Increasing the Sustainability of Crop Production Systems Through Research & Application of Biologicals
The Issue
Biologicals — products derived from living organisms — support integrated crop management to make plants more resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses. Biologicals offer the potential to increase the sustainability of crop production through the use of biofertilizers, biostimulants, biological control agents, and plant inducers.
What We Are Doing
The Agriculture & Food Systems Institute brings together experts from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, industry, and other stakeholder groups to identify future needs and opportunities for biologicals in agriculture and food systems. Our expertise in environmental risk assessment is well applied to help the sector address regulatory considerations for next-generation biologicals.
Why It’s Important
Biologicals can promote plant growth, enhance resistance to pests and disease, and enhance resilience to abiotic stresses, such as increasing water and nitrogen use efficiency. The great value of biologicals is that they can be used in both organic and conventional agriculture, providing a suite of options for farmers across the world.
Program Staff
