Increasing the Sustainability of Crop Production Systems Through Research & Application of Plant Biologicals
The Issue
Plant biologicals — products derived from living organisms — support integrated crop management to make plants more resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant 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 plant 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 plant biologicals.
Why It’s Important
Plant 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 plant 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
Rachel Melnick, Ph.D.
Discover
Publications
Climate Indicators for Agriculture
USDA Technical Bulletin | July 29, 2020
This report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture focuses on how agricultural systems are impacted by climate change and offers a list of 20 indicators that provide a broad look at what is happening across the country.
Events
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3rd International Conference on Green Plant Protection InnovationSeptember 24, 2021-September 26, 2021
Shanxi Province, China
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Produce Marketing Association Virtual Town Hall: Resource ScarcitySeptember 23, 2020
Newark, DE, USA
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Plant Biologicals Network Symposium 2019November 13, 2019-November 14, 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
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