Multi-attribute assessment tool reveals the potential of biostimulants in increasing agricultural productivity

A groundbreaking study has developed a multi-attribute assessment tool to accurately measure the impact of biostimulants on crop performance and soil quality. 

The research, which analyzed eight farms in various biomes and production contexts in Brazil and Paraguay, demonstrated that the use of biostimulants promotes substantial changes in soil microbiology and plant development, yielding notable results in crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, and sugarcane.

According to Rodrigo Mendes, a researcher at Embrapa Meio Ambiente, an increasing number of commercial biostimulants are now available in various forms and compositions to enhance crop performance. However, given the complexity of understanding the mechanisms behind these products, it is essential that research in this area has robust tools to prove their effectiveness in field tests.

The system, called APOIA-Microgeo, follows the APOIA-NovoRural method, which standardizes results on a scale of 0 to 1, with 0.7 serving as a reference for impacts and technical performance. The analysis is structured into five dimensions: Culture, Chemistry, Physics, Soil Biology, and Crop Health, comprising a total of 39 indicators. Data are collected through field inspections and laboratory analyses.

Each indicator receives adjusted values according to correspondence tables and specific equations, ensuring an accurate analysis of the effects of biological fertilization on productivity and soil health.

Each weighting matrix is adjusted according to the indicator analyzed, always comparing the control situation with the areas where Microgeo technology is applied. The impact and technical performance values are transformed into standardized utility scales, allowing for an objective assessment. The final results are calculated using best-fit equations, ensuring greater precision in the expression of the indexes.

The methodology aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of biological fertilization on soil and agricultural productivity, thereby contributing to more efficient and sustainable crop management.

The research evaluated 39 indicators divided into five major themes: agricultural production, soil chemistry and physics, soil biology, and plant health. The results showed consistent changes in the microbial community, with positive impacts on soil structure and crop productivity and profitability. Among the themes analyzed, according to the application of the biostimulant, soil biology had the highest positive index (0.84), followed by agricultural production (0.81) and chemical fertility (0.75).

The biostimulant promoted beneficial interactions between the soil and plants, modifying the composition of bacteria and fungi present in the rhizosphere. Species such as Methylovirgula and Methylocapsa were responsible for many of the observed transformations. These changes contributed to reducing soil compaction and increasing organic matter, favoring crop development.

According to the researcher, all the indicators analyzed were positively impacted by the use of biostimulants. He highlights that the technology improved crop productivity and increased producers' net revenue without a proportional increase in costs.

Geraldo Stachetti, also a researcher at Embrapa Meio Ambiente, emphasizes that the most significant impacts were observed in soil biology, with direct effects on plant health and crop yield. This result corroborates those obtained on a large scale with BioAS technology, also developed at Embrapa, which provides a simple and efficient way to assess soil health by analyzing enzymes that indicate microbial activity. 

The study used a multi-attribute approach, consolidating several indicators to facilitate the interpretation of the results by producers and agricultural technicians. The researchers state that continuous use of biostimulants can further enhance the observed benefits, making them a viable solution for sustainable agriculture.

With advances in understanding the effects of biostimulants, the technology emerges as a promising alternative to increase productivity and improve soil quality, thereby ensuring greater efficiency in production and promoting agricultural sustainability.

According to Inácio de Baros, a researcher at Embrapa Dairy Cattle, this work makes a significant contribution to Brazil, one of the world's largest agricultural producers, which is at the forefront of the transformation to a green economy, a role in which the country is already recognized as a leader.

″The tool brings together the 39 indicators and interprets the data in a comparative way between the agricultural area managed with biotechnology and the area without biotechnology management. The primary practical objective is that the interpretation highlights critical points, guiding field actions that must be carried out, and makes the multifunctional benefits of the soil, with its biodiverse and active microbiome, tangible.″

″The tool is simple and the indicators are already well known and used by farmers, helping in decision-making to carry out regenerative and sustainable soil management,″ Paulo D'Andréa, R&D director at Microgeo agricultural biotechnology, said in conclusion.

APOIA-Novo Rural is a tool for analyzing the environmental performance of rural activities, structured in a set of 62 indicators, distributed in five dimensions of sustainability analyzed on the scale of the establishment: Landscape Ecology; Environmental Quality (atmosphere, water and soil); Sociocultural Values; Economic Values; and Management and Administration.

The application of APOIA-NovoRural requires field inspections, data collection, and the collection of soil and water samples for laboratory analysis, as well as the collection of management information from the producer/administrator. As a result, a general index of the contributions of the activities to the sustainability of the rural establishment is obtained.

Aimed at Technical Assistance companies, enterprises, or rural producers with a business base, the technology is easy to apply. It enables improved environmental management of rural activities, identifying critical points for corrective management, as well as favorable aspects of the activities, thereby contributing to local development.

The team, composed of Rodrigo Mendes, Embrapa Environment; Inácio de Barros, Embrapa Dairy Cattle; Paulo D'Andréa and Maria Stefânia Cruanhes D'Andréa-Kühl, Microgeo Agricultural Biotechnology by Allterra; and Geraldo Stachetti Rodrigues, Embrapa Environment, published the work in Frontiers in Plant Science.