The Plant Biologicals Network invites everyone interested to the annual PBN Symposium: An unique opportunity to learn more about plant biologicals and network with PBN members to share knowledge and discuss experiences.
Program
8:30-9:00
Registration
9:00-9:25
Welcome and opening address in the context of Biosolutions initiatives by Mette Walter, PBN Deputy Chairperson and Vice Director, Danish Technological Institute
9:25-10:35
Session 1: Regulation
Domenico Deserio, Policy Officer, European Commission – DG SANTE
European Commission initiatives on microbials and other biological control agents – an update
Elodie Lebastard, Senior Consultant, European Biostimulants Industry Council (EBIC)
The regulatory framework for plant biostimulants in Europe
3 x flash talks
10:35-11:00
Group photo and coffee break
11:00-12.10
Session 2: Hands-on experiences
Martina Dal Grande, Vine grower and member of the Council of Young Farmers – CEJA, representing farmers from ANGA Giovani di Confagricoltura
Nature’s Balance: Honing Prosecco Farming with Biological Solutions
Emil Elsborg, Crop Advisor, Agrovi
Working with biostimulants in regenerative agriculture
3 x flash talks
12:10-13:00
Lunch
13:00-14.00
Panel discussion
Topic: How are benefits from scientific progress within the field of plant biologicals transmitted to end users?
Panelists:
Giuseppe Colla, Professor of Horticulture, Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Tuscia University
Carmina Falcato Cabral, Sr. Manager Plant Application R&D – DK, Novonesis
Lasse Lose, Pometum Supervisor, Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen
Martina Dal Grande, Vine grower and member of the Council of Young Farmers – CEJA, representing farmers from ANGA Giovani di Confagricoltura
14:00-14:45
Poster session and coffee
14:45-15:55
Session 3: Lab to field transmission
Jürgen Köhl, Senior Scientist, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University & Research,
Indentifying and developing micro-organisms for biological control of plant diseases
Marcela Mendoza-Suarez, CEO and co-founder, SymBioMatch
Rhizobial biofertilizers: Getting to the root of the problem
3 x flash talks
15.55-16.20
Coffee break
16.20-17.30
Session 4: Hot topics in biologicals
Mogens Humlekrog Greve, Professor and Section Manager, Aarhus University
AI4SoilHealth Soil Mission Project
RameshVetukuri, Associate Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Spray-Induced Gene Silencing: A Promising Strategy for Targeted Plant Disease Control
3 x flash talks
17:30-18:00
Honorary lecture
Jørgen Eilenberg, Professor Emeritus, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen
150 Years of Successful Collaborative European Efforts to Develop Fungi for the Control of Soil-Dwelling Pests.
18:00-18:10
Closing of the symposium
18:10-20:00
Reception
Location
The Copenhagen Plant Science Centre auditorium
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
University of Copenhagen
Bülowsvej 21A
1871 Frederiksberg
Date: Thursday 14 November 2024
Domenico Deserio
European Commission initiatives on microbials and other biological control agents – an update
The European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy aims at reducing dependency on and use of chemical pesticides. Placing on the market biological control agents (e.g. micro-organisms) that can be used in organic farming should be facilitated. As of today, about seventy micro-organisms strains or isolates are approved in EU, and the number of new strains pending for approval is increasing. The Regulations setting out data requirements and principles for assessment of micro-organisms were updated and are applicable since November 2022. They reflect the latest scientific developments and focus the risk assessment on the biology of micro-organisms. These new rules intend to facilitate the approval of micro-organisms for a faster access to the market. To support the implementation of these new rules, the European Commission has also adopted specific guidance documents (i.e. on anti-microbial resistance, secondary metabolites). Explanatory notes complement the support to applicants and Member States in the implementation of these rules. Guidance documents relating to other biological control agents such as semiochemicals or botanicals have been or will be soon reviewed.
Elodie Lebastard
The regulatory framework for plant biostimulants in Europe
In this session, Elodie Lebastard, senior consultant at Prospero & Partners and working in the secretariat of the leading European trade association for plant biostimulants – EBIC (standing for the European Biostimulants Industry Council), will provide a snapshot of the regulatory framework surrounding plant biostimulants in Europe. She will highlight that plant biostimulants are defined by their function, and not by their composition. Plant biostimulants are subject to optional and partial harmonisation under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, and belong to the broader category of fertilising products, well distinct from plant protection products. They are subject to a thorough conformity assessment process before being placed on the EU market, a process that involves third-party assessment bodies. She will provide some of the essential safety and quality requirements for plant biostimulants laid down in the EU Regulation. She will finally highlight some of the ongoing regulatory initiatives.
