Biostimulant FAQs
Below you can find the answers to all of your biostimulant FAQs. For advice on which biostimulants you should be using and when to use them, we recommend speaking with your agronomist. If you would like to know more, or are interested in becoming a distributor please arrange a callback.
How are plant biostimulants developed?
Intracrop is science-led. Our biostimulants are developed alongside universities, research institutes and independent scientists. Independent trials, financed significantly by our parent company Frontier, produce clear, reliable results. We work alongside agronomists to ensure we understand the key issues being experienced on the farm, by crop and region. Our biostimulant and adjuvant technologies and products are designed and rigorously tested to address these issues and support farmers in maximising productivity in crop production.
What are biostimulants used for?
Plant biostimulants are responsible for improving a wide range of vital crop inputs, including but not limited to, increasing productivity, mitigating against environmental changes and encouraging more sustainable farming practices. They also contribute towards improving our ability to address global concerns such as soil quality and biodiversity.
Intracrop currently offers four biostimulant technologies: MTU, R100, phosphite and pidolic acid. These technologies are used in varying combinations in our biostimulant products. We recommend that biostimulants are used in sequence to enhance crop development throughout the season from rooting and establishment to final yield.
What are examples of biostimulants?
There are both microbial and non-microbial biostimulants. They work by enhancing plant functions and may do a variety of things such as increasing nutrient use efficiency (NUE) or protecting plants from abiotic stress. Intracrop’s biostimulant products use a variety of technologies in combination for a range of crop types. It is recommended they are used in sequence on our YieldBuilder programme.
What crops do I use biostimulants on?
A wide range of crops can benefit significantly from biostimulant use. Intracrop offers biostimulants that are appropriate for: cereals, maize, oilseed rape, fruit, olives, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beet and sunflower. Our biostimulants have undergone rigorous testing proving their efficacy on the suggested crop as well as establishing the most impactful application times and combinations through our YieldBuilder progamme.
What are the best plant biostimulants?
Biostimulant effectiveness is dependent on a variety of factors from crop types, application timing and the chosen combination of biostimulant technologies and products. There are a range of both microbial and non-microbialoptions available on the market. Intracrop’s products have been developed through rigorous testing alongside universities, research institutes and independent scientists. Our extensive independent trials produce clear, reliable results.
How do biostimulants improve nutrient use efficiency (NUE)?
Biostimulants work in a range of ways to improve nutrient use efficiency (NUE). Not only can they physically increase root size, giving the plant a larger surface area to absorb nutrients, but they stimulate nitrogen assimulation and improve uptake of foliar applied nitrogen based products. Using biostimulants alongside fertiliser use will significantly improve the efficacy of that fertiliser. Our biostimulant technologies can support you in increasing NUE of a wide variety of crops, reducing your impact on the environment whilst maintaining profitability, yield & quality.
How do biostimulants reduce abiotic stress?
Plant biostimulants increase root and shoot growth, leaving them both better established and more able to access the nutrients and water that they need to survive abiotic stress. They also boost the plant’s metabolic efficiency and chlorophyll concentration during periods of stress, increasing nutrient use efficiency, enhancing crop vigour and yield.
How do I become a biostimulant distributor?
Becoming a distributor with Intracrop is a streamlined process and we are ready to support you through it. You can request a callback to get started.
How does phosphite help plants?
Phosphite has been proven to increase the biomass of a crop by up to 30% as well as improving nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and ability to cope with environmental stress by enhancing root development. Phosphite is a reduced form of phosphate which is more soluble and therefore easier for plants to take up. Products containing phosphite include Incite and Prosper Plus
What is foliar nutrition in cereals?
Foliar nutrition is applied directly to the leaves and plays a significant role in improving grain yield. Intracrop’s foliar nutrition product, Nutrino Pro, is a low scorch nitrogen formulation which contains magnesium and sulphur combined with the complementary biostimulants R100 and pidolic acid. It aids nutrient uptake, nitrogen assimilation, amino acid and protein production.
Why do cereal crops need manganese?
Manganese is one of 17 essential micronutrients that cereal crops need to develop. It is responsible for a range of metabolic actions and stimulates the plant to take up nitrogen, increasing overall yield. Manganese is one of the micronutrients most likely to be deficient in cereals and, unfortunately, once any visible signs of this deficiency show, it is too late to correct.
Why do cereal crops need copper?
