Plant Biologicals Network

How does a plant biostimulant influence soil microbial diversity? Can biostimulant treatment foster a beneficial rhizobiome in oilseed rape plants? To explore these questions, Lea Ellegaard and her team at the Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University conducted sampling from field trials as part of the 'Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals' project at the Department of Agroecology - Aarhus University and at Danish Technological Institute. These field trials include treatment of oilseed rape with a biostimulant developed by FMC Corporation. The evaluation results will help us find out how plant biologicals influence the soil microbiome under various cultivation conditions, and how this is reflected in crop efficiency. The 'Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals’ project is financed by Innovation Fund Denmark through the Innomission 3 AgriFoodTure collaboration and is conducted by Danish Technological Institute, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology - Aarhus University (Flakkebjerg), SEGES Innovation, FMC Corporation, Novonesis and Plant Biologicals Network.

What an inspiring day at the Plant Biologicals Network Symposium in Frederiksberg! 🌱 Our sixth annual conference brought together researchers, policy experts, farmers, and industry leaders to discuss the future of biological plant protection and biocontrol – with a packed programme covering regulatory updates, hands-on farming experiences, debates and the latest scientific breakthroughs. Special thanks to our speakers and panellists. Let us continue the conversation to make biologicals more effective and accessible for farmers. We’re already looking forward to next year’s symposium!

We are proud to present the annual Plant Biologicals Network Symposium program! You can find the symposium program here: https://lnkd.in/dphEqpVC Registration for the PBN symposium closes on 28 October. You can register for the symposium here: https://lnkd.in/dM9HMi6q

Does field heterogeneity have the potential to provide us with valuable knowledge about biostimulants? Biostimulants can help enhance crop productivity and resilience. However, their biological nature makes them sensitive to the environment they are introduced to, highlighting the need for new approaches in developing and testing to ensure strong results for quantified effects of biostimulants. In the project ‘Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals,’ we aim to strengthen the quantification of the effects of biostimulants and biological control agents on crop productivity, climate, environment, and biodiversity. “Current field trial protocols were developed for testing chemical products. Therefore, there is a need for rethinking and optimizing trial protocols to better understand when, how, and why a specific biosolution product should be used” explains Mette Walter, project manager and deputy head at the Danish Technological Institute. In the project, FMC Corporation is exploring possibilities of testing on heterogeneous vs. classic homogeneous areas. Burghard Liebmann, Plant Health Director R&D at FMC Corporation, says: “Our partnership with Danish Technological Institute and other partners in the “Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals” project is an exciting opportunity to further the use of sustainable biosolutions in agriculture. Given that biological products rely on natural processes, their performance can vary across different environments, and a project like this will help us better understand how to maximize their impact.” The project's first trials have been harvested, and project partners are eagerly awaiting the results. Read more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/dux4DVsC The project ‘Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals’ is funded by Innovation Fund Denmark through Innomission 3 partnership AgriFoodTure and is carried out in collaboration with the Plant Biologicals Network, Danish Technological Institute, Aarhus University, FMC Corporation, Novonesis, SEGES Innovation and Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen

How can we ensure that scientific progress in the field of plant biologicals reach end users? Join the discussion at the Plant Biologicals Network Symposium on 14 November 2024! We are delighted to announce that Nina Bendixen, weather host, podcaster, writer, and reporter on climate change, will moderate the panel discussion. You can still register for the symposium, submit abstracts for flash talks, and secure a spot in the poster session here: https://lnkd.in/gyCP6Bn6

The Plant Biologicals Network Symposium 2024 is just around the corner! You can submit abstracts for flash talks and the poster session until October 7, 2024. Symposium registration is open until October 28, 2024. For exhibition stand inquiries, please contact us at aleksandraml@plen.ku.dk Submit your abstract and register here: https://lnkd.in/gyCP6Bn6

We are happy to announce that registration for the annual Plant Biologicals Network Symposium 2024 is now open. Abstract submission for the flash talks and poster session is open until 7 October 2024 Registration is open until 28 October 2024 Contact us at: aleksandraml@plen.ku.dk if you would like an exhibition stand at the PBN symposium Register now on: https://lnkd.in/gyCP6Bn6

Welcome to the PBN network steering committee to our members Dansk Planteværn and SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and to Agrolab A/S who was elected for a new term at the general assembly. We are excited to have you onboard! ☘ We also had a chance to tour the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen and show what researchers are up to in biological solutions for the green agricultural transition. If you didn’t catch the talks, you can learn more about the projects here: Paul Neve, One Crop Health: Next generation crop protection https://lnkd.in/dANSWsXY Mette Haubjerg Nicolaisen, INTERACT: Decoding the Rhizobiota Interactome for Improved Crop Resilience https://lnkd.in/dCQsCAyP Lars Hestbjerg Hansen, MATRIX: Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience In X-dimensions https://lnkd.in/d4AXswRQ

The Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals project held its annual meeting at Aarhus University Risø campus. Project partners had the opportunity to look back at the 2023 results and dive into project milestones and deliverables for 2024, with the purpose to agree on next steps and align efforts to ensure that the scientific basis for assessing Plant Biologicals stability, mode of action and effect on crop productivity, environment and climate is achieved. During the course of the day, discussions evolved around thematic areas such as plant performance, soil health, biodiversity, CO2 calculations and carbon hand- vs footprint.     Thanks to FMC Corporation, Novonesis, SEGES Innovation, Aarhus University, Danish Technological Institute, and Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen for sharing project results and thought-provoking insights to the current situation as well as the future of plant biologicals.   The Climate Friendly Plant Biologicals project is financed by Innovation Fund Denmark through the Innomission 3 partnership AgriFoodTure

PBN visited Borregaard BioPlant to meet their buzzing swarms of bumblebees, mites, nematodes and all the fascinating insects and microbes they produce as products for biological control and pollination. The company produces and imports natural enemies and pollinators for protected crops. Their products include predatory mites that feed on pests and bumblebees for pollination and for delivering microorganisms. Their products mostly find use in greenhouses and with berry producers who are looking for alternatives to spraying pesticides. However, there is still a long way to go for getting these solutions to the fields. The main bottlenecks that biological producers are facing right now remain slow approval of patents and high production costs for beneficial animals. Starting up in 1992, Borregaard BioPlant is now the leading supplier of biocontrol products in Scandinavia, and is a part of the international Biobest Group. Thanks to CEO Martin Lemche, Nina Jørgensen, Michael Rasmussen, Weronika Swiergiel and Anna Petterson! We are happy to have you onboard!