Martina Dal Grande
Nature’s Balance: Honing Prosecco Farming with Biological Solutions
Can a young farmer with a different mindset spread a new vision of farming? Can we create trust between farmers and share knowledge and best practices? Agricultural innovations respond better to local challenges when they are co-created through participatory processes. The real key to create mutual trust between farmers is to share expertise and concrete “on -field” actions, sustained by the support of agronomist, researchers, and valuable field professionals. An open mindset and the desire to be fed by knowledge is not a matter of biological age but it is about curiosity and being aware that “to maintain things as always being you need to change things” and mindset during your agricultural journey. The support of external experts represent a fundamental key part for the farmers, that help realize that mistakes sometimes are not farmer’s faults and that usual practises can’t be actual forever. Farmers congenital caution often refuse external help by warring of being judged, criticized and discredited by the local community, refusing any kind of external help and any possibility to open themselves and their farm to innovative successful solutions. Here comes the roles of the local trade unions that by the trust builded trough years and successful results can have a focal role on attracting interest to innovations and updates. During this talk I would like to share with participants my strenuous journey through the grapevine’s favescence dorée, the disease, its spread and the Biological solutions.
Emil Elsborg Christensen
Working with biostimulants in regenerative agriculture
Agrovi is leading in regenerative agriculture consulting in Denmark and views biostimulants as a key method to promote sustainability in the agricultural sector. With a rapidly expanding market filled with various biostimulant products, questions arise regarding their effectiveness and suitability both in general and for specific situations. Farmers often lack the understanding of what biostimulants are, and many products lack valid data to demonstrate their benefits in field trails. This makes it challenging to transit agriculture into using biostimulants more. Additionally, the effectiveness of biostimulants is highly dependent on climate and weather conditions, complicating decision-making, and makes it difficult to see the effects in the field. To address these challenges and clarify the potential of biostimulants for farmers, Agrovi conducts large-scale trials in collaboration with knowledge-seeking farmers, aiming to enhance crop performance and build a better understanding of the impacts of these products. Through these efforts, we seek to inform farmers to make well considered decisions about when and how to use biostimulants.
Jürgen Köhl
Identifying and developing micro-organisms for biological control of plant diseases
Screening of micro-organisms for commercial use in biological control of plant diseases requires a thorough understanding of the biology and ecology of antagonistic organisms. Many selection criteria must be considered besides antagonistic efficacy against the targeted pathogen, such as ecological fitness, potential risks for humans or the environment, and mass production. We developed and used a stepwise screening approach to identify new biocontrol agents for control of apples scab, powdery mildew, and European fruit tree canker. In collaboration with seed industries, we adapted the screening approach for the selection of new antagonists for seed coating. Seed processing technologies for sorting, drying, testing, cleaning, packaging, and storing of seeds were analyzed and main bottlenecks for survival of living micro-organisms before, during and after seed coating processes were identified. This information is now used to develop valid assays for the screening of large numbers of candidate antagonists with the aim to exclude microorganisms that are vulnerable to the exposed conditions during seed coating and handling of the coated seeds.
Marcela Mendoza-Suarez
Rhizobial biofertilizers: Getting to the rot of the problem
Rhizobial biofertilizers offer a sustainable nitrogen source for agriculture. However, the impact of their interactions in environments with multiple strains is often overlooked in biofertilizer development. At Aarhus University, in collaboration with breeding companies, we are pioneering new legume breeding programs that prioritize efficient nitrogen fixation. We have assembled a diverse collection of rhizobial strains from across Europe and evaluated their performance in a global faba bean diversity panel. Our research categorizes these strains into groups with distinct competitive interactions and plant growth-promoting effects. We demonstrate that increased diversity of beneficial rhizobia enhances faba bean growth and is controlled by plant genetics. These insights form the basis for redesigning rhizobium inoculation strategies, revealing that biofertilizer efficiency depends on complex interactions between bacteria, plants, and soil. Now as SymbioMatch, we are translating over a decade of research into customized and effective biofertilizers to enhance sustainable plant protein production. Our machine learning platform evaluates crop and soil data to recommend optimal microbial biofertilizers. Our goal is to provide farmers with biosolutions that maximize yield, reduce dependence on chemical nitrogen fertilizers, and support the Green Transition.
