Mycotoxin contamination poses a growing concern for animal feed producers worldwide. Asian feed production, for example, has been steadily increasing, with a significant reliance on imported grains. As this trend is projected to continue, understanding the mycotoxin risks associated with these imported grains is paramount. The Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis provides insights into the prevalence and types of mycotoxins present in grains sourced from various regions globally.

Accurate mycotoxin analysis is essential for identifying and mitigating contamination risks in animal feed. Various analytical methods, such as Alltech 37+®, Alltech® RAPIREAD™, and collaborations with organizations such as SGS, Masterfeeds and Stratford Labs, form the basis of the Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis report.

The analysis assessed the mycotoxin risks in grains — such as corn, wheat, barley and byproducts — sourced from Europe, North America, Canada and Latin America for feed and livestock producers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Europe

In 2023, Europe faced significant mycotoxin challenges, especially in small grains like barley. Adverse weather conditions, including prolonged rainfall, exacerbated contamination levels in Northern and Western European countries. Fusarium toxins, such as deoxynivalenol, rapidly multiplied in barley and wheat due to these severe conditions and posed challenges for crop growers.

Although the mycotoxin challenge in corn is lower compared to recent years, there are still pockets of higher risk in Central and Southern Europe. Aflatoxins, fumonisins and ochratoxins are the most prevalent mycotoxins in corn from these regions. Barley has the highest risk among small grains, with an average of six mycotoxins per sample and with 97% of samples containing two or more mycotoxins. Wheat samples, on the other hand, have an average of 3.5 mycotoxins per sample, with 90% of samples containing two or more mycotoxins. In Northwestern Europe, the average risk equivalent quantity (REQ) for wheat and barley is moderate to high, partly due to a delayed harvest and an increased presence of Fusarium toxins.

United States

Weather conditions in the U.S. had a significant impact on the mycotoxin profile of the corn samples analyzed. In the Southwest, a prolonged dry period resulted in a higher-than-usual fumonisin challenge. Whereas, in the East, lengthy periods of rainfall resulted in higher levels of deoxynivalenol (DON). This variation highlights the intricate interplay between climatic conditions and crop quality.

U.S. corn samples had an average of 4.4 mycotoxins per sample, with 87% containing two or more mycotoxins. In general, the mycotoxin challenge in corn grain is lower this year than in recent years. However, there are still pockets of higher risk in the Midwest and the South.

Canada

In Canada, dry conditions across the prairies led to a reduced overall crop output compared to the previous year. Fusarium toxins present the greatest challenge, with average DON levels of 1,882 ppb detected in wheat and barley samples, leading to a generally higher risk for this ingredient in pig diets. Additionally, high levels of zearalenone, predominantly observed in corn grain, are indicating potentially significant impacts, raising concerns for the pig industry.

Latin America

In Brazil, a favorable growing season led to an increase in overall corn yield. As with Canada, higher-than-average levels of DON and zearalenone could create challenges when corn from Brazil is included in pig diets. Zearalenone was present in 91% of samples tested, while the prevalence of DON was much lower. Although fumonisins were widely detected, with almost 70% of samples containing this type of mycotoxin, the levels are lower than for other mycotoxin groups.

Corn byproducts

Rising costs of raw materials commonly used for animal feed have led to an increased usage of byproducts. This poses challenges for mycotoxin contamination, particularly with corn byproducts having higher contamination levels compared to parent grains.

Using Alltech 37+ mycotoxin analysis, Alltech tested samples of corn gluten meal and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) from North America, Asia and Europe. All had a minimum of two mycotoxins, with an average of 13.4. The most common and significant mycotoxins detected were emerging mycotoxins, type B trichothecenes, and Fusarium mycotoxins.

Monogastric vs. ruminant animals

While mycotoxin contamination poses a threat to both monogastric and ruminant animals, the animals’ digestive systems react differently to the threat. Understanding the nuances of mycotoxin risks for monogastric animals, such as pigs and poultry, compared to ruminants like cows and sheep, is crucial for effective feed management.

The Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis report provides detailed insights into the impacts of specific findings on each species of animal, distinguishing between monogastric and ruminant species.

Conclusion

Mycotoxin contamination is a significant issue for animal feed producers globally, with impacts on various grains and byproducts from different regions. The 2024 Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis report demonstrates the need for rigorous testing and quality-control measures and offers vital information to help producers make better decisions when purchasing ingredients and formulating animal diets. 

With widespread and rising contamination in raw materials being imported into the Asia-Pacific region, it is crucial to implement effective mycotoxin management strategies. Doing so will optimize both the safety and well-being of animals and the profitability of operations. A holistic approach is essential to managing mycotoxins correctly, so establishing a routine mycotoxin testing program when purchasing feed ingredients and developing nutrition plans is crucial.

To access valuable insights on managing mycotoxin risks, download your copy of the 2024 Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis here. We also invite you to visit knowmycotoxins.com for further resources. Don't miss this opportunity to safeguard your animals and your production.

Discover more content:

Reducing the challenge of storage mycotoxins | Alltech

The heightened risk of Penicillium mycotoxins in European forage (alltech.com)

Protecting grain and forage quality this winter | Alltech

2023 harvest: Early insights into Europe’s mycotoxin landscape (alltech.com)

About the author: 

Dr. Ghazanfar Naseer is the regional ruminant and mycotoxin technical manager for Asia Pacific at Alltech. He is currently based in Australia.

Dr. Naseer was one of three people selected to participate in the Alltech Dairy Career Development Program in 2015. His current role in the company has taken him to countries around the world. Dr. Naseer has vast international experience and expertise in ruminant nutrition and management. He has worked with various dairy and beef producers across the globe, from small farms to large operations.

Born in Pakistan, Dr. Naseer earned his doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from PMAS-Arid Agriculture University in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, with a gold medal distinction. He is also certified as a CowSignals® Master Trainer in Thailand.

Under the surface of every thriving farm, a subtle yet dynamic relationship unfolds between soil and carbon, coordinated by the complex web of life beneath our feet. The beneficial effects of a balanced soil microbiome — the harmonious coexistence of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes — are at the core of this performance. These tiny but mighty inhabitants form a vibrant underground ecosystem, enhancing soil health and resilience.

Not only does this boost agricultural production, but around the world, more farmers, producers and researchers are recognizing the power of healthy soils to capture and sequester carbon, making them a vital part of the fight against climate change.

Soil is Earth’s second-greatest carbon sink, holding three times the amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere.

