The agriculture industry has changed a lot over the past century. After the introduction of
DDT, as well as the creation of other chemical pesticides, studies have been done to determine the effects of chemicals on
soil fertility and
water quality. Research has shown that the very same pesticides used to increase crop yield may in fact do the opposite. This is primarily due to the interference of certain pesticides with
nitrification, a key component of plant growth and vitality.
In this article we’ll examine the issues facing the agricultural industry today and how BioFlora® can help increase crop yield by addressing common problems in a cost-effective, sustainable way.
Issues facing growers
Let’s begin by discussing the main causes of low-yielding crops: low-yielding soil, soil pathogens, and poor water utilization.
Low-yielding Soil
The quality of soil has been deteriorating worldwide, lowering crop yields, crop quality, and exacerbating harvest uncertainty. It’s no coincidence that the use of chemicals has been increasing in tandem with this issue. Soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham compares the use of chemical fertilizers to overuse of antibiotics in humans, explaining that chemicals “might work for a few years, but after [a while], there aren’t enough beneficial soil organisms to hold onto the nutrients” (as cited in Nollet & Rathore,
2012). Use of synthetic fertilizers instead of humic substances (such as
humic acid), which are crucial to soil fertility and plant nutrition, is one of the main causes of deteriorating soil quality.
Soil Pathogens
Soilborne diseases, usually requiring soil fumigation, can greatly diminish crop yields. Fungi, one of the main causes of soilborne vegetable diseases, can survive for long periods due to its ability to produce resistant chemical structures. In addition, crops grown in a tillage-intensive environment are at a higher risk for disease due to the redistribution of pathogens during fragmenting, moving, and burying operations. Managing and diagnosing disease takes additional time and resources.
Poor Water Utilization
Reduced supply, poor quality, and higher water costs are a growing concern. Water restrictions are regularly imposed on farmers by state legislators as a result of persistent drought, especially in the western part of the United States. These restrictions have had a negative impact on crop yields. Water shortages affect the ability to provide food for our world’s growing population. In a world where
two billion people lack access to clean water, efficient and sustainable farming practices are key.
Improve Soil, Increase Crop Yield
To increase crop yield, start from the ground up. Testing soils to determine the cause of declining crop yield is the first step toward finding the source of the issue—whether it’s disease, a lack of nutrients, or unproductive soil. Then the soil can be treated with the appropriate organic product needed to solve the problem, without the use of synthetic chemicals which can harm the environment (and provide only a temporary solution). This is the method BioFlora has used successfully for the past 40 years.
This approach, called
biotechnology, has been shown to increase crop yields worldwide. Biotechnology provides an alternative to chemical pesticides, helping eliminate
millions of pounds of pesticide applications worldwide. In addition, it has encouraged widespread adoption of no-till agriculture, resulting in better conservation of soil and water as well as decreased spread of disease.
Other benefits of biotechnology include:
- Enhanced plant and beneficial bacteria and fungi growth
- Improved soil ecology, recovery, friability, and fertility
- Increased microbial diversification, population, and density
- Decreased plant stress from environmental conditions
- Increased disease resistance and suppression
As you can see, using biotechnology practices for your crops is an efficient and effective way to increase crop yield while maintaining the integrity of soil, so that it continues to produce for years to come. To learn more about biotechnology, read our article “What is Biotechnology?”
But don’t just take our word for it; according to BIO.org “Biotechnology is helping to heal the world by harnessing nature’s own toolbox and using our own genetic makeup to heal and guide lines of research…”
How BioFlora Can Help
At BioFlora our scientists utilize technology that takes our proven, patented mineral extraction process and creates a natural line of products, such as organic and sustainable fertilizers. These products are designed to take the natural processes by which crops live and grow, develop them and take them to the next level, nurturing the relationship between crops and soil. Wherever a crop is planted, living and growing, BioFlora will improve the quality of both the soil and the natural biochemical processes at work. As a result, we produce a more enriched, more plentiful crop for a wide variety of growers. This is biotechnology; our biotechnology.
Increase Crop Yield with GOgreen®
One of the many innovative products in our product line, GOgreen is a blend of green and yellow-green microalgae cells suspended in fresh water and designed to benefit soil structure and plant growth. The patented organic process to grow and harvest the microalgae is extremely innovative as it utilizes all aspects of plant growth biology in a liquid medium. In addition to improving plant growth, the application of algae has also been shown to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens and repel pests, which eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and hazardous pesticides.
Our Integrated Life Sciences Research Center® (ILSRC) carefully selects specific species of freshwater microalgae, which are then grown and cultivated in our state-of-the-art research facilities headquartered in Buckeye, AZ USA. Our process is a patented, quality controlled, organic method, which allows us to produce a concentrated algal solution that is unique to the market. Our proprietary solution is full of polysaccharides, proteins, fatty acids and enzymes that combine with one another to benefit growers and help improve their overall crop production!
By adding GOgreen, the benefits of these unique classes of organisms are realized. The most dramatic improvements are achieved when GOgreen is administered at pre-plant, planting and the early stages of the growth cycle. Nonetheless, GOgreen can be applied at any stage of plant growth in just about any soil condition.
To learn more about our case studies, see our What’s Happening page. For a full list of BioFlora products, visit our Products page.
The agriculture industry has changed a lot over the past century. After the introduction of DDT, as well as the creation of other chemical pesticides, studies have been done to determine the effects of chemicals on soil fertility and water quality. Research has shown that the very same pesticides used to increase crop yield may in fact do the opposite. This is primarily due to the interference of certain pesticides with nitrification, a key component of plant growth and vitality.
In this article we’ll examine the issues facing the agricultural industry today and how BioFlora® can help increase crop yield by addressing common problems in a cost-effective, sustainable way.