Biostimulants for agriculture industry - Agriculture

Led by the growing demands of circular economy, biostimulants are the ideal solution combining productive efficiency and eco-compatibility.

Being 100% natural in origin, not only do they respect the environment by avoiding subtracting additional resources and valorising by-products of other production chains, but they also amplify the effectiveness of traditional fertilisers, making crops significantly more productive. To meet the diverse needs of the sector, SICIT has developed two main lines of biostimulants:

• General use: biostimulants suitable for all crops and particularly suitable for horticultural and fruit crops

• Specific use: bbiostimulants designed to respond to specific situations of stress, such as lack of essential nutrients (calcium, iron, zinc) or adverse weather conditions.

Strategies for using biostimulants
Using biostimulants can be guided by two main strategies:

Standard strategy

applied at crucial moments in the crop cycle to maximise growth and harvest quality:

• Sowing
• Transplanting or post-transplanting
• Vegetative restart
• Pre-flowering and flowering
• Fruit development and ripening
• Fruit growth

Emergency strategy

to anticipate or react quickly to stressful events made worse by climate change, ensuring crop protection and resilience.

• Water deficit or excess
• Salinity
• Contaminants (e.g. heavy metals, herbicides)
• Extreme temperatures
• Mechanical stress (hail, wind)
• Excessive solar radiation