The connection of soil and carbon

Carbon, a crucial building block for organic molecules, is key to life on Earth, forming the basis of all living organisms. Particularly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂), it also acts as a greenhouse gas, retaining heat in the atmosphere. In the past, this has helped to maintain a habitable temperature range for our planet. However, excessive carbon emissions, primarily from human activities, are now overloading the atmosphere with carbon, contributing to the harmful effects of climate change. Capturing this excessive carbon and storing it away, a process known as carbon sequestration, is essential to combating climate change — and healthy soils are the key.

Soil health depends on a range of factors, including plant diversity, deep-rooted crops, soil microbial activity, and soil organic matter (SOM). These attributes enable soil to efficiently capture and retain carbon, a process primarily moderated by plants through photosynthesis. The soil can then store this soil organic carbon (SOC) in the overall soil carbon pool.

Healthy soils have the remarkable capacity to capture and store approximately 10% of carbon emissions over the next 25 years, making them a vital player in the fight against climate change.

 

Unveiling the mechanisms: How does it work?

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key component of soil, affecting its physical, chemical and biological properties. It consists of decomposed organic materials, from either plant or animal sources. As this organic matter is introduced to the soil through compost application or cover cropping, it sequesters carbon. Therefore, the more that soils are enriched with organic matter, the higher their carbon sequestration potential is.

Moreover, with its carbon content, SOM improves soil structure by forming stable aggregates, clumps of soil particles held together by organic matter and microorganisms. These aggregates help to create channels and pockets where carbon can be sequestered more effectively, further powering the overall carbon sequestration process. Well-formed aggregates also mitigate soil erosion and enhance water retention, creating a strong soil structure conducive to long-term carbon storage. Additionally, SOM is a critical food source for beneficial soil microorganisms.

This intricate interplay not only maximizes carbon sequestration but reinforces the fertility of the soils, making it a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation.

From cover crops to crop rotation: Implementing soil health principles

Soil can hold the equivalent of three times the atmosphere’s carbon — and nearly four times that of all living things combined. Over the past 10,000 years, however, soil carbon has declined by 840 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO₂) worldwide, due to unbalanced agricultural practices and land conversion, and many farmed soils have lost 50–70% of their original organic carbon. This has created an exceptional opportunity for carbon sequestration. According to a recent assessment out of American University, soils could sequester 2–5 GtCO₂ per year by 2050, with a cumulative capacity of 104–130 GtCO₂ by the end of the century.

For this to happen, farmers must engage in practices that enrich the soil with organic matter, creating an environment where microorganisms thrive, enhance soil properties and aggregates, and mitigate soil erosion.

• Regenerative agriculture: This approach involves maintaining living roots in the soil throughout the year, continuously supplying organic matter and encouraging microbial activity, thus promoting carbon sequestration.
• Cover crops: Deep-rooted cover crops ensure a constant presence of living roots in the soil, protecting it from erosion, enriching it with organic matter, and enhancing its sequestration ability.
• Crop rotation: Diversifying the types of crops grown in a field aids in naturally managing pests and diseases and reduces the risk of depleting necessary nutrients.
• Soil cover: Practices like no-till farming and mulching help maintain a protective cover on the soil, minimizing carbon loss.
• Microbial fermentation and biotechnological solutions: These innovative approaches harness the power of soil microorganisms to enhance organic matter decomposition.

Reaping the benefits of carbon sequestration for crop production

It is important to remember that discontinuing such practices results in the quick release of carbon from the soil and back into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is crucial that any such changes in farm management be permanent.

Luckily, many of these approaches offer significant benefits in agricultural productivity as well as climate change mitigation.

Soil health controls the production capacity of our land. Healthy and stable soils enable farmers to better face market fluctuations and the effects of climate change. By nurturing soils and focusing on sustainable crop practices that promote biodiversity, farmers can create a healthier environment for crops and reduce reliance on chemical inputs. Improved soil quality translates to increased nutrient availability for crops, fostering robust crop growth and development and resulting in higher yields. Also, enhanced soil structures resist erosion and amplify water retention, which is especially valuable in regions subject to drought or highly irregular rainfall.

Carbon sequestration even aligns with sustainable agricultural practices at times when conventional farming methods are used, because the carbon stored in the soil acts as a buffer, reducing the carbon footprint associated with these methods.

Microbial fermentation and biotechnological solutions

In the pursuit of enhancing soil health and maximizing carbon sequestration, microbial fermentation plays a pivotal role. A natural process driven by soil microorganisms, it breaks down organic matter into stable soil organic carbon, enriching the soil and contributing significantly to carbon sequestration.

While this process is a natural one, it does not always happen at the levels needed for maximum soil health. Biotechnological solutions introduce specialized microbial communities to optimize organic matter processing and soil organic carbon formation. These innovations reduce the need for chemical inputs and foster not only carbon sequestration but overall sustainability.

The approach of boosting microbial fermentation with leading-edge biotechnological solutions offers a fresh perspective on building soil health sustainably.

In conclusion, the role of healthy soils in carbon sequestration cannot be overstated. By adopting agricultural practices that promote soil health and long-term productivity, including taking advantage of the latest developments in biotechnology, we can contribute to carbon sequestration while building a more resilient and sustainable food system for Earth’s growing population into the future.

For further insights, check out our blogs on how suppressive soils yield healthier crops and how agriculture could be carbon negative by 2050.

About the author:

Helena Estiveira is the Global Marketing and Communications Manager at Alltech Crop Science (ACS). She works closely with the ACS executive team to plan and execute the strategic marketing and communication goals of ACS.

Helena is based in Portugal, where she initially joined Alltech as European Marketing Manager for Crop Science. Prior to joining Alltech, she worked for 16 years in the advertising industry in agencies in Portugal and Brazil as an account manager and account supervisor, gaining vast experience in the pharmaceutical and bank services industries.

Helena received a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the Institution of Visual Arts in Lisbon, Portugal, and also completed a post-graduate course in marketing and communication at Instituto Superior de Novas Profissões/Lusófona in Lisbon and executive training in CRM and finances at Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing in São Paulo, Brazil.

I want to learn more about soil health.

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Variable weather has once again dominated crop quality and mycotoxin contamination patterns in Europe, with a distinct split between northern and southern regions. The Alltech 2023 European Harvest Analysis has collected and assessed over 1,100 grain and forage samples from more than 20 different countries, and the results show an overall higher-risk mycotoxin year in Europe in 2023. While Europe enjoyed a reprieve this growing season from the extreme drought conditions of the past 2–3 years, rains that fell close to harvest in northern and western Europe caused delays in harvesting that created ideal conditions for mould and mycotoxin development.

