Biostimulant Solutions
Interest in biostimulants is increasing globally as traditional crop protection and plant health comes under increasing pressure. Find out more about Nichino UK’s high quality biostimulant solutions to boost plant heath and relieve crop stress.
Biostimulants have been part of the plant health toolbox employed by farmers and growers alike for decades. Advances in both research and understanding of the different biostimulant mechanisms on plant growth and development in recent years, has led to even greater emphasis on the value of biostimulants to enhance crop performance and quality under increasingly challenging growing conditions.
Biostimulants are substances, with the exception of nutrients and pesticides, that have the capacity to modify the physiological processes of plants in a way that provides potential benefits to growth, development and relief from stress.
With a diminishing crop protection toolbox for organic and conventional growers, coupled with the increasingly volatile weather we are now experiencing as a result of global warming, biostimulants are being utilised more and more to help address the challenges in producing profitable crop production under adverse growing conditions.
Extreme temperatures, irregular rainfall and other stressful growing conditions, related to climate change, require resilient crops. Biostimulants increase the plant’s ability to tolerate and recover from abiotic stresses, with many biostimulants having a direct effect on the health of the plant. This improves the efficiency of plant nutrients – by improving uptake or reducing leaching. Some improve a plants ability to resist disease. The elicitor effect of such biostimulants on host plant resistance is of growing interest amongst companies and researchers as a result of the growing resistance to traditional crop protection products and the increasing regulatory challenges in bringing new products to market.
The use of biostimulants can result in improved crop establishment, growth and development; lead to fitter healthier plants; build abiotic and biotic stress resilience; improve the metabolic efficiency of the plant; and may improve marketable yield and quality e.g. sugar content, fruit/veg size.
There is now a vast number of biostimulant options on the market, which can be classified into 2 groups – microbial and non-microbial. Whichever product type you choose, it is important to select a product from a reputable company where you can be sure of the source. There are many products on the market which have been sourced from animals, with restrictions on use through the supply chain. Animal-sourced and synthetic biostimulants are as a result, less ‘palatable” by plants i.e. they are less easily absorbed.
Our Biostimulant Solutions to Boost Plant Health
At Nichino UK, we not only strive to deliver innovative premium quality solutions for our customers, we look to do it in the most sustainable way possible, so all of our biostimulants are 100% natural with zero synthetics or artificial ingredients, and produced to food grade standards.
Our biostimulants are not only 100% plant sourced, they are also certified GM free, and are suitable for supply chains for organic, vegetarians and vegan consumers. Being sourced exclusively from plants, they can be easily assimilated and translocated inside the plant for maximum benefit.
Nichino UK’s biostimulant portfolio is approved for use in organic systems by Organic Farmers & Growers without restriction, and include Bridgeway and Zonda for foliar application and Newton for seed treatment.
Bridgeway and Zonda
Bridgeway and Zonda are the key to helping plants overcome the effects of environmental stress, proven to promote vitality during establishment, optimise metabolic efficiency and work in harmony with nature to produce a healthy, high-yielding crop.
Bridgeway and Zonda are non-microbial biostimulants containing all 18 essential L-amino acids needed by plants for healthy growth and development. Under ideal growing conditions the crop can produce the amino acids it requires for healthy growth and development. Hiowever, under periods of stress, the crop stops production and breaks down the proteins it has made to access the amino acids needed to combat stress. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein that play a vital role in every process within the plant. Feeding a plant Bridgeway or Zonda is like giving the plant a natural vitamin drink – it guarantees the supply of all amino acids critical to plant health in the structure they can be fully utilised.
Biostimulation and nutrition
The rooting ability of crops is not only vital for anchorage, it is critical for the uptake of water and nutrients. Optimising shoot health and number is also vital for all crops to power photosynthesis and ultimately optimise yield. Bridgeway and Zonda have been proven to stimulate root and shoot growth significantly over untreated plants. With improved root growth, crops are better placed to access water and nutrition from depth, essential for healthy growth and development, particularly during periods of abiotic stress. With Bridgeway and Zonda, nutrient uptake and translocation is further enhanced by the natural chelating properties of amino acids which improve nutrient accessibility from the soil and increase root to shoot transport that result in higher nutrition efficiency.
