum nodosum Yeast based products- e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae • Humic substances - e.g. Humic acid • Metabolites –e.g. Acetic acid • Silicon (inorganic biostimulant) • • • •

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Picture caption here

Picture caption here

Picture caption here

Picture caption here

Fermentation

BIOTECHNOLOGY Bacteria Enzymes

BASE Sugar Carbohydrates

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

How do Biostimulants work ?

Biostimulants work in several ways e.g. • • •

By stimulating the plants natural defence mechanisms. This can be described as a natural elicitor Colonising the rhizosphere and out competing other pathogens Utilising available nutrients effectively and making them easily available when the plant requires them.

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

How do Biostimulants work ?

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Phytohormone cycle

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Biostimulants Explained

Sam Rivers – ICL Technical Area Sales Manager

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Natural Defence Mechanisms

Constitutive (continuous) •

Preformed barriers

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Induced resistance •

Defense upon initiation of attack

Elicitors

Elicitors are compounds that cause a plant to activate its natural defenses, similar to how our bodies respond to vaccines. This state is known as induced resistance.

Natural elicitors such as those derived from yeast cell walls leave no synthetic residues and can help reduce the need for conventional chemicals.

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Induced resistance responses SAR vs ISR

•

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR)

•

Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR)

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR)

•

Induced by exposure of root or foliar tissues to abiotic or biotic factors

•

Induces Salicylic acid (SA) pathways - Known for mediating host responses upon pathogen infection

•

High Defence response

•

Long lasting effect

•

High energy cost

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) •

Induced by exposure of the root system to specific strains of plant growth promoting bacteria e.g.

Pseudomonas, Bacillus

•

Induces Jasmonic Acid (JA) and Ethylene (ET) pathways

•

JA - Core pathway regulating resistance to leaf-chewing herbivores

•

ET – Reproductive development/ripening

•

Lower defence response

•

Shorter term effect

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

“Induced Resistance is a unique example of the existence of a form of ‘plant memory’ -”

—Uwe Conrath, Aachen University

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Research has shown biostimulants can aid in the following; Soil

Flowers •

Flowering and sprouting induction

Healthier foliage

Roots • • •

•

Physicochemical properties Overcoming salinity stress

Fruit

Leaf •

•

Root development Young root development Rooting of cuttings Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

• •

Setting process Size and Weight

Seeds/Seedlings • •

Germination Overcoming transplant stress

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitalnova Nursery

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitalnova Prime Features & Benefits • • • • • • • •

Systemic action with foliar and root uptake The natural elicitor activates plants defences for increased plant health throughout the season Leaves no synthetic chemical residues Integrates with disease management programmes (IDM) Healthier plants are more able to resist stress Suitable for organic growing Can be used in conjunction with Vitalnova Guardian Can be used for all crop types (edible and non edible Vitalnova Prime 1L bottle – available at horticultural distributors

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitalnova Prime – Directions for use including small area conversion

• • •

•

• • •

Foliar application of Vitalnova Prime is applied at 1L per Ha every 10-15 days or 0.5L per Ha 7 days For the 1L / hectare rate: Mix 1ml of Prime in 1L of water and apply at 50- 100ml of dilute product per m2 every 10-15 days For the 0.5L / hectare rate: Mix 0.5ml of prime in 1L of water and apply at 50 -100ml of dilute product per m2 every 7 days. • Depending on crop height and canopy, increase the water volume to achieve good coverage where needed. This applies to all circumstances For fertigation mix 1L of Prime per Ha in 1,000L of water or 0.1ml per 1L of water • Regular applications help build up the plant’s natural defences. Apply at least 5 times over the life of the crop.

Product performs best if used within 24 months of the date of manufacture Half fill the tank with water before adding the required amount of Vitalnova Prime stir the solution during mixing and during spraying operations If mixing this product with other plant protection products, it is advisable to check the physical compatibility prior to mixing in the tan

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitanova Guardian Features and benefits • • • • • • • • •

Effective foliar action A unique combination of cations Leaves no synthetic residues Foliar applied and fortifies the leaf to help plant cope with environmental stress Integrates in disease management programmes (IDM) Approved for organic crop production according to EC 834/2007 Can be used in conjunction with Vitalnova Prime Can be used for all types of crops (edible and non edible) Vitalnova Guardian is a foliar intervention product when crop stress is evident Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitalnova Guardian 1L bottle – available at horticultural distributors

Vitalnova Guardian Directions for use including small area conversions: • •

• •

• • • • Vitalnova Guardian 1L bottle – available at horticultural distributors

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Vitalnova Guardian is foliar applied at 2L per Ha Mix 2ml of Guardian in 1L of water and apply at 50-100ml of dilute product per m2 depending on crop height and canopy. Increase the water volume to achieve good coverage where needed Spray to the point of run off. Guardian is a foliar applied product only Apply regularly every 7 -10 days to enhance the plant defences within the foliage especially when the plant is under stress. Apply at least 5 times over the life of the crop Product performs best if used within 24 months of the date of manufacture Half fill the tank with water before adding the required amount of Vitalnova Guardian Stir the solution whilst mixing and during spraying operations If mixing this product with other plant protection products, it is advisable to check the physical compatibility prior to mixing in the tank

Natural Elicitors How are natural elicitors used?

Elicitors are used preventatively. Just as vaccines take some time to produce a response in our bodies, elicitors take several days for their full effect to develop (initiation). This plateaus into a maintenance phase before the effects eventually wear off.

Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Pansy – Plant health trial Treatment

Description

1

Untreated

2

Vitalnova Prime

3

Vitalnova Guardian

4

Standard crop protection programme

Selection of plants from treated pansy trial on 21/01/20 Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Assessments

Treatment

Description

A

Untreated

B

Vitalnova Prime

C

Vitalnova Guardian

D

Standard crop protection programme

Selection of plants from treated pansy trial on 22/10/20 Biostimulants - Adding to the growers plant health toolbox

Assessments

Thank You Presentation title and date goes here