Mycotoxins are produced by certain species of moulds and are a concern for livestock producers as they can influence feed quality and subsequent animal health and performance. The Alltech European Harvest Analysis, a decade-long initiative, is a comprehensive step in understanding the complexities of new-crop quality, mycotoxin prevalence and the threat that mycotoxins pose to animals and producers. To determine the most accurate representation of mycotoxin risk across Europe, Alltech has again collaborated with SGS, a global leader in mycotoxin testing and certification. Their expert testing, along with testing by the independently accredited Alltech 37+® laboratory in Ireland, which can detect up to 54 individual mycotoxins, has captured a highly accurate and robust set of new-crop mycotoxin data across 20 countries in Europe.  

‘’In contrast to recent years, it is excessive rain rather than drought that has been the primary driver of mycotoxin risk in Europe,” said Dr. Radka Borutova, European technical support manager with the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team. “The delayed harvest in northern and western regions has created particular problems in small grains and forages across this region, while further south, corn crops have fared much better than last year, although, as we always try to highlight, low risk does not mean no risk.’’

Key insights from the Alltech 2023 European Harvest Analysis include:

• Persistent rains close to harvesting have led to significant Fusarium-related challenges in wheat and barley crops across northern and western Europe.

• Barley shows the highest risk of the small grains, with an average of six mycotoxins per sample.

• In general, the mycotoxin challenge in corn is lower in 2023 than in recent years. However, there are still pockets of higher risk in central and southern Europe.

• The Penicillium risk continues to dominate in forages. In particular, grass silage in the UK and Ireland is heavily contaminated and presents an ongoing management challenge for dairy producers there.

Corn

Aflatoxin challenges arising from drought-stricken corn have dominated the mycotoxin picture in Europe in recent years, so growers were thankful not to suffer the same fate in 2023. However, it was still not a perfect growing season.

More than 700 new-crop corn samples were analysed this year, and results showed aflatoxins were detected in almost 70% of samples from central and southern Europe, with average levels of 6 ppb. However, most of the risk in corn is coming from Fusarium mycotoxins such as zearalenone, deoxynivalenol (DON) and T2-HT2 toxins. Ochratoxin was more prevalent this year than in 2022, with average levels detected of 28 ppb. The overall corn risk is deemed low to moderate when Alltech’s REQ metric is applied.

Wheat and barley

New-crop samples of wheat and barley typically originated in countries across northern and western Europe. Conditions in this region deteriorated badly around mid-June, and from then onwards, unsettled weather caused havoc with harvest dates, resulting in crops standing much longer in the field than they usually would. The combination of wet and humid conditions with a delayed harvest resulted in the ideal conditions for Fusarium moulds to thrive.

This has directly manifested in elevated levels of mycotoxins in these small grains, with barley posing particular problems. Although specific reasons are unidentified, barley is much higher risk than wheat, and contains almost double the number of mycotoxins per sample.

Penicillium mycotoxins are not something we would typically associate with small grains at harvest time, but they have been more commonly detected this year, possibly due to the extremely challenging field conditions. Emerging mycotoxins are the most common groups detected across both ingredients, but the most risk is coming from type B trichothecenes. In barley, average levels of this group were at 922 ppb, with an extraordinary maximum of almost 29,000 ppb detected in one Finnish sample.

Forages

Although the Penicillium challenge has been the dominant talking point with forages over the past few years, it is worth comparing the mycotoxin profiles and primary risk drivers in corn silage and grass silage.

As with most ingredients, emerging mycotoxins are most prominent. However, in corn silage, type B trichothecenes are present in over 95% of samples, with average levels of 1,561 ppb, amplifying the risk. In comparison, grass silage is facing the greatest risk from Penicillium mycotoxins, with average levels of 338 ppb and an occurrence above 62%. Dr. Borutova has noted that when both of these ingredients are included in a total mixed ration (TMR) diet, this can create an even greater risk for dairy or beef animals.

The late harvest in northern and western Europe amplified the challenge in straw that was lying on the ground for a prolonged length of time. The 60 straw samples submitted to the lab this year were, as in recent years, heavily contaminated with emerging mycotoxins and type B trichothecenes. Average levels of type B trichothecenes were almost 1,500 ppb. This is something for livestock producers to be aware of wherever straw is being used either as bedding or as a feed material.

The Alltech 2023 European Harvest Analysis demonstrates that mycotoxins are an ongoing, dynamic issue that livestock producers need to manage. Although testing directly post harvest provides an overview of regional contamination patterns, what happens before the animal receives the feed — including storage conditions post harvest and feeding practices on-farm — can influence what the animal will actually be ingesting in terms of mycotoxins. To best manage this ongoing challenge, producers should consider a routine testing program that can uncover the specific risks. With this information, informed choices can be made on what mitigation strategies are necessary to support the health and performance of the animals. 

To access the complete report, as well as a series of videos that provide further species-specific insights, visit Alltech 2023 European Harvest Analysis. For more information about Alltech Mycotoxin Management solutions, visit knowmycotoxins.com.

In the realm of modern agriculture, biostimulants have emerged as biotechnological marvels with the potential to revolutionize plant growth, bolster yield, and fortify sustainability.

These natural powerhouses are quickly gaining ground in agriculture, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to boost plant growth and vitality. From researchers to consultants to farmers, the industry is recognizing the value of biostimulants in optimizing the stages of photosynthesis and supporting plant metabolism. This isn’t just another trend; it’s a breakthrough biotechnological solution with the potential to transform how we cultivate our crops.

Biostimulation and plant growth: a harmonious partnership

Imagine plants growing with a newfound vigor — this is where biostimulants come in. By stimulating natural processes within the plant’s metabolism, they heighten the efficiency of nutrient uptake, making sure plants get the nourishment they need. This boost, especially during the critical stages of photosynthesis, fuels growth and development. The effect is so potent that it amplifies other aspects of crop growth as well.

The result? Bigger harvests, richer nutrient content, and plants that better weather the challenges thrown their way.

Nutrient uptake and the rhizosphere: a symbiotic affair

The influence of biostimulants extends beyond direct growth enhancement. By promoting the decomposition of organic matter, these substances contribute to soil health and fertility. This promotes healthier ecosystems, protects water quality and supports biodiversity.

This harmonious relationship with the soil ecosystem further exemplifies the sustainable impact of biostimulants, which supercharge nutrient cycling and ensure that plants get the right nutrients at the right time.

One of the hallmark benefits of plant biostimulants is their capacity to enhance nutrient uptake.

Biostimulants, per se, do not supply nutrients directly to the plants. Rather, they facilitate the plant and soil metabolic processes to improve nutrient availability.

