Bioinputs: important resource to boost sustainability without losses in productivity

Bioinputs represent an important movement towards the agriculture of the future. They are biodegradable, have minimal toxicity and do not leave harmful residues in food or soil, as they are produced from microorganisms, organic or natural plant materials.

The adoption of biologicals in the soybean planted area in Brazil went from 4% to 28% between 2016 and 2021, a growth of 40% per year. The Market Overview - Biological Products survey, by Bip Spark, points out that cotton and soybean crops are the ones that currently use the most biological inputs, with market shares of 67% and 28%, respectively. Beans occupy a percentage of 19% and corn 13%. This reinforces the potential of the sector, which is rapidly gaining ground.

Given this prosperous scenario, in 2020 the National Bioinput Program (PNB) was created and it is estimated that by 2025 Brazil will become the second largest market in the segment. Edsmar Carvalho Resende, advisor to Agrivalle, a bio-input industry, explains that this advance is supported by the numerous benefits of the solutions. “One of them is the multifunctionality of bioinputs, which includes the ability to rationalize and reduce the use of chemical agents and assist environmental preservation and sustainable agriculture.”

Resende adds that multifunctionality is linked to biology, in which it is possible to identify that the performance of a biological product can result in actions different from those initially planned. “This happens because we are dealing with living beings that react differently to the environment in which they are exposed. Therefore, they are able to attack the disease and, at the same time, allow the plant to produce more.”

Precision molecules have also been allies in the field, directing biological products to combat specific situations and acting positively.

One example happened to an important partner of Agrivalle, which had an area of ​​more than 5 thousand hectares burned. In this case, for soil regeneration, the traditional indication would be to use the space for pasture for 2 years, however, with grain prices on the rise, this would result in large losses.

“We developed a specific biological product in our laboratory to act intensively on the regeneration of this soil and be able to minimize the damage caused. We intervene in a group of soil biota that allows it to release its power, resulting in an increase in productivity that reached approximately 10% in these initial works”, points out the advisor.

Acting with precision on crops that are in imbalance, in addition to enabling targeted intervention, guarantees profitability, since the biological agent acts on the focus of the problem. “It is a selective substance that does not cause disruption to the ecosystem. This results in reduced costs and prevents new diseases or pests from taking advantage of the disorder generated”, considers Carvalho.

Another example of the assertiveness of precision bioinputs was observed in the fight against the fungus Rhizoctonia Solani, which causes serious damage to different types of grains and which affected an area of ​​20 thousand hectares of an Agrivalle partner, resulting in the loss of 20% of productivity Yearly.

“Our team of professionals and researchers isolated the microorganism, carried out the genome sequencing, and looked for the best solution among our bank of existing strains and products. From there, we developed a strategy capable of combating the fungus with the best efficiency so that productivity returned to the partner.” According to Edsmar, this is one of the possibilities of precision bioinputs: providing customized solutions for different situations.  

According to the advisor, an important differentiator of organic is its operational viability, rationalizing natural resources such as fertilizers, being a technical and economic alternative not only in times of crisis, but throughout the farmer's production cycle. “There is a reduction in operational costs and an increase in quality production, without harming the environment and promoting sustainable and regenerative agricultural techniques”, he reinforces.