BASF: Biologicals are a complementary or an alternative solution to conventional crop protection products

″I believe that we are still a long way from reaching the full potential of biologicals. For example, biologicals are today mainly used on specialty crops in the fruits and vegetable market, especially on those grown under cover or in greenhouses. But there lies great potential for growth when biologicals are getting into row crops such as corn or soy – not only as seed treatment, which is already widely used, but also as a soil and foliar application.

″Beyond that, I am convinced that biologicals will bring the greatest benefits to agriculture if we combine them in a smart way with traditional crop protection products, digital farming technologies and next-generation seeds,″said Stephanie Jensen, Vice President, Crop System Rice and Portfolio Solutions Insecticides and Seed Treatment at BASF Agricultural Solutions in a recent interview with AgroPages.

She also shared her views on the drivers and challenges of biologicals; the regulatory landscape of biologicals; BASF’s biological lines and relevant facilities & capabilities, as well as the future development trend of biologicals etc.

Stephanie Jensen 

Vice President, Crop System Rice and Portfolio Solutions Insecticides and Seed Treatment at BASF Agricultural Solutions

Could you describe the market landscape of the biological market? What are the drivers, challenges and trends of the development of biologicals?

Biological pest and disease control has been around for centuries, but this sector has been rapidly expanding of late, mainly driven by the need to reduce the impact of farming on the environment and benefitting from R&D advances in biology and production.

However, the further adoption of biologicals is still challenged by various reasons, such as the limited shelf life of some biological products and the fact that they may require different storage conditions than conventional products. At BASF, we are working to overcome these hurdles, for example with innovations in formulation and by strategically locating R&D and production sites around the world to safely deliver the living products to growers in shorter shipping times.

Generally, I believe that the future for biologicals looks promising, as there is an ever-increasing demand from society on farmers to produce high-quality, environmentally conscious and sustainable products. Biological crop protection products such as BioSolutions by BASF help farmers find the right balance between efficacy and sustainability. I believe a good balance of using both, conventional and biological technologies, will help farmers to produce enough healthy food to feed a growing population while addressing societal expectations and consumer needs. 

Could you talk about the regulatory landscape of biologicals in major regions/key countries worldwide? What impact do these regulations have on your company’s business?

In most of the regions, countries are implementing regulations in favor of biologicals. There are two main elements considered: First, the timeline between submission of a dossier and approval of the products can be reduced. As an example, Brazil or USA allow an entry into the market after more or less two years of evaluation. Second key element in favor of biologicals is the data requirements. Globally, authorities established specific guidance to adapt the risk evaluation to the specificities of biologicals. With reduced but adapted requirements, the costs to register products decreases. In Europe, biologicals can be qualified as low risk substances that can present advantages into the market. The new technologies, inspired by nature, should benefit to these time-adapted risk assessment to allow us to provide more innovations to the farmers and growers.

Could you give us an overview of your company's biologicals and their special features, application situations?

Our BioSolutions portfolio includes a number of products covering fungicides, insecticides, nematicides and inoculants. They are an alternative or a complementary solution to chemical treatments within smart Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.

A good example of BASF’s BioSolutions portfolio is the biofungicide Serifel®, which derives from the beneficial bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI 600. It offers broad-spectrum disease control and multiple modes of action for application in a range of crops such as grapes, tomatoes, lettuces, strawberries and mushrooms. Take tomatoes as an example: Serifel® can protect tomatoes from major fungal diseases such as grey mold (Botrytis cinerea). By applying it frequently and preventively, it can halt the establishment of the pathogen on foliage and fruit. Serifel® complements the other products in any spray program by providing greater flexibility until shortly before harvest.  

By the way, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI 600 not only fits in foliar use but is also a great seed treatment, for example when marketed as Integral® Pro for oilseed rape.

Could you introduce the overview of biological R&D, production and application of BASF Agricultural Solutions and relevant facilities & capabilities?

As BASF, we operate numerous R&D and production sites for biologicals worldwide, apart from our conventional facilities, and we continue to invest in biologicals. Take for example the new fermentation plant that we are building in Ludwigshafen, Germany, which will enable us to take the production of our biological and biotechnology-based crop protection products to a higher level. In addition, we rely on the locally specialized regulatory and agronomic expertise from our colleagues, covering key global markets.

Both help us to bring the next generation of biological crop protection products to market and makes us the choice partner for innovators in the field of biologicals.

What’s the strategic significant of building new fermentation plant for crop protection products in Ludwigshafen?

With the new multi-product fermentation plant in Ludwigshafen, we are strengthening our product portfolio, especially in the area of biologicals. This new production platform is also relevant for fermentation products that are currently still in our innovation pipeline and is an enabler for technologies we develop in partnership to scale production. We believe fermentation is a promising technology, which will support the ongoing transformation of Ludwigshafen towards more sustainable operations.

What are the considerations for farmers/growers to use biologicals? How does your company educate growers and farmers on the use of biologicals?

Biologicals are a complementary or an alternative solution to conventional crop protection products. They assist farmers to comply with food regulations and standards and to address the increasing pressure from the food value chain by managing chemical residues. They can be applied even prior to harvest, allowing growers greater flexibility regarding application time. Due to their different modes of action, biologicals can also be valuable tools to avoid resistance, thereby ensuring farmers continue to have a full toolbox to reduce and control resistant pests and diseases.

To ensure the best performance of our biological products, we train growers and retailers in proper use and best application practices on a regular basis.

What’s the future development trend of biologicals (e.g., products, market, services, development opportunities)?

I believe that we are still a long way from reaching the full potential of biologicals. For example, biologicals are today mainly used on specialty crops in the fruits and vegetable market, especially on those grown under cover or in greenhouses. But there lies great potential for growth when biologicals are getting into row crops such as corn or soy – not only as seed treatment, which is already widely used, but also as a soil and foliar application.

Beyond that, I am convinced that biologicals will bring the greatest benefits to agriculture if we combine them in a smart way with traditional crop protection products, digital farming technologies and next-generation seeds.

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