Through fostering a symbiotic relationship with the rhizosphere — the soil region surrounding plant roots — biostimulants unlock essential minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

By improving soil health and nutrient cycling, biostimulants can help mitigate soil erosion, enhance water retention, and reduce nutrient runoff into water bodies.

Moreover, healthier root systems and enhanced nutrient uptake mechanisms enable plants to better withstand the rigors of water scarcity, fluctuating temperatures, suboptimal nutrient availability, and other stressors.

Humic and fulvic acids, which are integral components of biostimulants, further enhance nutrient availability and absorption, elevating the plant’s nutrient content and fortifying its growth potential.

Biostimulants play a crucial role in optimizing nutrient uptake by plants, enhancing their ability to efficiently assimilate essential elements from the soil, thereby promoting healthier growth and development.

Stress tolerance and enhanced resilience: a pivotal role in adversity

Stress reduction is one of the mechanisms through which these biotechnological solutions can help improve the use of nutrients. In fact, biostimulants’ efficiency in nutrient utilization is often driven by their role in stress correction.

A 60–70% yield gap is reportedly due to abiotic stresses, specifically salinity, heat stress, drought, nutrient deficiency, and hypoxia.

Biostimulants are often applied to help plants cope with environmental stresses, as they can enhance a plant’s ability to withstand such stresses by improving root development, increasing antioxidant activity, and stimulating defense mechanisms.

The interaction of growth factors, stress-relieving enzymes, and symbiotic microbes fine-tunes the plant’s responses, shifting energy toward effective nutrient uptake and utilization.

Biostimulants enhance plants' stress tolerance by strengthening their natural defense mechanisms and physiological responses, enabling them to withstand challenging environmental conditions more effectively and maintain consistent yields.

Sustainability and food security: biostimulants’ noble contribution

In an era burdened with environmental challenges and a growing population, the role of biostimulants in ensuring sustainability and food security cannot be overstated.

Globally, nutrient efficiency spans from 30% to 50%. This implies that out of 100 kg of fertilizer applied, only 30 to 50 kg will actually contribute to nourishing the crops. The excess is lost to the environment, causing both financial setbacks and ecological harm.

As excess amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are washed away from fields due to runoff or leaching, they can contaminate water bodies like rivers, lakes and oceans. This, in turn, can trigger harmful algal blooms, disrupt aquatic ecosystems, and degrade water quality, posing risks to both human health and wildlife.

Furthermore, the financial implications of this nutrient loss are substantial. Farmers invest significant resources in purchasing and applying fertilizers, only to witness considerable portions of these investments literally flowing away. In addition to causing direct financial losses, this wastage also requires more frequent reapplication of fertilizers, further escalating costs.

This nutrient application–nutrient loss cycle underscores the importance of adopting biostimulants as an integral part of a strategy to safeguard the environment, promote sustainable crop production, and ensure food security. As countries such as Japan, China and the United States, along with the European Union, increasingly focus on addressing nutrient runoff, the role of biostimulants is becoming particularly relevant.

Biostimulants promote sustainable agriculture by decreasing dependency on synthetic inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, mitigating environmental issues linked to conventional farming, and concurrently improving crop productivity, quality and resilience, thus supporting global food security efforts.

The market potential and beyond

But perhaps equally relevant — if not more so — to producers are the pressures exerted by those purchasing their products. Whether we’re talking about large global distributors, major processors, local retailers, or final consumers, the demand for more sustainable crop production is increasingly pressing.

As the agriculture industry embraces more sustainable practices, biostimulants occupy a prime position in the market, resonating with farmers seeking eco-friendly alternatives to traditional agrochemicals. The potential of biostimulants is underscored by their capacity to amplify yield, enhance nutrient content, and bolster plants’ natural defenses — all while contributing to the larger goal of sustainable food production.

The biostimulant market is anticipated to experience substantial growth in the near future, with a projected value of US$10 billion by 2030.

The aforementioned growing awareness of sustainability and environmental concerns, and the resulting alignment with consumer preferences, are only part of the reason for the growth in this product category. Regulatory clarity, personalized application, and microbial integration are other key drivers:

• Evolving regulations for biostimulants globally will bring clarity to manufacturers, growers, and consumers, spurring research, development, and standardization.
• Personalized precision agriculture combines the use of technology and data analysis to customize biostimulant applications for specific crops, growth stages, and environmental circumstances to maximize benefits and reduce waste.
• The increased use of microorganisms like beneficial bacteria, fungi, and algae in biostimulant formulations is anticipated. These microorganisms establish symbiotic relantionships with plants, enhancing nutrient uptake, disease resilience, and overall plant health.

Together, they are making biostimulants a crucial component of modern agriculture.

We must not overlook the significant societal contribution of this category of agricultural solutions. The use of biostimulants supports rural livelihoods, conserves biodiversity, and aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger (SDG #2), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG #6), Climate Action (SDG #13), and Life on Land (SDG #15). Biostimulants help us foster a more ecologically responsible and resilient agricultural system that addresses pressing societal needs while reducing the ecological footprint of farming practices.

By utilizing biostimulants, we can align with the demands of global distributors and local retailers who seek sustainable production methods. This approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also contributes to the overall goal of ensuring a resilient and secure food supply for present and future generations.

With their profound impact on plant growth, yield, sustainability, and food security, biostimulants hold the key to unlocking a new era of agriculture productivity. From optimizing the stages of photosynthesis to fortifying the plant’s metabolism, these biological solutions have ushered in a new era of agricultural innovation.

As the world struggles to feed an ever-growing population while preserving our planet’s resources, biostimulants are establishing themselves as a tremendous ally for a future where productivity, sustainability and food security coexist harmoniously.

I want to learn more about crop biologicals.

Producers do not have to compromise performance and profitability for sustainability

Canadian agriculture leaders are facing pressure and uncertainty on all sides. Amid devastating wildfires, there’s a turbulent global economy, the impact of geopolitical tensions and mounting climate change pressure.

More than 300 representatives of the Canadian agriculture industry joined Alltech last week in Calgary, Alberta, to explore collaborative solutions to these significant challenges. Alltech ONE Calgary, the third stop of the Alltech ONE World Tour, examined strategies for remaining resilient despite uncertainty and focused on the importance of partnerships, innovation and taking a leading role in nourishing people and preserving the planet.

Canada is rapidly growing, and so is its demand for food. With fewer farmers, the country is producing more food on less land: Only 7% of Canada’s land is used for agriculture, a 37% decline over the past 60 years.

