Description
Biological products are gaining attention as farmers look for ways to improve soil health and nutrient availability, but determining where they fit — and whether they deliver a return on investment — isn't always straightforward.
In this episode of RealAgriculture's Pulse School, Mike Palmier of MNP Ag Intellect discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with biologicals, including why growers need to look beyond product claims and focus on measurable results.
Palmier says one of the biggest challenges is that biologicals are often treated as a single category, despite the wide range of micro-organisms, products, and potential applications available. From improving nutrient mineralization to addressing soil compaction or salinity, different biologicals are designed to tackle different problems.
The key, he says, is understanding what needs to be accomplished before choosing a product.
While inoculants are already a familiar example of biologicals in pulse production, newer products can be more difficult to evaluate. Soil type, cropping history, and management practices can all influence how a product performs, making small-scale, multi-year trials particularly important.
Palmier points to a long-term soil health trial underway at MNP Ag Intellect, where researchers didn't see a response from one of the biological products until the second year, on pulse stubble.
That raises questions about how quickly growers should expect results and whether those results can be repeated across different crops and soil types.
"We don't want to wait 5 years to get a return on that investment. We want to understand how quickly we can get that return."
While soil health improvements can take years to develop, Palmier says growers still need to understand the economics of their investments. That means testing products in the same areas over multiple seasons and measuring the results rather than relying on anecdotal evidence.
For growers considering biologicals, Palmier offers three straightforward tips: "Understand what you're trying to accomplish. ... Pick your biological or group of biologicals accordingly. ... And number 3, and most important, is measure the results."
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