Biologicals could help agriculture become less dependent on chemical inputs. But their effectiveness differs from one plant variety to another: some respond well, while others barely respond. Research by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) suggests that genetic traits may determine how plants respond, helping breeders develop varieties that benefit more from biologicals.
The paper From chemicals to biologicals, breeding plants for transformative sustainable agriculture was published in Trends Open, a Cell Press journal. The study was carried out by PhD candidate Mohammadhadi Sobhani and Richard Visser, Emeritus Professor of Plant Breeding at WUR.
Biologicals are naturally derived products that can help plants grow better, use nutrients more efficiently or cope better with stress caused by diseases, pests, drought or heat. Examples include micro-organisms that stimulate root growth, or natural substances that strengthen a plant’s resilience. They are seen as a building block for more sustainable agriculture. As demand for food rises, soil quality declines, biodiversity decreases and chemical inputs become less available and, more importantly, less desirable, the need for biologicals is growing.
Relatively low use of biologicals