And yet, the country’s agri-food system is resilient, innovative and a major contributor to the Canadian economy. In 2022, the agri-food system employed 2.3 million people, provided one in nine jobs in Canada, and generated $143.8 billion (around 7.0%) of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“Canada will remain one of the world’s most important exporters, even as it faces the dual challenges of climate change and population and urban sprawl,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech president and CEO, who delivered the keynote address at Alltech ONE Calgary. “We’re going to have to meet demand now with less land, less labor and fewer resources. But we always know that in the face of challenges, we should never be afraid. We must push forward and think about things in a different way.”

A fresh approach — and a positive mindset — are vital to turning challenges into opportunities. Poised at the interface of nourishing the present and preserving the future, agriculture has the greatest potential to positively shape the future of the planet, he said.

“There is no other industry that plays such a fundamental role in terms of not only producing food, but also preserving our planet. That’s why we launched our vision and purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™,” Dr. Lyons said.

Working together, the agri-food community can provide nutrition for all, revitalize local economies and replenish the planet’s natural resources. We can create a healthy, sustainable food system, and we can do so in a way that is also economically sustainable — and profitable — for our agricultural producers.

Innovative, on-farm solutions can be both sustainable and profitable, said Dr. Patrick Ward.

‘You don’t have to compromise’

Governments and megabrands worldwide are making ambitious sustainability commitments, but they don’t really know how to achieve them, Dr. Lyons said.

“They need you. They need farmers and producers, and they need ranchers to actually achieve those goals,” he told attendees. “And they're really struggling to be able to connect the dots because they don't really know what their supply chain is made up of.”

Farmers, ranchers and producers need solutions that enhance the efficiency of their business and enable them to maintain sustainable margins. Innovative, on-farm solutions can be both sustainable and profitable, said Dr. Patrick Ward, Alltech applications manager for Europe and Asia-Pacific.

“You don’t have to compromise performance and profitability for sustainability,” he told ONE attendees.

Nutritional technologies can improve animal performance — and therefore profitability — while also offering sustainability benefits. Alltech’s nutritional solutions, for example, have been proven to improve production efficiency, reduce carbon footprint and help rid animal diets of toxins that can harm both the animal and the environment.

Alltech continues to invest in solutions that empower farmers and ranchers to reach their sustainability goals while supporting animal performance and profitability. Earlier this year, Alltech acquired Agolin, a company that has developed and produced plant-based nutritional solutions that improve herd performance, profitability and sustainability.

Dr. Ward explained Agolin’s research-backed sustainability benefits, including its effects on performance and methane reduction, and how the synergistic use of Alltech and Agolin technologies can improve animal welfare, increase feed efficiency and conversion, boost milk and meat production, reduce environmental footprint and increase profitability.

Sustainability can start with the cow.

“With Alltech’s natural products, you can meet your sustainability goals through reduced enteric methane emissions while, at the same time, driving performance and improving milk yield, fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) and feed conversion efficiency,” he said.

Providing quality nutrition for all

Agriculture has gone from having the most important job in the world to having the two most important jobs in the world: feeding the world and reversing climate change.

“We have a moral imperative not to compromise nutrition — for the human or the animal — even as we seek environmental restoration,” said Dr. Vaughn Holder, ruminant research director at Alltech, who joined the conference virtually to discuss agriculture’s role in saving the planet.

We must meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

The world’s population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2060. Seventy percent more food will be required by then, Dr. Holder said, but this is not our true challenge.

“One in 10 people on our planet are undernourished. World hunger is on the rise, affecting 811 million people in 2023,” he said. “One in four people are malnourished — that’s over 2 billion people worldwide.”

Poor nutrition is the single greatest threat to the world’s health, according to the World Health Organization.

“It is not enough to feed the world. We must provide nutrients,” Dr. Holder said.

To create a world of abundance for future generations, we must do more than feed the growing population. We need to nourish it with quality meat, milk, eggs and seafood that are high in protein and crops that are grown in healthy soil, all while working to revitalize local economies and replenish the planet’s natural resources.

A sustainable diet is one that provides sufficient energy and essential nutrients to maintain the good health of the population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their nutritional needs. It must be accessible​, available, safe, nutrient-dense, culturally acceptable, fairly produced and sparing of natural resources.

This can be accomplished by improving the health of animals and the soil, maximizing the value of feedstuffs, increasing the efficiency of the farm, and reinvesting in innovation. Alltech has been striving to meet these goals for more than 40 years, and our technologies help animals optimize the nutrients in their feed, thereby supporting the health and performance of livestock while also reducing their environmental impact.

Through collaboration and innovation, the agri-food community can create a world where science-based solutions help ensure sustainable food production for the global population. We must dig deeper to find the real solutions, leveraging the science and ​implementing the technologies ​that exist today, Dr. Lyons said.

“This is a time that calls for much more of all of us. We must believe in our purpose and have the confidence to stand strong,” he said. “We have a huge responsibility, but it is also a tremendous opportunity.”

Why are we bringing ONE to the world?

The Alltech ONE World Tour was inspired by the desire to connect with our customers, partners and friends in their markets. As our industry navigates significant challenges, we are determined to be with you every step of the way, highlighting opportunities and delivering global expertise on locally relevant issues.

We’re bringing Alltech ONE World Tour to the world so we can hear your stories, better understand your needs and find opportunities to collaborate. This means more people than ever will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts on global, regional and local market trends in agriculture, business, health and nutrition.

Learn more about our future Alltech ONE World Tour stops at one.alltech.com. 

You can find highlights from Alltech ONE Calgary, including photos, speaker biographies and more at one.alltech.com/calgary

Gain insights into the crucial role of transparency, compliance, and sustainability in the food supply chain — as Ruud Overbeek, senior vice president for corporate development and strategic relationships at FoodChain ID, shares strategies for fostering sustainable growth in the Ag Future podcast.

The following blog is a summary of the Ag Future podcast episode with Ruud Overbeek hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

Tom Martin:           I’m Tom Martin. And joining us from Houston, Texas, is Dr. Ruud Overbeek, senior vice president of corporate development and strategic relationships at FoodChain ID.

                               Dr. Overbeek is responsible for FoodChain ID’s strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions as well as maintaining the foundational relationships with FoodChain ID’s key customers and partners.

                               Welcome to AgFuture, Dr. Overbeek.

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Thank you and good morning.

Tom Martin:           First, would you tell us a little bit about FoodChain ID?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Our mission statement at FoodChain ID is that we make it easier for companies to make their products in the food chain transparent, compliant and safe.

                               Transparency obviously means many things, and that includes topics like sustainability, but also what is in it and how it actually gets to the consumer ultimately in a safe and transparent manner.

