Farmers have adopted industrial agriculture practices to meet with high demand for food in the market. In 2021, the global production of cereal crops reached 9.5 billion tonnes, which is 54% higher since 2000 and 2% than 2020. The rising demand further fueled the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow crops in bulk. The relentless use of industrial Agricultural practices damages the quality of soil, climate and air.  With rising concern regarding the preservation of natural resources, chemical-based agriculture systems only last because they degrade the natural environment.

Moreover, consumers are now aware of the impact of chemical-based food on their health. With rising awareness about the impact of pesticides on health and environment, it is vital to find natural alternatives to grow crops and feed a large population. This is the prime reason why the agriculture sector has adopted Sustainable farming using agricultural biological methods. This strategic approach helps to meet the current demand for food without altering the environment.  Let’s explore here more about sustainable agriculture practices with agricultural biological methods.

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture practices refer to an integrated process of farming by using natural resources. The sustainability rests on the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle and utilization of natural resources to meet with growing demand of food without affecting the capabilities of future generation to meet their basic food requirements. The basic aim of using sustainable agricultural practices is to reduce the dependency on harmful chemicals that affect our ecosystem.

⬝        Sustainable agriculture involves maximum use of renewable resources.

⬝        Reduce use of chemical pesticide and fertilizers that adversely affect solid quality.

⬝        Improve crop quality by harnessing the power of agricultural biologics.

Agricultural Biologicals- A Sophisticated Approach to Sustainability

Agricultural biologicals are the key components derived from living organisms to support plant growth, naturally. These biological solutions have become a core part of an integrated crop management system—leading to improvement in yield and protecting plants from diseases using natural defense mechanisms.

The Ag biologicals encourages modern agricultural practices and preserving natural ecosystems. The microbial strains help to create a diverse range of biological products for sustainable farming, helping farmers to yield high-quality crops without depending on harmful chemicals. These agricultural biologics offer solutions for managing disease and pest control—addressing soil health abiotic stresses and enhancing nutrient efficiency.

⬝ Biocontrols

Biological control refers to the use of living organisms to manage plant diseases, pests, and weeds. It offers a sustainable and environment-friendly method to protect crops from the harmful impact of pest attacks.  Biocontrols become the leading subcategory of agricultural biologicals to gain enormous market share. For instance, CRY toxins obtained from a bacterial Bacillus thuringiensis helps to control insect pests that damage crops.

⬝  Biostimulants

Biostimulants are a form of Ag biological components that are directly applied to seeds, leaves, and roots to stimulate the natural growth processes of plants. These stimulants help to enhance crop quality and improve tolerance to abiotic stress. Examples of biostimulants are fulvic acids, seaweeds, microorganisms, protein hydrolysates, and biopolymers.

⬝ Biofertilizers

Biofertilizers are the living organisms, specifically microbes that are added into the soil to improve its fertility naturally. Examples of biofertilizers are nitrosomonas and azotobacter. These biofertilizers help in fixing nitrogen and improve nutrient availability to plants for healthy growth.

What are the Key Significances of Biologicals in Agriculture?

The shift from industrial farming method to sustainable farming leads to a positive impact on the agricultural biologicals market. The biological crop solutions have enormous significance, including:

⬝ Sustainability

Agricultural Biologicals serve as cornerstones for sustainability in agriculture. Today,  farmers are using Ag biological components for integrated pest management and contributing to the environment by eliminating the requirement of chemical pesticides.

⬝ Management of Crop Residues

The residues left after burning crops can lead to a negative impact on the environment. This is the reason why the farmers have shifted to use Agricultural biological solutions for integrated residue management. These biologicals help to degrade crop residues without harming the environment. These components are exempted from MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits)—helping to boost the Agricultural Biological Market.

⬝ Spray Time Flexibility

Earlier growers had to wait longer to enter the field after the application of crop protection chemicals—taking longer time to harvest and commercialize crops. With biologicals, growers have convenience in spray time due to short pre-harvest intervals.

⬝ Quality Crops

Agricultural biologics such as Azotobacter, nitrosomonas and rhizopous helps in fixation of nitrogen into the soil so plants can easily uptake the nitrogen and other vital nutrients required for growth. They also help with pest-resistant management because biologicals follow different modes of action that increase yield and kill pests without damaging crops.

