Biologicals are products that contain components from living or once living organisms. Biologicals offer many significant benefits to turf and soil health and can be applied to plants, flowers, vegetables, and trees. Some of these positive benefits include improved root growth, stress tolerance, increased microbial activity, improved nutrient availability and soil water holding capacity. With a variety of biological products available it can be overwhelming to know which one to choose. To assist, we have categorized them into several groups so you can better understand their differences and unique roles they play in promoting turf and soil health. Most of these products can be applied alone or can be be blended/coated on fertilizer.
BIOLOGICAL CATEGORIES
Listed below are the major categories of biologicals and their key benefits to turf and soil health.
1. Beneficial Microbes
Organisms found in soil where food sources are plentiful.
Beneficial microbes used in biologicals are:
Benefits:
Bacteria
Fungi (Mycorrhizae)
2. Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs)
Chemical substances that are used to regulate the growth of plants.
Benefits:
PGR's regulate the rate of various plant processes including growth, homeostasis, reproduction, pathogen defense, and abiotic stress tolerance.
3. Humic Substances
occur naturally in soils as a result of the breakdown of organic matter. Humic substances in biologicals are:
Benefits (Humic):
4. Kelp (Seaweed) Extracts
Marine-based species of plants and algae.
Benefits:
Kelp helps plants adapt their physiology to abiotic stressors such as heat, cold, drought, and salt.
5. Metabolites
Microbial metabolites are a byproduct of beneficial soil bacteria (microbes), which are a natural, rich source of protein hydrolysates, organic acids, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fulvic acids. There are two types of metabolites, primary and secondary. Both of which are highly beneficial to plant and soil health.
Benefits:
6. Enzymes
Protein molecules in cells.
Benefits:
Accelerate metabolic and catabolic reactions associated with the plant’s metabolism.
https://ag.umass.edu/greenhouse-floriculture/fact-sheets/what-are-biostimulants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266735/
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/turfgrass/blog/biostimulant-use-turf-industry
https://www.lawn-care-academy.com/organic-biostimulants.html
https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2018/12/biostimulants-what-are-they-and-do-they.html
http://livingturf.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Prof-Schmidt-on-Biostimulants.pdf
https://www.ausgap.com.au/benefits-of-organic-biostimulants-for-turf/
https://www.lebturfblog.com/biostimulants-in-the-turf-world/
https://www.gcmonline.com/course/environment/news/nachurs-turf-ornamental-turfgrass-stress
All Rights Reserved | Turf Care Supply, LLC | Terms and Conditions