Agriculture is dealing with two opposing forces. There is a need for more production due to worldwide population growth. At the same time, we are seeing a necessary reduction in the amount of crop productivity tools available, due to government regulations such as the EU Green Deal.
Climate change is testing cropping systems as well. Whether it’s too dry or too wet, we’re seeing these extremes all over the world.
It’s the perfect storm. Agriculture is faced with a huge challenge, and it won’t get any easier. We need new tools that are sustainable, effective and affordable to complement synthetic chemistry. That’s where Ascophyllum nodosum comes in.
A type of seaweed, Acadian’s platform technology is an extract of this plant with several modes of action that provide a new tool in the face of the challenges I just described. As the number of innovations in synthetic products grinds to a virtual halt, Ascophyllum nodosum is perfectly positioned to provide this new tool and represents the next wave in biostimulant technology for a number of reasons.
It reduces plant stress. New formulations deliver Ascophyllum nodosum into the soil, enhancing its natural properties. Our products also positively affect transpiration of the plant, regulating genetic pathways in the plant enabling it to tolerate crop stress such as drought, extreme heat, cold and water logging.
It bolsters nutritional efficiency in the plant. Our products stimulate the plant to release exudates through roots that attract soil bacteria and fungi that are symbiotic with the plant, in order to help the plant use its built-in nutrient uptake capabilities. Application of products based on Ascophyllum nodosum stimulates the physiological processes in plants in a way that provides potential benefits for emergence, development and stress response.
It makes for healthier crop development. Our agricultural products enhance root growth and development and this, in turn, improves plant vigour. Stronger plants are better at coping with and recovering from environmental stress, and this leads to better quality crops.
There was a time when biostimulants were labelled as “snake oil”. No longer. A large number of scientific studies have shown that many crop systems respond positively to these products. With our Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulants, Acadian Plant Health is closing the gap between the biostimulant industry and the crop protection industry. With fewer synthetic chemistry solutions available to growers, we are providing a tool that agriculture is looking for to feed the world and help growers have successful farming operations.
Our technology fits those unmet needs of today’s agriculture.
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