Future Developments In Sustainable Agriculture

The agriculture sector has started adopting technology to bring advanced solutions for crop management. In addition to agricultural biological solutions, sophisticated software has landed on the farm to boost productivity, reduce fuel consumption, and shorten the time to feed a growing population. The technology that becomes a crucial part of sustainable agriculture includes;

• Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is playing a key role in leading industrial sectors. To meet the ongoing demand of finding sustainable solutions for crop production, AI-powered devices have been introduced in the market to analyze data on the crop’s health more accurately. The data collected with AI devices help researchers to find best performing crops and response of crops to abiotic and biotic stresses. With the help of data, researchers can modify the crop genes to achieve desired results and improve yield.

• Biotechnology Advancements

Advances in biotechnology have helped farmers to improve crop quality and manage pests without using chemical pesticides. The sophisticated modern technology such as RNAi helps to kill pests and crossbreeding plants. RNA interference refers to the gene silencing process that regulates sequence-specific suppression of functional genes. RNAi is used as potent tools for manipulation and exploration of desired genes in plants. The addition and deletion of genes to get the desired crop becomes easier with the rise of technology.  With RNAi technology researchers are able to develop seedless fruit variety, secondary metabolite regulation, control diseases and improve abiotic stress tolerance.

• Drones

Farmers have to examine their field at a regular interval to check disease, and pest attack that can destroy crops. Manual examination consumes time and it is difficult to check every single plant in the field. Farmers or key agricultural biological market players may find sustainable use of drones to manage crops effortlessly. Earlier, drones have been used to dispense fertilizers and pesticides on crops; now, they can be used to capture aerial photos of the crops with the help of cameras and use the in-built sensors to record data regarding crop health. The data collected from the drones help farmers to follow appropriate strategies to improve their yield.

Trends in Agricultural Biologicals Market

The growing awareness of diseases posed by synthetic pesticides and fertilizers has shifted consumers toward organic food. In response to meeting organic food demand, the agricultural biological market players bring innovative organic food solutions. These gradual shifts to high-quality, chemical-free food further boost the growth of the agricultural biological market. Hence, with rising demand for sustainable cultivation methods, the agricultural biological market experienced significant growth, offering a wide range of solutions to boost crop production.

The key biological solutions include biopesticides, biostimulants, and biofertility products. Furthermore, the increasing awareness of sustainability led to a boom in the market of agriculture biologicals. In 2023, the global agricultural biological market  is estimated to be worth $13.76 billion—expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.98% within the project period, according to Roots Analysis

The key drivers that bolster the demand for biologicals in agriculture are:

⬝ The rising demand for sustainable agriculture practices

⬝ Reduction in the dependency on synthetic chemicals to grow crops

⬝ Agricultural biologicals provide an environmentally friendly approach to farming

⬝ Biologicals do not impact the ecosystem

⬝ Rising awareness about sustainable farming approach amongst growers.

Key Players in the Global Agricultural Biological Market

The increasing demand for agricultural biologics in the market brings fierce competition between top players, including:

⬝ Syngenta (Switzerland)

⬝ Bayer (Germany)

⬝ BASF (Germany)

⬝ Gowan Company (US)

⬝ Marrone Bio Innovation (US)

⬝ Vegalab (Switzerland)

These giant players are stepping at the front step for shaping the future of sustainable farming.

Current Industrial Developments in Agricultural Biologics

Some of the top industrial development that may propel the market of agricultural biologicals includes:

⬝        In August 2023, The Mosaic Company announced that Mosaic Biosciences would be the new moniker for their platform for biologic agriculture solutions. Farmers will be able to organically maintain the soil biology and maximize the production potential of crops by using agricultural biologics offered by the platform.

⬝        In June 2023, a product development agreement was signed between AgBiome and Ginkgo Bioworks (US-based biotech startup). In accordance with the conditions of the contract, Ginkgo Bioworks intends to assist AgBiome in the development of a number of innovative microbial crop protection solutions for sustainable agriculture using their ultra-high throughput screening technology.

Agricultural Biological-The Future of Sustainable Agriculture

In recent years, researchers have emphasized designing agricultural biologicals by using RNAi technology and microbial techniques. However, there are lots of discoveries that are under clinical trials and the adoption of advanced technology such artificial intelligence and drones help researchers to bring better solutions for sustainable agriculture practices. Agricultural biologicals will expand the availability of sources to the farmers for sustainable farming and implement an environment-friendly approach to yield quality crops.

About Roots Analysis

Roots Analysis is a global leader in the pharma / biotech market research. Having worked with over 750 clients worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, academia, venture capitalists and strategic investors for more than a decade, we offer a highly analytical / data-driven perspective to a network of over 450,000 senior industry stakeholders looking for credible market insights. All reports provided by us are structured in a way that enables the reader to develop a thorough perspective on the given subject. Apart from writing reports on identified areas, we provide bespoke research / consulting services dedicated to serve our clients in the best possible way.

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