Understanding the role of biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides in Australian broadacre cropping

Australian agriculture faces numerous challenges, including climate variability, soil degradation, and increasing pressure to enhance productivity while maintaining overall system sustainably. Maintaining yields requires emission-intensive fertilisers and chemicals which further impact soil/plant health and has a long-term impact on financial viability and natural capital. In this context, some growers see the utilisation of biostimulants, biofertilisers and biopesticides as promising opportunity to improve agricultural outcomes. Biostimulants (also termed as plant conditioners or bioeffectors) are substances and/or microorganisms applied to plants or the rhizosphere with the function to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content. The most popular are humic acids, seaweed extracts, liquid manure composting and beneficial bacteria and fungi.

Biofertilisers are biological products containing living micro-organisms which, when applied to the soil or the surfaces of plants, can increase plant growth by increasing the supply of nutrients available to the plant. Biopesticides (including bio-herbicides, bio-fungicides and bio-insecticides) are naturally occurring substances or microorganisms that are used to control pest in agriculture. Awareness of these product types or product categories is increasing amongst growers with questions being raised about their efficacy and fit in current farming systems. It is proposed that a consultancy be undertaken to review both international and Australian trends in these fields and evaluate the agronomic impact and potential adoption of the products. Furthermore, identifying the applicability in Australian broadacre cropping and providing GRDC with specific recommendations to address gaps in research should ensure that potential crop productivity and profitability are positively impacted.