Farmers facing tight margins and high fertilizer costs are considering whether biological products can help maintain yields while reducing input expenses, according to an April 28 article from AgWeb. The question was addressed during a recent Illinois Soybean Growers webinar titled “Stretching Every Pound: Using Biologicals to Maximize Fertility During Input Shortages,” hosted by the University of Illinois and Valent Biosciences.
Connor Sible, University of Illinois field researcher and associate professor, said the effectiveness of biologicals depends on the farmer’s goals. “Is the goal to get more out of what we’re already doing, enhance the yield in an already pretty intensive, progressive system?” Sible asks. “Or, are we trying to reduce inputs and then make up for that by maintaining yields with a biological?”
Sible explained that profitability hinges on matching the right biological product with a suitable farming system. He outlined two approaches: seeking a direct yield increase or improving nutrient uptake efficiency so that yields are maintained even as traditional inputs are reduced.
Drew Harmon, technical agronomist at Valent Biosciences, said many farmers across the Corn Belt are adjusting their management due to ongoing struggles with fertilizer access and cost. “A lot of people are considering cutting their fertilizer by about 25%,” Harmon says. He shared his own experience reducing phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) applications by about one-third this year.
One possible solution discussed is using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which form beneficial relationships with crops like corn or soybeans. According to Harmon, “in return for that carbon, the mycorrhizal fungi exchange nutrients and water.” He noted AMF can expand root surface area by up to 50%, increasing opportunities for P and K uptake as well as soil water access.
Harmon calculated that reducing P and K fertilizers by 25% could save about $40 per acre over two years while AMF treatment would cost under $13 per acre over the same period. “AMF can be a potentially economical tool that could help increase nutrient uptake efficiency for the P and K that we’re reducing,” Harmon says, “while still protecting yield and preserving the majority of the fertilizer savings that you were looking to do.”
Both experts cautioned against viewing biologicals as replacements for sound agronomic practices or basic fertility management. Sible said no current biological will resolve issues such as improper pH levels or fully replace nitrogen needs: “I don’t know a biological today that will fix a pH,” he says.
Organic acids were also mentioned as biostimulants supporting nutrient use efficiency and early plant growth; however, both speakers stressed realistic expectations regarding results from these products. “These products are not silver bullets,” Harmon says. “They’re not going to [deliver] crazy amounts of yields…the majority of time you’re seeing it [improve] somewhere around 5% to 7% if you do see a biological response.”
AgWeb authors publications on topics ranging from commodity markets to farm leadership strategies according to its official website. The platform influences farming culture through leadership programs and community advocacy in agriculture as reported on its official site. AgWeb also presents awards such as Top Producer Awards in partnership with organizations like the American Soybean Association according to its website.
AgWeb operates as a subsidiary of Farm Journal according to its official website, reaching agricultural professionals through extensive online content as stated on its site. Its mission is supplying farmers with essential news updates and educational resources aimed at improving agricultural practices according to AgWeb’s website.
