Biologicals in Row Crops: Building Towards a Brighter Future
CropLife
2023.10.16
“Some farmers are constantly looking for something on the cutting edge,” observes Ron Geis, Market Development Specialist at Corteva Agriscience, about the desire to utilize biologicals. Primarily, adds Geis, these growers have tended to do business within the fruit/nut tree and specialty crop sectors of agriculture, however.
But in the row crop category, the penetration of biologicals has been a bit slower. In fact, according to a 2023 survey of ag retailers by CropLife® magazine, biofertilizers have increased their market share among row crop growers from 30% in 2018 to 50% in 2023. Likewise, biostimulants usage has grown from 60% to 73% over this same timeframe. However, for biopesticides, the usage rates have dropped, from 31% in 2018 to just 19% in 2023.
“We as an industry have grown up in a world of chemistry,” he says. “An acceptable level of control for traditional chemicals has been between 90% and 95%. Sometimes, we’ve even had 100% control in some weed cases. Biopesticides have not achieved that level of performance. For these, acceptable control rates are between the 70% and 80% level. Many growers aren’t willing to accept that level.”
“Some farmers are constantly looking for something on the cutting edge,” observes Ron Geis, Market Development Specialist at Corteva Agriscience, about the desire to utilize biologicals. Primarily, adds Geis, these growers have tended to do business within the fruit/nut tree and specialty crop sectors of agriculture, however.
But in the row crop category, the penetration of biologicals has been a bit slower. In fact, according to a 2023 survey of ag retailers by CropLife® magazine, biofertilizers have increased their market share among row crop growers from 30% in 2018 to 50% in 2023. Likewise, biostimulants usage has grown from 60% to 73% over this same timeframe. However, for biopesticides, the usage rates have dropped, from 31% in 2018 to just 19% in 2023.
“We as an industry have grown up in a world of chemistry,” he says. “An acceptable level of control for traditional chemicals has been between 90% and 95%. Sometimes, we’ve even had 100% control in some weed cases. Biopesticides have not achieved that level of performance. For these, acceptable control rates are between the 70% and 80% level. Many growers aren’t willing to accept that level.”
Read more here.