Copper plays a vital role in plant growth. It helps cereals to metabolise protein and carbohydrate, encourages germination and grain production. It is a fundamental requirement for the creation of chlorophyll, therefore with sufficient access to copper the cereals will see an increase in photosynthesis, growth and yield.
Why do cereal crops need zinc?
Zinc supports cereals in many similar ways as manganese, triggering the uptake of nitrogen which accelerates growth and increases yield. It also plays an important role in stress tolerance and improves the plant’s ability to withstand periods of extreme weather.
How does R100 biostimulant improve uptake of foliar nutrition?
R100 increases the uptake and utilisation of cationic nutrients and stimulates cytokinin production. It also encourages magnesium assimilation, which is critical for photosynthesis. Products containing R100 include Cearum, Magistrate R100, Nutrino Pro, RootMan Z and Talisman.
How do you promote strong root growth?
The use of phosphite encourages root development and shoot growth, improves nitrogen assimilation and supports higher yields. Phosphite is a reduced form of phosphate that triggers the production of cis-Zeatin that is responsible for inducing primary and lateral root growth. It also increases the activity of nitrate reductase. Products containing phosphite include Incite, Prosper Plus and the seed treatment Prosper ST. Our award-winning technology MTU is also proven to increase root growth and is available in our product, Status.
What does magnesium do in plant growth?
Magnesium is the main component of chlorophyll and, without it, a plant’s growth will be stunted. It ensures optimal enzyme activity for protein synthesis and has roles in aiding phosphate and nitrogen metabolism together with energy transfer. Plants lacking in magnesium will be yellowing, sometimes with reddish/brown tints. Magnesium deficiency will significantly reduce yield and may even lead to leaf fall or plant death.
How do you give magnesium to plants?
Magnesium is often given in a foliar spray or through an organic compost. Our biostimulant technology R100 boosts the uptake of magnesium and can be given complementarily to magnesium-based fertilisers or sprays.
What does nitrogen do for plants?
Nitrogen is one of the building blocks of amino acids, responsible for forming all plant proteins and enzymes. Without it, plants simply cannot grow. Increasing the uptake of nitrogen and other vital nutrients – increasing nutrient use efficiency (NUE) – will increase crop yield and is therefore at the forefront of farmers’ minds particularly given the current volatility in the granular nitrogen fertiliser market & environment pressures on fertiliser use in general. Our biostimulant technology pidolic acid increases nitrogen assimilation and is available in a variety of our products. For advice on the best product to use, please speak with your agronomist or give us a call.
How crop safe are foliar nitrogen products?
Foliar nitrogen products can be expensive and nitrogen burn can occur if too much is applied in a particular area. This risk can be mitigated by using the appropriate products. Nutrino Pro is a low scorch nitrogen formulation which contains magnesium and sulphur as well as the complementary biostimulants R100 and Pidolic Acid. This high efficiency product provides a controlled-release nutrient supply with variable length chain polymers releasing their nitrogen over six to eight weeks. The biostimulants improve nutrient uptake and assimilation, stimulating growth in a wide range of crops. Nutrino Pro is also widely compatible with a wide range of crop protection products.
Can Nutrino Pro improve NUE?
In a trial on oilseed rape conducted by I2L Research at Newcastle University Farm we investigated the effect of Nutrino Pro applied alone on plant growth and yield. This was compared with 100% (120 kg/ha N) and 85% (102 kg/ha N) of the recommended spring nitrogen. A zero N control was included to provide an accurate baseline of the fertiliser response. Reducing the spring nitrogen input (from 120 kg/ha to 102 kg/ha) reduced yield by 0.62 t/ha (Fig 16). The addition of Nutrino Pro at 20 l/ha at the end of flowering to this reduced nitrogen regime increased the yield from 4.00 t/ha to 4.57 t/ha which was not significantly different to the 100% N control. Even with the full recommended nitrogen rate, Nutrino Pro still increased yield from 4.62 to 5.10 t/ha.
What biostimulants increase chlorophyll concentration?
Plants produce chlorophyll when they have access to nitrogen, magnesium, iron and manganese. A range of our biostimulant products increase nutrient use efficiency (NUE) which enables plants to take up more of these vital nutrients, increasing chlorophyll concentration and therefore yield. Our innovative new product Status is proven to increase NUE, by increasing pigment levels improving resistance to abiotic stress, green leaf area retention and biosynthesis of assimilates. Cearum, Magistrate R100, Nutrino Pro, Rootman Z and Talisman can also improve green leaf area retention. Speak with your agronomist or give us a call to decide which product is best for your particular circumstances.
