How Next-gen Biorational Crop Technologies Will Change Farming

By: Industry Voice by Valent U.S.A.

At Valent’s state-of-the-art Biorational Research Center (BRC) in Illinois, researchers are working to fulfill Valent’s dedicated effort to providing biological solutions for growers.

Today, growers have many options for crop protection and enhancement. One option, biorationals, deliver value on many levels. Biorationals, typically derived from natural or biological organisms, provide a targeted, and therefore cost-effective and sustainable approach to tackling pests, fighting resistance, and improving crop quality, while at the same time delivering health and environmental benefits.

Researchers at Valent’s Biorational Research Center (BRC) are focused on three branches of research that have the potential to further change farming as we know it today.

Soil Preservation
The importance of soil health is nothing new for today’s grower, but how crop inputs can impact soil and productivity long-term remains a new frontier.

“We have a good understanding of the physicality and chemical aspects of soil, but the biology of soil is still an untapped opportunity,” says Ted Melnik, Valent BioSciences executive vice president and chief operating officer. “We’ve just begun to scratch the surface on how microbial interactions and beneficial fungi can improve soil quality and enhance yield now and long term.”