Plant Biostimulants: Key Success Factors 

To  move towards more sustainable agriculture, an increasing number of professionals in the agricultural sector are turning to biostimulants for their crops. This complementary and alternative solution to phytosanitary products and fertilizersoffers numerous advantages, as it enhances both yields and harvest quality. 

On the market today, there is a wide range of biostimulants with actions tailored to each objective, from improving crop quality to combating abiotic stress. To make the most of their numerous benefits, it is important to understand how to use them, which solutions to choose, and under what conditions to apply them to optimize the effectiveness of plant biostimulants and enhance success factors. 

Why Use Biostimulants for Plants? 

Farmers, winegrowers, market gardeners, and fruit growers can all find benefits in using biostimulation products. Composed of micro-organisms, algae extracts, amino acids, or even mineral substances, biostimulant substances can have varied roles in plants. Some products enhance agricultural yields, while others result in more vigorous plants with accelerated growth. From soil structure to root system development, biostimulation today takes on various forms. 

The use of a biostimulant helps improve plant resistance to various abiotic stresses. Agricultural professionals know that changing weather conditions caused by global warming often lead to significant losses. Frost, extreme temperatures, hail, excess or lack of water… Abiotic stress factors increasingly impact all plants during each growing season on every continent. Using biostimulants can help avoid the worst and secure crop yields by enhancing plant resistance.  

Unlike biocontrol products, it’s important to note that biostimulants do not directly affect diseases or other growth disruptors like pests. Instead, they help produce robust plants that grow faster and boost yields. Furthermore, these products do not completely replace chemical fertilizers, since they are complementary. 

Are biostimulants suitable for all crops? 

Although the term biostimulant appeared in the 1990s, it has only been widely adopted very recently by the majority of producers and other members of the agricultural community. Generally not well-known, this solution is becoming recognized as a valuable option in both organic and conventional farming. Studies continue today to understand the key factors for success and uncover all the benefits of biostimulants. 

Initially hesitant, farmers are now among the first to adopt biostimulants for their plants, for example, in large-scale crops. They mainly use them as a preventive measure to ensure their yields. Among these crops boosted by biostimulants are cereals, fruits (pome fruits such as pears and apples, stone fruits, citrus fruits, vines, etc.), and vegetables (nightshades, cucurbits…). The impact of biostimulants extends beyond yield, as these solutions also significantly enhance the quality of harvests. Fruits can be more colorful, vegetables can be uniform in size or quality, and fruits can have higher sugar levels and increased firmness.  

Benefits have been observed across different types of plants in France, Europe, and worldwide, including  perennial crops. These observations confirm that biostimulants are indeed suitable for all kinds of crops. However, we now know that their effectiveness varies depending on the climate, soil type, and plant species.  

Studies conducted by Danny Geelen at Ghent University highlight these differences. This plant biology expert noted that arid and desert climates are particularly receptive to biostimulants. Therefore, use is particularly recommended during drought periods. Vegetable and tuber crops have also shown great promise thanks to these biostimulation products. 

The use of biostimulants in crops 

From vines to large-scale crops, many plants can benefit from the advantages of biostimulants. To improve this product’s success, it is important to understand how it works. From its application to its components, several factors need to be considered to understand the key success elements of plant biostimulants. 

How are biostimulants used? 

First of all, you should know that biostimulants come in different forms, either solid or liquid. Application conditions vary between fruit crops and cereal crops. For example, some products are primarily intended to enhance fruit production and may be used on vineyards, pome, and stone fruits, or even on nightshades. In this scenario, a biostimulant can be made up of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. It should be applied at the beginning of fruit set. Other products designed for rapeseed or soybeans must be used during the flowering stage.   

Additional guidelines should be followed for applying biostimulants, such as dosage and frequency of application. These usage instructions are typically detailed on each product’s label. The method of application can be either foliar or soil-based. This diversity of applications requires a targeted approach, specific to each crop. 

Under what conditions are biostimulants most effective? 

As mentioned before, when applied correctly (during the appropriate period, with the right dosage, etc.), biostimulants prove beneficial for all plants. Large-scale crops benefit the most since their yield can be sustainably improved. 

To fully harness the potential of a biostimulant, it’s essential to choose a composition  specifically engineered for the desired goal : drought tolerance, yield security, growth, flowering, fruiting, root development, and more. This ensures the effectiveness of biostimulants will be even greater!