Why you should be using biostimulants on your field crops
Very trendy in Europe, the biostimulants are increasingly being used in our fields as well. These innovative products such as Vita, Obsorba and Humarine from Sollio Agriculture, allow field crop producers to remain productive despite climate uncertainties.
Biostimulants help plants fight abiotic stress and promote better assimilation of fertilizing elements.
The products protect against leaching and help keep elements in the soil, where the plants need them. In field crops, the use of biostimulants is associated with more abundant harvests and increased profitability.
There are also environmental benefits to increasing the productivity of crops and making better use of soil and fertilizing elements.
According to Labrie, it’s always preferable to opt for natural products so that the plant can recognize and assimilate them.
With today’s skyrocketing fertilizer prices, he says that it is more important than ever for farmers to protect their investments by using biostimulants.
Data doesn’t lie
The biostimulants available at Sollio Agriculture are developed by OrganicOcean, a Rimouski-based company that uses recycled fishing by-products and seaweed harvested from the St. Lawrence River.
The products have all been tested at Sollio Agriculture’s Saint-Hyacinthe research farm and in fields across Canada.
Vita, Obsorba and Humarine are three such products that Labrie says have all yielded excellent results. “The test results are so impressive that it’s almost embarrassing,” he laughs. “It’s incredible!”
Less stress, greater yield with Vita
This biostimulant is a seaweed concentrate that helps plants better tolerate stress.
“Every summer, we experience drought, heatwaves, excess rain, and so on. This product promotes plants’ tolerance to these extreme conditions,” says Labrie.
Applied with a fungicide, Vita allows field crop producers to increase their yields and profitability.
With corn, you get up to 1.2 tonnes more per hectare. That’s extremely profitable.
Tests on wheat have shown that it is possible to obtain profitability increases of $50 per hectare. Other tests are underway on forage crops, and the preliminary data is “quite interesting,” according to Labrie.
Obsorba and Humarine: more money in your pocket
These two biostimulants are mainly recommended to farmers who grow in light, sandy soils...
And they have common advantages :
They promote nutrient absorption in plants.
They belong to the humic acid family and improve soil structure.
They help to optimize investments in fertilizers.
Obsorba is incorporated into liquid starter, while Humarine is the granular version of the same biostimulant.
Tests on corn conducted at Sollio Agriculture’s research farm show that Humarine makes it possible to make up to $77 more per hectare.
+400 kg/hectare in additional yield in corn fields with Humarine
“Biostimulants are gaining in popularity, and it’s important for farmers to be able to distinguish reliable products from fairy dust and snake oil,” says Labrie.
As biostimulants grow in popularity, it is essential to choose tried and tested products that are tailored to the specific needs of each farmer.
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