Like the human body, the healthier a plant is, the more resistant it is to diseases and pests. Dr Brendon Neumann, the business innovation platform lead at Andermatt Madumbi, explains how you can ensure healthy, better quality crops.
“If we are healthy, if we are eating a good diet and exercising, and if we are getting enough sleep, we are naturally more resistant to all kinds of ailments. It’s very much the same with plants. If you build a healthy base for the crop, then you just have so much less issues further down the line,” he says.
Neumann specialises in microbiology and plant pathology and has done extensive research on the beneficial fungus Trichoderma, the same fungus that Andermatt Madumbi uses for crop protection.
Overall plant health and vitality is crucial for food safety as well as the financial stability of your farm. Neumann says better plant health and vitality could ultimately translate into higher yields, but more is not necessarily better.
“Sometimes it’s also about the quality of the crop and not just the quantity of crop you are getting. If you’re producing a better quality crop, you’re going to get a premium price for your goods at the end of the day. And you’re going to be able to continue your farming operation longer.”
When discussing plant health, most discussions centre around pest and disease prevention, and optimising yields. One less talked about topic, says Neumann, is harmful residues left on crops.
“It’s not just about having a lack of pests and diseases. It’s also important to look at the [level] of harmful residues on the crop, and [how we can] improve the nutrient density of the crop. All those conversations, tying more to the overall plant health, should also contribute towards food safety and better market access if you’re producing for export markets or for certain supermarkets where they’ve got stricter criteria.”
Holistic plant management
For Neumann, improving the stress tolerance and resilience of plants requires a holistic approach. He finds that there are no miracle cures for ensuring plant health.
“The important thing is to start with a good foundation. The soil really is a good starting point, and you need to make sure the soil is healthy, it’s alive, there’s beneficial microorganisms and lots of carbon and organic matter in there that the plant wants.”
“[You need to make sure] that the soil is well balanced as well; that it’s got all the nutrients that the plant needs. And if the nutrients aren’t there, then you’ve got to try and look at correcting those balances.”
Dr Brendon Neumann
Correcting imbalances is easier with Andermatt Madumbi’s biostimulant solutions. Biostimulants contain natural plant growth stimulants and are similar to fertilisers in that they enhance plant growth and vitality.
Unlike fertilisers, however, this is achieved by triggering natural plant processes within the plant rather than from plant nutrition, which is the core purpose of fertilisers and foliar feeds. Globally, biostimulants are one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors, as they offer growers the opportunity to “grow more with less”.
The Andermatt Madumbi biostimulant range is aimed at improving the stress tolerance of your crop, as well as supporting and stimulating plant growth. One such product, called AgriSil K50, strengthens plant cells. It also improves your plant’s resilience in the face of biotic stress, like viruses, bacteria, fungi and other living organisms that steal plant nutrients, as well as abiotic stress, like heavy rains or extreme heat.
Neumann says that, for many years, agriculturalists have forgotten about how useful silica is in crop health. He adds that producers are rediscovering the value of silica, making a product like AgriSil K50 particularly valuable.
“[Increasing] the level of silicon in the plant makes it resistant to so many things. It doesn’t really cure any one problem, but it raises the plant’s overall resistance and tolerance to many factors; [factors like] pests, diseases, drought stress, salinity stress and cold stress. And so, it really just gives you an overall lift to the crop.”
Everything your crop needs
While there are no silver bullets for crop health, Neumann says that knowing your soil and identifying the shortcomings in your environment goes a long way to improving it. He points out that historical knowledge plays a role in how you address and support the natural processes in your crop, especially in identifying when your crop needs additional help.
“For example, we have some biostimulants that stimulate photosynthesis, and we have it in different formulations – with or without macro nutrients – that also work towards improving chlorophyll production, vegetative growth and photosynthesis. It would be totally wrong to try and apply that product during the reproductive growth phase of the plant when the plants are actually trying to produce flowers and fruits, and just stimulating more leaf growth. It’s really about the timing and knowing what it is the plant needs.”
Better plant health with biostimulants
This is why, sometimes, producers need a more refined solution, like Andermatt Madumbi’s V12 Biostimulant range. The range, made up of eight products, optimises plant health through twelve essential components. Those components are referred to as the engine that drives plant growth.
For support with the initial growth phases in your crops, you can turn to V12 Initiate, a product that slowly releases calcium and silica, allowing a higher rate of seedling emergence. With V12 Fruit, your crops are supported with boron, amino acids, kelp and brassinolide, allowing them to flourish. V12 Multi offers an overall increase in vitality and acts as the perfect stress tonic for crops that have high nutritional demands.
Ultimately, making sure your crops are healthy requires a holistic approach. Neumann says that there are many options you can pursue to stimulate your crops but concentrating on only one aspect or issue will not do your crop any favours. “It really comes down to not focusing on one thing or the other. It’s about an integrated programme.”
ALSO READ: Want to maximise yield? Shift the focus from crop to soil
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