Tom Martin:           So, am I right that basically you help a company move its product or the manufacturing process through the regulatory structure?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: That’s just one of the many things. We actually help companies from many different things — really, I would almost say, from the farm to the fork. That’s probably the best description that you can have.

Tom Martin:           Okay.

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Or from the seeds to the supper.

                               Along the supply chain, we help companies to make their products safe, compliant and transparent, so that they can bring it to the next tier in the supply chain, ensuring that they can actually then market their respective products.

                               And we support multiple activities. For example, we support product developments, we support food safety. Regulatory compliance is just one of those, but also product certifications and testing.

Tom Martin:           I see. Okay.

                               The theme of Alltech’s ONE Dublin event covers current challenges for the agricultural industry, and those include the need to address climate change.

                               How is FoodChain ID offering your food and feed customers ways to respond to the need to measure CO₂ emissions?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Actually, that’s in the foundation of our company. We have been involved with many aspects of sustainability from the beginning of the company. We were the inventor of the first PCR-based test to identify the difference between GMO and non-GMO crops. So it is in the foundation of our company, and it’s something that we have done since 1996, from the start.

                               We actually are involved in many different initiatives to ensure the sustainable production and sustainable growth of everything that is in the food supply chain, from farm to fork, as I’ve said before.

Tom Martin:           We all see the promises that companies are making on CO₂ reduction in their supply chains. We also see the brand damage that occurs when practices fail to live up to those promises.

                               What’s your perspective on how the industry can document progress and not overpromise?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: That’s very interesting. I mean, you see already the first challenges of brands and companies that actually have made promises on the way of improving the sustainable footprint.

                               What we as a company do is, we help independently as a third party or as a second party to verify that the claims that are made are in effect correct, meet the requirements, meet the standards.

                               So we actually support companies. We go into the fields, support the verification — whether it’s on-farm or within the company — of any of the claims that they want to make to further their interests.

Tom Martin:           Sustainability is of course important to farmers in their role as stewards of their land. How can a farmer who is already practicing certain sustainable practices benefit from working with a company like FoodChain ID?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: As a company, we officially work from the farm to fork, I’ve said that before. But a lot of companies — I would say sustainability has three aspects.

The first one is people, making sure that there are proper social aspects of sustainability, that the farmer has a way to make money.

                               The second one is planet, which is what we’re all about. I have kids, and that is why I am so interested in sustainability. I want to make sure that my kids actually have a sustainable future themselves and their kids will have a sustainable future.

                               And then, finally, there is the P for profit. Good business will make good practice. And what we can do is, if a farmer has a sustainable practice already but they’re not benefiting from that, we can help them to find a way to benefit from that. For example, making claims in the products that increase the value of their products, or ensuring that the claims that they can make will carry forward in the supply chain, so that, for example, a retailer can make a claim that they’re working with a sustainable farmer, so that they can obtain more money from the products, so that ultimately the farmer gets more benefits from it.

                               At the end, you know, a sustainable future involves all parties in the supply chain, and it involves, ultimately, that we do the right thing.

Tom Martin:           How is FoodChain ID working to keep the feed and food supply chain safe and transparent?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: We are working already with a lot of industry private partnership, where we are involved as an independent verifier, and I can give you a couple of examples.

                               We work, for example, with the ProTerra Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organization that advances and promotes sustainability at all levels of the feed and food production system. They are committed to food transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. And they are concerned for corporate and social responsibility and potential detrimental impact on ecosystems and biodiversity.

                               We are in that initiative, we are the independent third-party certifier, which is obviously central to the ProTerra Foundation’s mission that helps to bring together stakeholders from all parts of the supply chain.

ProTerra certification ensures that high-quality supplies of crops, food and feed that are independently certified as non-GMO and produced with improved sustainability are available in the market. That’s just one example.

                               We’re also active in other activities. For example, we’re currently working on ESG initiatives within the Brazilian soy industry, where there’s a multi-stakeholder consortium created to develop a program assessing compliance to the EU regulations on deforestation-free supply chains.

And there, the benefit for the farmers is making sure that there is a carbon credit system, that there is a proper carbon measurement technology and traceability, and that we can provide the assessments, combined with other sustainability standards like the ProTerra Foundation, for example, or the non-GMO product verification that the farmers and all of the stakeholders in that multi-stakeholder involvement can benefit.

Tom Martin:           We know that FoodChain ID is a big advocate of partnerships. I wonder if you could give us some examples of how your partnerships have advanced sustainable food production.

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Yeah. So, the two ones that I already mentioned, the ProTerra Foundation is in food and feed, obviously, and then, soy is used in all kinds of products in the food and feed supply chain.

                               The one that is probably the most prevalent in our company is because we were at the technological birth of the ability to verify non-GMO versus GMO crops, which is actually the Non-GMO Project. And we partnered from the beginning with the Non-GMO Project, which is — you’re in the U.S., so you understand the butterfly is the representation of the Non-GMO Project on the foods that we buy.

                               As we said, we actually invented the testing methodology to identify between GMO and non-GMO products. And the Non-GMO Project, which we have collaborated with from the beginning, is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization offering product education and trustworthy education empowering people to take care of themselves, the planet and future generations.

                               And the intent there was that everyone has the right to know what is in their food and the surest access to non-GMO choices. We have been involved from the beginning in partnering with them in helping them to set the standards, and we continue to do so, ensuring that the consumers have access to these non-GMO choices.

                               And we verify many products that are in the market for Non-GMO Project verification. And that leads to the seal, the butterfly seal, that people see on their brands or on any food that they eat.

Tom Martin:           I’m wondering about the lessons that emerged from these arrangements. In other words, what have you learned about successful partnerships that might help Alltech and our clients?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: What we’ve learned is that ultimately it has to be multi-stakeholder interest. At the end, it has to make sense for the farmer to do the right thing to improve their way of existence, you know, the profitability on the farm, the making sure that they make the right products that are the right choices for the planet. That is something that all of the stakeholders have to keep in mind. It has to make sense for everyone, and it has to make sense for the planet.

                               And so what is important is that it is not just an initiative, but the results or verification of what is going on is actually meeting the intents of the initiatives. For example, in the case of Alltech, the Planet of Plenty™ is a clear initiative, it is a great initiative, but what is very important is that independent verification ensures that every stakeholder is doing what is right and in accordance with the requirements that have been set by all.

                               That actually provides security, certainty for all of the stakeholders involved, but also ultimately for the consumer that consumes the final products.

Tom Martin:           What key current trends in food supply and logistics are you keeping an eye on right now?

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: For us, one of the things that is more important is actually the topic of transparency. Consumers really care more about what they eat, whether it’s healthy for them, whether it makes sense for the planet, so whether it’s the right choice to be made in addition to price. But consumers are willing to pay for things that make sense, you know.

