Soy is one of the most important crops in the world and with great economic relevance. As a result, in an increasingly competitive agricultural market and in a growing environment that is very dependent on factors that cannot be controlled by the producer, such as the climate, for example, it is necessary to search for alternatives that minimize these impacts and maximize the use of inputs. , with a focus on increasing grain productivity.
As a tool for this, biostimulants appear, which are products that corroborate the establishment and functional balance of plants, allowing them to be able to use the applied inputs more efficiently, as well as to withstand or reduce the effects of possible stresses.
What are biostimulants?
Biostimulants are products that aim to stimulate the natural processes that occur in plants through substances and/or microorganisms, helping the plant's metabolism to adapt to the most diverse stress situations, whether caused by pests, diseases or abiotic factors. In this context, there are several products within the group of biostimulants, among them, some are compounds based on plant hormones, microorganisms and seaweed extracts.
Plant hormones:
Numerous factors can influence the growth and development of plants, among which plant hormones stand out, which are natural substances produced by the individual himself, responsible for transmitting signals to the plant, triggering the various physiological and biochemical processes.
In case of stress, the metabolism of the plants stops and each day the productivity losses become more significant. Therefore, under these conditions, the use of plant hormones can be an ally in management, through the optimization of plant recovery mechanisms. In this way, they return to the proper functioning of their metabolism as quickly as possible, minimizing losses caused by plant stress.
Microorganisms:
With population growth worldwide and the increase in demand for food, combined with an increasingly demanding market, the search for alternatives and production models that are less and less harmful to the environment is latent.
In this way, the use of microbial biostimulants is seen as the new era of agriculture, but research is still needed to optimize the use of these microorganisms as an alternative for large-scale production, in a more efficient and sustainable way.
Microorganisms are bioinputs of great importance for agriculture, as they act in soil structuring, cycling and solubilization of nutrients, in addition to carrying out the biological control of pests and diseases, contributing to the reduction of pesticide applications. The solubilizing microorganisms, on the other hand, have the function of making nutrients adhered to soil colloids available for use by crops, thus reducing the need for mineral fertilizer applications.
However, it is worth remembering that once a balanced nutritional state has been established in the soil for crops, what is exported via grain or biomass must be replaced via fertilization. Therefore, the use of these bioinputs improves the efficiency of the use of some soil nutrients, especially those more strongly linked to the colloidal fraction of the soil, such as phosphorus.
Seaweed Extract:
The use of seaweed-based products in agriculture comes as a natural and sustainable alternative to biostimulants that help soil biota and nutrient cycling. These marine extracts are full of phytohormones, such as cytokinins, auxins and absisic acid, as well as proteins, nutrients, amino acids and vitamins, which promote plant development. Added to this, these products are widely used as a way to minimize abiotic factors, such as water stress and high temperatures
Currently, the La Niña phenomenon has brought immeasurable damage to farmers, in view of this perspective, we see seaweed extracts as biostimulants capable of reducing the impacts caused by water deficit, as experienced in recent harvests.
How to use this tool?
There are many studies that analyze the best way to use biostimulants, especially in soybeans. These products can be used in seed treatment, applied in the sowing furrow or foliar application.
Biostimulants in seed treatment: the application of biostimulants via seed treatment aims to favor the germination and emergence of seedlings, which consequently will allow us to have an adequate final plant stand, one of the essential factors when looking for high productivity. In addition, when applied this way, greater growth and root development is expected, allowing greater use of water and nutrients.
Biostimulants via sowing furrow: method preferably used when working with microorganisms, favoring their survival, and when in adequate soil conditions with good levels of organic matter, moisture and soil pH, application directly to the soil intensifies the multiplication of microorganisms .
Foliar biostimulants: foliar application can be done both in the vegetative and reproductive periods, therefore, the objectives of the application must be analyzed in order to define the best time to carry it out. This method can define plant height, number of pods, grain quality, among many other factors.
Given the above, knowing the innumerable possibilities for improvements in agricultural crops arising from the use of biostimulants, the need for research and investment in favor of optimizing the use of this valuable resource for the future of agriculture is highlighted. When it comes to the use mainly of biologicals, attention must be given to the moment of application, that is, they are more surgical and punctual applications in relation to the environment, to maximize their efficiency. When in doubt, always seek technical advice.
