The soil is a living environment, full of microorganisms that create biochemical compounds that influence plant growth. At Agricen, we take this biochemistry and make it work even better for the grower, with benefits that include improved plant performance and increased nutrient availability.

In this short video, Agricen’s Director of Applied Sciences, Dr. Brian Cornelious, explains how the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA works to make the difference between having a good growing season and having a great growing season.

Today, World Food Day, is a good time to reflect on the roles each one of us plays in preventing hunger, whether by improving food systems to make them more sustainable (the theme of this year’s World Food Day), ensuring better, more equitable access to food, or simply reducing food waste at home.

Currently, food production is at a level that can meet the world’s needs, yet 842 million people around the world still go hungry. In the coming decades, when the world population is expected to rise dramatically it will take major commitment and innovation across industries and at multiple levels to make sure we all have enough to eat, and access to it.

Most experts estimate that the global population will exceed 9 billion people by the year 2050. That’s over 2 billion more people on the planet than there are today. Meeting the huge increase in global demand that comes with this population growth will put a tremendous strain on agricultural production. 

In fact, it is estimated that the agriculture industry will need to increase production by over 70% to meet this demand. This is no surprise when you consider all of the things agricultural products are used for: from food and clothing to fuels, plastics and many other everyday products.

Along with the world population, median income is also growing, especially in developing countries. Think about India, many African and South American countries and, especially, China. In all of these geographies, people are making more money, and so they are spending more on clothing, automobiles, and diets that increasingly include more meats, fruits, and vegetables, rather than traditional diets based on cereals and rice.

As population increases, more and more production acres are also getting planted. However, at least in developed countries like the United States and many Western European countries, growers will have to help meet food demand on 10-15% less arable land than is currently used for production today. At the same time, growers will have to face increased regulation at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as pressure from consumer and advocacy groups who want to influence how growers produce their crops.

By David G. Beaudreau, Vice President of Environmental Policy, DC Legislative and Regulatory Services

Last week, I attended the First World Congress on the Use of Biostimulants in Agriculture. Over 700 people from more than 30 countries were also in attendance, all of whom seem to have a strong interest in and energy for this emerging field. Being an attendee offered a preview into what will likely be an expanding market and larger long-term issue in the agriculture industry.

Dr. Bob Ames, Director of Applied Sciences at Agricen, was recently interviewed by Golf Course Industry, covering topics that include plant bionutrition research, sustainability, and how soil nutrient availability can be improved by incorporating bionutrition products into existing fertility programs.

In continuous no-till corn, crop residues with a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio (about 60:1) can build up. When this happens, the soil microorganisms responsible for decomposing crop residue compete with the plant for nitrogen. A C:N ratio of 30:1 or lower is required for the soil microorganisms to effectively decompose crop residues without immobilizing the soil nitrogen needed by the growing plants.

Some growers have tried to address this issue by applying additional nitrogen to the soil to lower the C:N ratio, minimize microbial competition for plant nitrogen, and improve corn yield.