Abiotic stress defence and biotic elicitation
Abiotic stress is defined as environmental conditions (e.g. cold, drought, heat) that reduce growth and yield below optimum levels by influencing plant development and productivity. Abiotic stress has become a major threat to crop yield and food security due to the constant changes in our climate. To cope with abiotic stress plants can initiate a number of molecular, cellular and physiological changes to respond and adapt. Abiotic stresses may be prevented through the provision of water and nutrients, plant hormones, and by modifying physiological processes in plants through the use of Bridgeway and Zonda. Bridgeway and Zonda reduce the impact of abiotic stress and elicit host defence mechanisms in plants so they are better able to resist disease.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the most important chemical process of plants that use carbon dioxide, water and light energy to synthesise sugars to power all metabolic processes within the plant. Critical phases of plant growth – e.g. out of winter, stem extension, pollination and fruit set – require high levels of photosynthesis to generate the carbohydrates essential to avoid impacting normal growth and development. Bridgeway and Zonda increase the rate of photosynthesis, increasing the metabolic efficiency of the plant.
Stress free essential to maximise potential
Bridgeway and Zonda are suitable for use on all agricultural and horticultural crops throughout the growing phase and is miscible with the most common crop protection products and fertilisers. They can be applied at any time from crop emergence, with repeat applications permitted as required. For best results, apply ahead of crop stress.
In trials over the last 4 years, Bridgeway and Zonda have delivered excellent improvements in quality and yield, with increases of up to +3.0 t/ha in conventional cereal crops.
2020 field benefits:
- Helped frosted potatoes recover yield
- Increased cabbage yields by 27 t/ha leading to an increased margin over input cost (MOIC) of £10,000 per hectare
- Increased onion yields by 5.4 t/ha – increased MOIC by £2,120/ha
- Increased winter oilseed rape yield by 0.3 t/ha – increased MOIC by £57/ha
- Increased yields in NIAB field trials by up to 1.7 t/ha worth an additional £185 extra margin per hectare – find out more here
Testimonials
Find out how our biostimulant solutions boost plant health on farm by reading some of our testimonials:
Keith Brand, Agronomist at HLHutchinsons, Scotland
Kieran Walsh, Agronomist in the Cotswolds
Bridgeway helped achieve milling specification in Winter Wheat
For more case studies and reviews please click here and filter on “Biostimulants”
For product information and a copy of our product guides visit: Bridgeway or Zonda
Newton
Treating seed with a biostimulant seed treatment to optimise seed health before drilling, is the best time in the growing season to protect genetic yield potential. Containing a new and unique blend of crucial signalling peptides and organic nitrogen, Newton is a naturally sourced phytohormone biostimulant seed treatment that plays a crucial role in helping to waken dormant seed, signal growth and development, and help young seedlings acclimatise to changes in environmental conditions by triggering stress defence mechanisms.
Recently discovered, signalling peptides in Newton play a vital role in regulating crop growth and influencing the behaviour of other plant hormones.
Improved vigour – uniform and efficient seedling growth
Newton contains crucial signalling peptides that play a fundamental role in the regulation of growth and development. In a ready to use form for immediate use by the crop, peptides in Newton help to stimulate germination and emergence, whilst organic nitrogen provides an energy boost to seed reserves, resulting in improved seedling vigour.
Improved establishment – greater access to moisture and nutrition for the best start
Early access to nutrition and moisture is critical for the healthy and rapid development of the crop. Nutrition must be accessible to the roots, whilst the healthy development of true leaves will help optimise photosynthesis, as well as provide competition to weeds also likely to be establishing at this time. Signalling peptides in Newton stimulate root and shoot growth, leading to improvements in crop establishment.
Abiotic stress tolerance – improved growth and establishment under sub-optimal growing conditions
The exposure of seed to abiotic stress often results in lower seed viability, reduced germination and poor seedling establishment. Peptides in Newton trigger defence signals which help to promote abiotic stress tolerance.
The best start, for the best finish
Newton is approved for use as a seed treatment on all organic cereal seed and is compatible with a range of other seed treatments when applied together.
In trials over the last 2 years, Newton has delivered excellent improvements in seedling health, with yield increases of up to +0.6 t/ha in cereals.
In cereals
- Germination: 2 days faster
- Bigger root system: +43%
- More plants/sqm: +9%
- Better vigor: +22%
- Higher yields: up to +0.6 t/ha
To see more data on the benefits of Newton, please click here.
For more information on Newton please click here.