That means that in the supply chain, there has to be more and more transparency. So: more verification, information, data, etc., that exchange between the different actors in the supply chain.

And we continue to transform the industry with products that make it more efficient to connect and use external and internal data. And these data-driven solutions, which will help our customers manage their portfolio of products throughout the life cycles to ensure that they remain compliant, transparent and safe.

Tom Martin:           All right. That’s Dr. Ruud Overbeek, senior vice president of corporate development and strategic relationships at FoodChain ID.

                               Thank you so much.

Dr. Ruud Overbeek: Thank you very much.

Tom Martin:           And for AgFuture, I’m Tom Martin.

The time has come for biotechnology to address the challenges of 21st-century agriculture. After decades of research, the scientific community around the world can now confirm the enormous potential that could be realized by fostering soil health and promoting beneficial relationships between microorganisms and plants to achieve higher and better yields. Alltech Crop Science (ACS) takes this idea a step further with precision fermentation.

Soil biotechnology harnesses beneficial microorganisms to produce healthier and more sustainable food. As such, it has the potential to be one of the most beneficial tools for a new model of agriculture, allowing us to balance food security with environmental respect.

"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world,” the famed author Victor Hugo once said, “and that is an idea whose time has come." Agustín Murillo, sales manager for Alltech Crop Science (ACS) in Iberia, drew on this quote and the idea behind it in his presentation at the annual Congreso Microbioma, or the Microbiome Congress, an international event that brought together more than 1,000 attendees from 32 countries in 2023 — including researchers, scientists, engineers, producers and biotechnology industry representatives — to discuss the present and future use of microorganisms in agriculture.

For scientists from around the world and pioneering companies like Alltech, this “idea whose time has come” is the result of decades of research on the concept of fostering soil health and promoting beneficial symbiotic relationships between microorganisms and plants to achieve higher and better yields. That research has established a comprehensive understanding of the soil microbiome — and, more specifically, the important roles that soil microorganisms play in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, symbiotic relationships, soil structure and bioremediation. These many functions highlight the major significance of soil microorganisms for sustainable agriculture and the optimization of crop productivity.

Over its 40-plus-year history, Alltech has conducted numerous studies and gained practical experience that now bolster its fermentation expertise, making it one of the most innovative and expert authorities on soil health and microbial diversity in the world. As a result, Alltech strives to develop products that foster more drought- or saline soil-resistant crops — as well as microorganism-based products that contribute to nitrogen fixation in the soil or phosphorus and potassium solubilization. These microorganisms are strong crop allies, optimizing nutrient absorption and utilization and promoting stronger and healthier plant growth.

Taking it a step further

Alltech’s pioneering research is now progressing with a new concept: precision fermentation.

The concept of precision fermentation refers to the cultivation and use of microorganisms (such as bacteria or fungi) through advanced biotechnological techniques to produce specific agricultural products. It involves designing and engineering beneficial microorganisms under a controlled fermentation process.

Precision fermentation offers several advantages over traditional agricultural methods. For example, it allows for the more efficient and sustainable production of high-value organic compounds, such as proteins, enzymes and other biochemicals.

“It's not just about multiplying beneficial microorganisms,” Murillo said in his presentation at Microbioma, “but also about promoting the generation of hormones, enzymes or secondary metabolisms that we know will benefit and improve crops when used in the field.”

A targeted fermentation process also allows producers to control different variables, such as temperature, time and heat source, enabling the microorganism to produce enzymes, for example, which are well-known to be essential in all plant nutrition cycles.

“We can, through precise fermentation, provide farmers around the globe with beneficial live microorganisms or microbial compounds that deliver both immediate and longer-lasting effects,” Murillo added.

Precision fermentation has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and the food industry by providing more sustainable and efficient methods for producing a wide range of agricultural products, thereby reducing the environmental impact of traditional farming while also addressing food security challenges and contributing to the development of a resource-efficient and sustainable food system. It could also transform the microorganism production process, enabling the development of biotechnological solutions that enhance crop nutrition, disease control, plant growth promotion, soil health and overall sustainability. All of these benefits would allow the agriculture industry to become more efficient, environmentally friendly and resilient to changing environmental conditions.

How the microbiome responds to microorganisms

The microbiome’s response to microorganisms is highly dynamic and can vary depending on numerous factors, including the characteristics of the introduced microorganisms, the specific environment and the existing microbial composition. Understanding these responses is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of microbiomes and their implications in numerous fields, including human health, agriculture and environmental sustainability.

When a new microorganism is inoculated into the soil, one of the most important next steps is to examine the enzymatic activity as a response of the overall soil microbiome to that inoculation. Monitoring and managing enzymatic activities is an objective indicator of microbiological activity.

Soil enzymatic activity can support more optimal soil fertility, improved nutrient cycling, enhanced disease suppression and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. With this in mind, gaining a better understanding of this concept is crucial for being able to adequately assess soil health, nutrient availability and overall crop productivity.

Selecting the right microbes: A headhunting process

As illustrated above, the rigorous and precise multiplication of beneficial microorganisms is crucial when it comes to taking care of the health of our soils.

However, the selection of these microorganisms is just as important. This crucial preliminary work could be compared to headhunting, argued Pedro Palazón, CEO of Ideagro, the Research&Development arm of Alltech Crop Science, in his presentation at Microbioma.

“You first define what you need and what you are looking for through a selection process where you search for the candidate, interview them to assess their qualities and how they can contribute to your team, and finally incorporate and develop them,” he explained.

The microorganism selection process emphasizes the importance of conducting targeted selection to obtain a new microorganism with specific capabilities and understanding its mode of action and potential effects. The entire process is conducted through lab- and fieldwork, all of which aims to obtain objective, quantifiable and replicable results — along with indicators of the microorganism’s mode of action. The selection process must be precise and requires time and investment "to obtain a stable, effective and guaranteed product for use,” Palazón said.

The interpretation of the results of this work is essential, and Ideagro achieves this through its own algorithm, which analyzes more than 12,000 samples from different crops, soil types and climatic seasons.

“We observe microorganisms for their effects as biofertilizers, biostimulants, bioprotectors, bioremediators, or how they enhance the nutraceutical properties of food,” Palazón explained.

Having already been engaged in the study of this topic for years, Alltech Crop Science and its family of companies, including Ideagro, is leveraging its fermentation expertise to meticulously select and multiply microorganisms. Undertaking this work has equipped the company with a comprehensive knowledge of the wide range of microorganisms that exist, laying the foundation for collaboration with producers to foster a more sustainable and productive future for agriculture.