Mogens Humlekrog Greve
AI4SoilHealth Soil Mission Project
The objective of AI4SoilHealth is to co-design, create and maintain an open access European-wide digital infrastructure, compiled using state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods combined with new and deep soil health understanding and measures. The AI-based data infrastructure functions as a Digital Twin to the real-World biophysicalsystem, forming a Soil Digital Twin. This can be used for assessing and continuously monitoring Soil Health metrics by land use and/or management parcel, supporting the Commission’s objective of transitioning towards healthy soils by 2050. Key deliverables include: 1) Coherent Soil Health Index methodology, 2) Rapid Soil Health Assessment Toolbox, 3) AI4SoilHealth Data Cube for Europe, 4) Soil-Health-Soil-Degradation-Monitor, and 5) AI4SoilHealth API and Mobilephone App. Produced tools will be exposed to target-users (including farmer associations in >10 countries), so their feedback is used to improve design/functionality. Produced high-resolution pan-European datasets will be distributed under an Open Data license, allowing easy access by development communities. AI4SoilHealth will provide an effective Soil Health Index certification system to support landowners and policy makers under the new Green Deal for Europe.
Ramesh Vetukuri
Spray-Induced Gene Silencing: A Promising Strategy for Targeted Plant Disease Control
Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight disease in potatoes, remains a major challenge to global agriculture, with control measures heavily reliant on fungicide applications. This dependency raises serious environmental and sustainability concerns, necessitating the development of innovative and sustainable alternatives. Our research has demonstrated that spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS), a novel RNA interference (RNAi)-based approach, can effectively suppress P. infestans by applying double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to plant surfaces, targeting critical pathogen genes required for infection. RNAi, a highly conserved eukaryotic regulatory mechanism, utilizes dsRNA and small RNAs (sRNAs) to silence specific messenger RNAs, leading to the suppression of target gene expression in pathogens. In this presentation, we will show the latest experimental data validating the efficacy of SIGS in controlling late blight under laboratory conditions. Additionally, we will discuss some of the data about the molecular basis of small RNA movement between the host and pathogen during infection, with the goal of optimizing dsRNA delivery and stability to further enhance the effectiveness of SIGS. This work represents a significant step toward developing sustainable, non-chemical disease control strategies, advancing our understanding of RNAi-mediated plant defense mechanisms.
Jørgen Eilenberg
150 years of successful collaborative European efforts to develop fungi for the control of soil-dwelling pests
Insect pathogenic fungi from the genera Metarhizium and Beauveria have since their discoveries in the 19th century been subjected to research and innovation efforts to develop isolates/strains from these genera for use in biological control of pest insects. Here, I will focus on the history and current status of the successful European collaborative efforts to develop the species Metarhizium brunneum and Beauveria brongniartii for biological control of soil-dwelling pests. As regards the specialist fungus M. brunneum, the isolate M43 (alias 275, alias BIPESCO 5, alias F52) is used commercially for inundation biological control of larvae of weevils, for example species from genus Otiorhyncus, and other soil-dwelling insects. The species, B. brongniartii, in contrast, is a specialist and two isolates (BIPESCO 2 and 4) have been developed for inoculation biological control of the common European cockchafer Melolontha melolontha. Furthermore, studies on the natural occurrence and ecology of these species of insect pathogenic fungi have led to new knowledge about fungus-insect-plant population interactions, and the prospects of using fungi in conservation biological control.
Abstracts for flash talks and poster session
From single strain bioinoculants to consortia
Tanvi Taparia, Malthe Puro, Jonas Agergaard, Zhangli Zuo, Joseph Nesme, Morten Pederson, Søren Sørensen
Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen
Department of Plant & Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen
Abstract
Microbes engage in vibrant and complex social interactions. The success and stability of bioinoculants is also shaped by interaction with other microbes. Transitioning from single-strain bioinoculants to multi-strain consortia can thus oEer significant advantages. Typically, the design of a bioinoculant consortia, is either a top-down approach driven by -omics, or a bottom-up approach driven by synthetic biology, both of which pose challenges.
Here we present two novel methods for the design of bioinoculant consortia that are based on colocalization instead. We define consortia whose members synergistically reinforce each other, as ‘collaboromes’. These collaboromes show synergy within the community and can stably colonize and function in the presence of a competitive microbiome.
