Leveling Up Yields With Biologicals

Explore how biologicals fit into cropping systems and where they deliver the most consistent results.

- By Adrienne Held Agronomy Executive Editor [e-mail]

Biological products are some of the fastest-growing categories of crop inputs, potentially helping farmers unlock new yield potential, improve soil health, and increase the efficacy of fertility programs.

"The real promise of biologicals lies in their flexibility," said Fred Below, a University of Illinois crop physiologist. "It's the only category that can potentially make every part of the production system work a little better."

But, with hundreds of products on the market, it can be difficult to separate promise from proven performance.

Defining the Space

One challenge: Even the terminology is muddy. Below noted that many farmers feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of biological products and uncertain about what each does, or why it's necessary. "The first step is speaking the same language," he said.

Below said he recommends reserving the term “biologicals” for living organisms such as soybean inoculants, Bacillus products, mycorrhizal fungi, and residue degraders. Biostimulants, by contrast, include nonliving compounds, including humic acids, sugars, and extracts.

“Most farmers think of biologicals as living microbes, and biostimulants as everything else,” agreed Connor Sible, a research assistant professor at the University of Illinois. “From a regulatory side, they're in the same bucket, but farmers see them differently.”

Where Biologicals Deliver

According to Below and Sible, biological products generally fall into three buckets:

• Nutrient availability – microbes or additives that keep fertilizer, especially phosphorus (P), more plant-available.

• Stress mitigation – tools that help crops withstand drought, heat, and other stressors.

• Residue degradation – microbial inoculants that accelerate breakdown of crop stubble, making nutrients available sooner and easing spring planting.