b"Theres a New Reputation for Biological Seed TreatmentsThough biological products havent always had a spotless reputation, theres a new reputation on the horizon for them.Alex MartinWHEN YOU THINKof a biological, whats the first thingreally great things about biologicals is that they arent so differ-that comes to mind? If we were writing this 30 years ago, theent from traditional chemistriesthey can have synergy or an first term that might pop in your mind would be: snake oil. Butadditive effect with those traditional chemistries, Little says.today, biologicals are considered a huge step in the right direc- But, even with a new image and status in the seed sector, tion for sustainability, as well as crop growth and crop protection.there are still quite a few misconceptions that appear around bio-All they needed was an image change, but why? logicals the industry is working to correct. I once read a paper that reviewed all the label claims thatOne, in particular, is that theres often no distinguishment biostimulants make, and I think that as it relates to biologicals asbetween different biologicalsthat can make it difficult to a whole, some of them are pretty unbelievable, says Holly Little,understand what type of product a customer is using. Is it a director of R&D for Acadian Plant Health. Increasing soil nutrientliving product? Is it a biorational or derived from biology? reserves by 3,000%, detoxifying heavy metals, cutting opera- That miscommunication between product type makes for tional costs, increasing natural plant toxins I dont know if thatssome confusion in the field. From Wertmans experience, theres supposed to be good or bad. But its easy to see from thoseoften a miscommunication or misunderstanding of how to apply claims that not only are they unbelievable, but theyre not baseda productthe questions become, do I put it on the seed, in the in science. seed drench, in the furrow, and spray a biological on it when the Because of those early claims about biostimulants and bio- plant comes out of the ground?logicals, Little says customers became skeptical of the productsOur live biological organisms are endophytic, which means at the timeand rightfully so. But, the industry is now focusedthey live inside the plant, he says. They give us a season-long on correcting those misconceptions with science-based factsresponse and will grow and develop in a way that some of the and proven trials.nonliving products cant do. Understanding what the product One of the things Ive seen over the last 30 years is the bio- is, what mechanisms it uses and how it responds to the plant is logical industry has improved threefold, says Vince Wertman,important.technical sales manager of North America, Agrauxine by LesaffreFor Little, she experiences the same battle.North America. As an example, a rhizobium inoculant in theProducts are different, she says. We know seaweed 90s didn't have a long shelf life on the seedwe were actuallyextracts arent the same asone another. They can have different applying peat or dirt into plants, which is inconvenient for grow- raw materials used, different extraction technology and therefore ers. Our advancements in our compute power and the ability tohave different bioactives in them. That means, the effect of one increase our genetic composition when it comes to rhizobiumwont be the same as another.products have greatly improved the efficacy of the products. Making sure youre not only taking the steps to understand Twenty years later, not only has shelf-life improved for biologi- the products yourself, but youre working with a company that cals, but Wertman says that now products can be pre-appliedunderstands the nuances and differences between formulations, by seed companies for growers to use as well as better geneticsis important for ensuring success in the field.SWthat have improved response in the field. Not only have the products worked to improve their image, but Little says biologicals really should be considered a major tool in a growers toolbox these days.Whether its a biostimulant or a living biological, they can do wonderful things and theyre available for many differentMake sure to listen to the entire conversation atpurposes now. If a grower has a need for anything that a biologi- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgSwudaDh80cal product can do, it should definitely be considered. One of the 18/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2023"