Our innovations enabled the high-throughput isolation of collaboromes directly from environmental niches, using novel bead and bait approaches. More than 100 promising collaboromes were cultivated and characterized, leading to a catalogue of microbial strains and genes. Our lead collaboromes outperformed single strains on plant protection and growth promotion in greenhouse trials with potato and tomato.
In conclusion, harnessing social interactions within the plant microbiome for the design of bioinoculants holds the potential to revolutionize microbe-assisted crop production.
Water quality and formulation: the impact of water hardness and chelation on Bacillus performance against wheat diseases
Shakhina Khanam, Hans Jørgen Lyngs Jørgensen, Carmina Falcato Cabral, Carsten Pedersen, Dainis Jakubauskas, Anna Iversen, Edward Rojas
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Plant Application – DK, Plant Biosolutions AR&D, Novonesis A/S, Gammel Venlighedsvej 14, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
Abstract
Biological control is increasingly recognized as a sustainable method for managing plant diseases. Despite promising laboratory results, biocontrol agents often fail in the field due to challenges like short shelf life, uneven coverage on the crop and rapid degradation of the active ingredients. Formulation can address these challenges and enhance the efficacy of biocontrol agents. Suspension concentrate formulations and in tank mixes are predominantly composed of water. However, water properties can vary depending on tap water source on different areas. An important factor of water quality is hardness, which is determined by cation concentration. This study examined the impact of water hardness and the presence of a chelating agent on the stability of Bacillus-based formulations and their disease suppression efficacy against wheat pathogens. We tested formulations prepared with both MilliQ water as soft water and very hard water (8000 ppm Mg2+ hardness) with and without a chelating agent, and we followed their stability over three months at room temperature and at 40°C. The results indicate that hard water affected several physio-chemical parameters, including particle size distribution, viscosity and phase separation, compared to MilliQ water formulations. These effects were most pronounced at the end point of the analysis. The concentration of the chelating agent used in this study showed no impact on the cations in the hard water. However, Bacillus spore viability remained stable across storage time and conditions. The biocontrol efficacy of the formulations varied against Septoria tritici blotch and Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat, with the greatest reduction in FHB observed when using formulations in hard water. This study provides valuable insights into optimizing water hardness in the formulation and application of biological control products to enhance biocontrol effectiveness.
Fungal biofertilizers and biopesticides applied in integrated and organic strawberry fields in Denmark
Morgane Ourry, Maria Grazia Tommasini, Sara Turci, Nika Cvelbar Weber, Jaka Razinger, Hans-Josef Schroers, Sylvie Masquelier, Nicolai V. Meyling
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
RI.NOVA soc. Coop. via dell’Arrigoni, 120 47522, Cesena (FC), Italy
Department of Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Oenology, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Plant Protection Department, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
INOCULUMplus, pôle d’innovation en agroécologie agrOnov, 21110 Bretenière, France
Abstract
Horticultural production needs alternatives to chemical inputs to sustain and improve soil health. Project EXCALIBUR aimed at testing different bio-inocula in field trials across Europe for their effects on plant yield, protection against pests, and soil biodiversity. Tested bio-inocula consisted of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF, enhancing nutrient uptake), Clonostachys rosea (antagonist of fungal plant pathogens) and Metarhizium brunneum (an insect pathogen). Formulation of these three fungi were applied in the soil near the roots of strawberry plants of two commercial fields, either integrated or organically managed. Both trials were located in eastern Denmark and spanned the entire crop cycle from spring 2021 to late summer 2023. Different traits were measured including plant biomass, abundance of aboveground arthropods, fruit yield and quality, and root mycorrhization. The integrated strawberry field produced larger plants, as well as more and bigger fruits than the organic field. No effects of the three bio- inocula were observed in 2022, hence the bioinocula were re-applied in spring 2023. Some effects were observed in 2023: compared to the control plots (i.e., untreated), plots with AMF and C. rosea showed a reduced number of flower stems in the integrated field while C. rosea and M. brunneum treatments resulted in lower root biomass in both management systems. However, these effects had no consequences on the yield, which remained the same for all treatments and the AMF treatment did not increase the observed root mycorrhization. Few effects were observed on the abundance of arthropod pests. While these types of fungal inocula are efficient in controlled laboratory conditions, various factors, including climate or competition with native soil microorganisms, may render their effects at field conditions more subtle. Optimization of bio-inocula selection, formulation or timing of application is thus needed to ensure expected beneficial effects.
Enhancing Fusarium Head Blight control on wheat by combining Trichoderma gamsii T6085 and Clonostachys rosea IK726: a promising approach
Arianna Petrucci, Marco Cesarini, Isabel Vicente, Lucia Merani, Birgit Jensen, David B. Collinge, Sabrina Sarrocco
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy.
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen.
Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute for Agribiotechnology Research (CIALE), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
Abstract
Wheat is an important staple food crop often affected by FHB caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum (FHB). Thus, crop loss is also exasperated by mycotoxin contamination. This study investigates the combined use of two beneficial fungi, Trichoderma gamsii T6085 and Clonostachys rosea IK726, to control FHB.
Confrontation evaluations showed no mycoparasitism or inhibition by diffusible compounds, although T6085’s VOCs slightly inhibited IK726 growth. Moreover, IK726 reduced T6085 spore germination in liquid culture, but not on spikes.
Defence-related (DR) gene PR1 is slightly up-regulated by IK726, alone and with T6085, in roots while, Pgip2 is enhanced only by IK726, at 7dpi. No systemic induction on leaves was reported. DR genes Pal1, PR1, and Lox1 were up-regulated on spikes by IK726 alone and with T6085, at 96hpi.
Furthermore, Pgip2 was up-regulated at 24hpi mainly in co-inoculation when the pathogen was also present. T6085 alone induced a defence response at 72hpi. Nevertheless, the disease incidence was reduced by co-inoculation to under 10% by T6085 and IK726. Besides, perithecia produced by the pathogen were significantly decreased after six months on inoculated straw.
The results provide support for combining the use of these two isolates improving the management of FHB.
Accelerated biofungicide discovery using automated screening of fungal biodiversity
Niels B. Jensen, Parvathy Krishnan, Johan V. Christiansen, Vilhelm K. Møller, Søren D. Petersen, David L. Corcoles, Alexander R. Brems, Steen S. Brewer, Katharina Steinert, Belén C. Ramal, Emmanouil Chantzis, Karolina Subko, Lars Jelsbak, Jakob B. Hoof, Jens C. Frisvad, Rasmus Frandsen
Department of Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
FMC Agricultural Solutions A/S, European Innovation Center, Genvej 2, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
Abstract
The Smarter AgroBiological Screening (SABS) project advances sustainable crop protection by developing an automated pipeline to screen microbial collections for biological products. In collaboration with FMC, DTU Bioengineering is screening over 10,000 fungal strains from its extensive strain collection for activity against two major wheat pathogens: Fusarium graminearum and Zymoseptoria tritici. These pathogens cause Fusarium Head Blight and Septoria Leaf Blotch, respectively, which severely impact crop yields and quality. With increasing regulatory restrictions on chemical pesticides, the need for alternative biological solutions is critical. Our platform integrates high-throughput robotics, advanced functional screening assays, and automated LC-MS data collection, processing more than 3000 strains every two weeks. Automated computational processing of the LC-MS data and a high- throughput genotyping workflow aimed at taxonomic identification, we can focus on commercial relevant lead candidates early in the process. Several of these strains are undergoing field trials across Europe.
In addition to the SABS deliverables to DTU and FMC, we have also succeeded in establishing a spin-out company, “Mycoverse”. This spin-off company is leveraging the platform for commercial use to bring next generation biological solutions to agriculture.
Determination of metabolic host plant biosignatures by cell physiological phenotyping to assess responsiveness to beneficial microbes and improve the lab to field transition
M. F. Mekureyaw, S. Rasool, C. Pandey, S. M. Enevoldsen and T. Roitsch (presenter)
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract
The physiology of the host plant is the key interface to integrate the impact of plant – microbe intervention within the complex genotypes x environment x management interaction. Although the physiology is a determinant of the phenotype the classical methods are inherently slow. To facilitate the integration of cell physiological phenotyping into a holistic functional phenomics approach and to complement molecular OMICs techniques (1) we have established a semi-highthroughput analytical platform to determine the activity signatures of 33 key enzymes of carbohydrate, antioxidant and nitrogen metabolism in a microtiter plate (2). The suitability of this approach was verified in case studies through assessment of the response of model and crop plant to plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), endophytic fungy and microalgae applied via seed coating or application to the roots or rhizosphere. Inoculation of tomato roots with growth promoting Pseudomonas strains induces distinct local and systemic biosignatures (3). The same applies to the cytokinin-producing Pseudomonas fluorescens G20-18 which primes tomato for enhanced drought stress responses (4). Determination of activity fingerprints revealed that tomato growth promotion by the fungal endophyte Serendipita indica is associated with sucrose de-novo synthesis in roots and differential local and systemic effects on carbohydrate metabolisms (5). Seed coating of maize with Bacillus licheniformis FMCH001 increases water use efficiency via growth stimulation in both normal and drought conditions and resulted in distinct impacts of carbohydrate and antioxidant enzymes (6). Finally, a derivative of this strain was used for a comparative analyses of controlled environment experiment with different soil types obtained for the corresponding field trial sites. The obtained biosignatures correlate with the impact of the seed coated bacillus on yield related traits and allow predictions on field performance. In summary, a proof of concept could be obtained that enzyme activity profiling is a robust predictor of the responsiveness of a host plant to the interaction with beneficial microbes and has a potential to improve the success rate of lab to field translations.
