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What are biostimulants and how are they changing agriculture today?

In the ongoing search for more sustainable, eco-friendly agricultural practices, biostimulants are a promising tool for improving soil health, being less dependent on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and fostering biodiversity in farmlands.

For a long time, there was no specific definition or category for biostimulants. However, EU law 2019/1009 laid out a precise definition of biostimulants for the first time, which was a turning point.

“A product stimulating plant nutrition processes independently of the product’s nutrient content with the sole aim of improving one or more of the following characteristics of the plant or the plant rhizosphere:nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, quality traits, or availability of confined nutrients in soil or rhizosphere.”

Moreover, one of the main advantages of biostimulants is their ability to reduce the need for chemical fertilisers, as they improve nutrient absorption and efficiency in plants. Also, by strengthening the plants’ natural defences, biostimulants can help reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, promoting more sustainable, eco-friendly agriculture practices.

Under Regulation 2019/1009, biostimulants must meet strict quality criteria, including limits on contaminants and heavy metals. Also, they must pass a conformity assessment conducted by an organisation accredited by the notifying authority, guaranteeing their efficacy and compliance with the requirements indicated on the label.

However, it is important to note that only the following micro-organisms can be used in microbial biostimulants: Azotobacter spp., Rhizobium spp., Azospirillum spp., and Mycorrhizal fungi.

Module B – Biostimulant: To register a biostimulant under EU Regulation 2019/1009, it must have a dossier with a series of annexes containing all the information necessary for EC certification, which is evaluated by a notifying authority.

Notifying authorities in Europe for module B: