Organic Growers See Healthier Plants, Increased Yields with Biologicals

For grower David Vose, going organic was never a question. “It was the only thing that made sense. It just fits who I am.”

Vose started farming in the rich organic soils of Sonoma County. He moved south to Litchfield Park, Ariz., 23 years ago and now grows more than 150 different crops as Blue Sky Organic Farms, “the oldest organic farm in the valley.”

Organic grower David Vose

Vose is one of a growing number of organic farmers who use biological products as part of their crop management approach. “I’m constantly tweaking my organic system. I’m always learning,” he said. “If I think something has a good chance of working, I want every single plant to benefit from it.”

“Biological products provide an augmentation to what the grower is already doing,” said David Holden, an independent consultant who works with many different biological products in California. “They help the plant to mine the nutrients in the soil, or act as competitive inhibitors to disease.”

Organic farmers have fewer choices when it comes to crop inputs, and available organic fertilizers are often slower to act than conventional products.

Blue Sky Organic Farms greenhouse.

“Many people think of biologicals as biocontrol products with biocidal activity that destroys life like a fungicide or herbicide would,” Aaron Waltz, Ph.D., director of field trials and nutrition for Concentric, a producer of OMRI-listed biological products, said. “But there are biologicals that do a number of other things, such as stimulating the rhizosphere and promoting nutrient efficiency, utilization and solubilization activity.”

Concentric develops biological products using a proprietary process that involves fermenting multiple strains of bacteria and fungi into easy-to-use products that boost yields and create stronger, healthier plants. Waltz emphasizes the importance of transparency about what is in the product and how it works.

“Biological products must come with independent research and demonstrated return on investment to growers,” Waltz said.

Vose improves the microbial activity in his soil through no-till practices and composting, but he constantly battles extreme weather conditions and disease. He began using biologicals on his strawberries, potatoes and greenhouse crops, and quickly saw a difference. “I saw so much improvement in the plants themselves."                 

Potato field, Blue Sky Organic Farms

Many growers are unsure about how to incorporate microbial inputs on their farms. Waltz believes producers of biologicals need to advise them about when, where, and how to use microbial products, how to integrate them into the grower standard system, and on which crops they are likely to be most beneficial.

To that end, Concentric has conducted over 150 field trials to determine how its biologicals impact yields and to analyze the nutrient-use benefits. Its trials on organic raspberries, watermelons and strawberries have shown yield increases from 5 to 35 percent.

Strawberries, in particular, seem to thrive with biologicals. Holden said he’s seen a consistent production increase when using biological products on organic strawberries.

Vose has seen results with biologicals on his strawberries and potatoes. “It helps to utilize the nutrients that I have available in the soil, and it helps make them soluble and usable by the plant. I see more bang for the buck.”

“We’ve seen an increased utilization, efficiency or effectiveness of plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium, and we are continually working on other nutrients in the lab,” Waltz said.

For Vose, this also translates to a longer selling season. “It had a really strong effect. I’m still harvesting strawberries and yesterday, it was 108 degrees.”