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28 POTATO GROWER | JUNE 2019 What's the Difference? Diggin' In Diggin' In BIOLOGICALS | Industry Report In an ag market that is always looking for another yield-topping year, every edge a farmer can find equals possible dollars for more hundredweight. But in a market that pays on yields, even what equates to snake oil can seem like a good idea if the input cost is low enough and the proposed benefit is high enough. With new technologies entering the market every day, it can be difficult to decide which products truly bring return on investment. Among the newest products to garner buzz in the industry—even though they've been around since the beginning of soil itself—is a product sector termed "biologicals." The term "biologicals" references two different kinds of soil amendments: biopesticides and biostimulants. Biostimulants, according to the new Farm Bill definition, are "a substance and/ or microorganism whose function when applied to seeds, plants or the rhizosphere is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress and crop quality or yield." Within the biostimulant definition are truly two unique soil components: microorganisms and stimulants. Microorganisms, or microbes, are small but beneficial bacteria, protozoa and fungi. Microorganisms trigger the natural nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, stress tolerance and overall plant health noted in the Farm Bill definition by making nutrients accessible to root systems. Biostimulants are more the feed sources that encourage microorganism activity. "We've seen an uptick in awareness of the biological market by our farmers," says Jared Roberts, vice president of sales for Legion Bio Chem. "But we've also seen a lot of confusion about what 'biologicals' really means and what benefits you should expect." Roberts, a veteran of the agronomic fertilizer space, has seen that confusion firsthand. "We have a lot of folks in the market that offer a range of microorganisms and biostimulant options, but it's not very clear why each one is different," he says. Based on soil composition and a host of other factors such as soil temperature, drought or oversaturation, and previous crop, microorganisms can help to break down nutrients found or added to the soil to maximize plant health. "If you're adding nutrients to the soil as an input, you might as well make sure the root system can easily absorb them," says Roberts. "Or, in some cases, you may have the nutrients already there, and you just need to add the microorganisms to make them accessible." "We've seen quite a bit of success when a farmer adds microorganisms alongside feed sources," adds Keegan Cherry, a regional sales manager for Legion Bio Chem. "I think it's easy to forget you have some naturally occurring microorganisms as well. So feeding them at the same time you feed the new ones you've added maximizes the available nutrients." The Legion Bio Chem product portfolio offers both microorganisms and biostimulants in varying formulations to provide the right mix to match every field. Clarifying the difference between food sources and true microorganisms is an important component of the Legion Bio Chem market approach. "We want to be as clear as possible about what our products do," Roberts says. "Getting the most out of every acre is just as important to us as it is for our growers." Learn more about Legion Bio Chem's family of microorganisms and bio-stimulants at www.legionbiochem.com Why all "biological" nutrient solutions are not the same