1, Großkinsky, 2015, JXB 66: 5429; 2, Jammer, 2022, JXB 73, 5170; 3,4, Mekureyaw, 2022, Phys Mol Plant Pathology 117, 101757 & J Plant Phys 270, 153629; 5, DeRochis et al., 2022, J Plant Phys 276, 153755; 6, Akhtar, 2020, FiPS 11, 297
Agricultural biologicals in sub-Saharan Africa: smallholder farmers’ perspectives
Ilomo, M., Mueke, A., Mulugeta, T., Matsaunyane, L., Onyango, C., Sajeevan R.S., Manourova, A. Alexandersson, E. & Kritzinger, Q.
Department of Finance, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Department of Animal Health and Production, School of Pure and Applied Science, Mount Kenya University, General Kago Rd, Thika, Kenya
Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Science, Kotebe University of Education, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Department of Plant Breeding, Agricultural Research Council-Vegetable and Ornamental Plants, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Lomma, Sweden
Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Lomma, Sweden
Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Abstract
We have mapped the research and use of agricultural biologicals in sub-Saharan Africa from a smallholder farmers’ perspective. This study includes a cross-country knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) analysis. It is based on policy documents, systematic mapping of existing literature, and interviews with 23 policymakers, regulators, and biologicals companies as well as surveys of 600 smallholder farmers’ and 115 agro-dealers conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa and an online survey of 120 subject-area specific researchers. In addition, we have documented the regulatory framework on agricultural biologicals in the region.
The results show limited research output regarding in field applications of agricultural biologicals in sub-Saharan Africa, which was largely dominated by lab research and academic publications. As for types of biologicals, much the research focuses on biopesticides and biocontrols, and less on biostimulants and resistance inducers. We found limited awareness among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, albeit some variations were detected across countries. Also, we found that biologicals companies were reluctant to serve smallholder farmers due to logistical challenges and absence of incentives. Further, there are limited number of biologicals products with few suppliers, which can impede a shift to biologicals. For food security and safe livelihoods, biologicals should be promoted in the context of integrated pest management and not as a sole solution to challenges facing smallholder farming in subSaharan Africa. While noting the progress in regulatory frameworks on biologicals, we found gaps in both policymaking and implementation.
Nonetheless, we note the potential for strengthening government-university-industry interactions and South-South cooperation in guiding the regional development of biologicals. In a follow-up project, we will establish living labs in Kenya and South Africa, which will among other things reach out to smallholder farmers and study how they interact with biologicals. We will also survey the traditional knowledge related to biologicals in Ethiopia.
Advancement and adaptation of agricultural biologicals to meet Sub-Saharan African smallholder farmers’ needs and build sustainable food systems
Rosado, A & Alexandersson, E.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
Abstract
A large-scale and long-term “One Crop Health” systems experiment; what about plant biologicals?
Paul Neve
Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen.
Abstract
The ‘One Crop Health’ challenge program (2024 – 2030) seeks to explore approaches for reducing reliance on pesticides in north-western European agroecosystems. Our vision is to create cropping systems with i) less pressure from yield-limiting pests, weeds and diseases, ii) more targeted and precise interventions, and iii) integration of a diversity of biological, physical and chemical control practices. As part of the program, during 2024 we established a large-scale field systems experiment at the University of Copenhagen’s Tåstrup campus. The aim of this field experiment is to integrate and optimise new and emerging biological, agroecological and digital approaches for future crop protection that can reduce (or replace) pesticide use. Here, we will introduce the experimental design and invite members of the Plant Biologicals Network to discuss the potential for integrating new “biological” products, treatments and approaches into this experiment.