Biotechnology is helping to combat the effects of climate change and extreme weather events on crop production

Climate change is a pressing concern for farmers, as crop production and climate are interconnected. The extent to which climate change affects crop production could disrupt our global food system and compromise food security.

Biotechnology-based solutions can help farmers nourish plant defense mechanisms in dealing with the impacts of climate variability.

Adverse weather conditions affect agricultural systems globally — repeated heat waves, droughts or rainfall pattern variations put added pressure on plants as they try to overcome recurring environmental stressors.

Weather-related disruption of plants’ natural growth and production cycles, along with pests and diseases, compromise crop yields, all aggravated by the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to greenhouse gas emissions.

Agricultural systems must become more resilient in anticipating and adapting to the impacts of this changing weather scenario.

The growing frequency and intensity of disasters, along with the systemic nature of risk, are jeopardizing our entire food system. —FAO. 2021. The impact of disasters and crises on agriculture and food security: 2021. Rome.

Plants are already facing extreme weather conditions

Multiple studies attest to the impact of fast-paced climate change on crop production.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States anticipates that corn yields may decrease by 24% in 2030 as a result of the increasing difficulties in growing this crop in tropical regions. On the flip side, by expanding its area of influence, wheat could grow by 17%.

According to a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) analysis of 78 post-disaster cases in developing countries from 2003 to 2013, agriculture accounted for 25% of all economic losses and damages caused by medium- and large-scale climatic hazards in those nations.

A 2ºC (35.6ºF) increase in the global temperature of the planet would lead to a reduction in both quantity and quality of crop production. Controlling global warming below 2ºC will only be achieved by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including agriculture, according to a special report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

A reality that forces us to redouble the efforts of this decisive sector, as stated by Dr. Vaughn Holder, Alltech’s ruminant research director: “Agriculture has gone from having the most important job in the world to having the two most important jobs in the world: feeding the world and reversing climate change.”

Resilient agriculture in the face of climate change

Farmers can improve production systems’ resilience with balanced crop management practices that support their crops in the face of unfavorable weather and environmental stressors. 

With increasingly frequent extreme weather events, soil-applied biotechnology using beneficial microorganisms becomes an essential ally to activate effective climate resistance.

Improving soil health allows us to increase organic matter to make more nutrients available to the plant, enhances soil structure favoring water and nutrient retention, improves fertility and reduces soil erosion.

Crop diversification and rotation, low- to no-tillage techniques, and the use of plant covers that increase soil moisture and reduce thermal stress conditions are just some of the sustainable practices that favor biodiversity and increase agricultural production.

Restoring soil health and fertility brings more immediate benefits not only to farmers but to the ecosystem as a whole, because healthy soil has a greater capacity to retain greenhouse gases, thus helping to mitigate climate change.

Climate resilience under our feet

Many of the biological and physical processes between the atmosphere and the lithosphere are mediated by soil, making soil health integral to agricultural sustainability against the backdrop of climate change.

Carbon management within the soil system plays a major role in addressing global warming and the pressure it poses to agriculture production. Soil microbes are an active part of the carbon cycle, decomposing organic matter and breaking it down to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) molecules that can bind to soil particles, thus originating long-term carbon sequestration or releasing carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

The rise of global temperature is accelerating the decomposition rate of organic matter in the soil, affecting its water storage capacity, nutrient balance and aggregate stability, all important factors for good soil structure and fertility, which enhance productivity and sustainability.

Higher temperatures can alter microbial populations, creating stress and setting off soil ecosystem imbalances. Fostering a thriving and vibrant soil microbiome to overcome the negative effects of global warming is an essential step toward significant resilience under adverse weather conditions.

I want to learn more about crop biologicals.

Obtaining profitable, productive and sustainable crops depends on soil health. A balanced soil assists plants in being more resistant to soil and crop diseases, growing more vigorously and using nutrients better. Worldwide, farmers are waking up to the benefits of disease-suppressive soils – soils in which a wealth of beneficial microorganisms and an adequate balance of organic matter and minerals improve plant growth and inhibit pathogens’ action. But how can we achieve them? And what is their contribution to sustainable agriculture?

This article will assess how plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) work in suppressive soils to stimulate crop growth and development while acting as biocontrol agents inhibiting pathogenic microorganisms' activity.

Many farmers have seen their soils become poorer and lose fertility because of using only mineral fertilizers and chemical disease control strategies. In such situations, the soils’ organic dimension and microbiology have been overlooked, generating conductive soils in which soil and crop diseases are able to spread more easily.

What benefits do suppressive soils offer?

On the other hand, soils presenting a rich and dynamic microbiome favor plant-beneficial interactions with a balance between the mineral, organic and microbiological components, and they are notable for their ability to hinder or suppress pathogenic progression and activity. These soils, called disease-suppressive soils, were initially defined by Cook and Baker in 1983 as “soils in which the pathogen is not able to establish or persist, the pathogen establishes but causes no damage, or the pathogen causes some damage, but the disease becomes progressively less severe, even though the pathogen persists in soil.”

That is, the pathogen either does not establish itself or, once established, it does not cause damage, due to the antagonistic action of other beneficial microorganisms. Such soil presents unfavorable conditions for the pathogen, which sees its growth and development capacity reduced and its harmful activity neutralized.

How do we get to soils with these conditions? Although the quest for balanced soil will entail different cultural practices, the starting point should always be to conduct an analysis to assess soil health, including data on soil stability, pathogen incidence and nutrient availability.

Ultimately, the goal is to establish healthy microbiota that promote the optimal space for developing more sustainable and environmentally friendly crops, where the biological control of diseases such as Fusarium sp., Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia sp. and Phytophthora sp. is achieved.

Microorganisms that balance the rhizosphere

The rhizosphere, the region of soil surrounding living roots influenced by plant root exudates, is an ecosystem in which various relationships of interest are established, particularly those of a symbiotic nature between microorganisms and plant roots and between the microorganisms themselves.

The plant-microbe interaction is responsible for nutrient recycling and energy flow, resulting in the availability of previously inaccessible and insoluble forms of rhizospheric nutrients, which are critical for key plant functions. Beneficial microorganisms integrate the rhizosphere microbiome and play an important role in plant health and growth, facilitating nutrient acquisition, assisting plants in coping with abiotic stresses, and participating in various processes critical to crop development, such as the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles.

As we attain a state of disease suppressiveness in the soil, we find a high concentration of fungi (Trichoderma, Penicillium, Gliocladium) and bacteria (Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Bacillus, Serratia, and Actinomyces) that promote growth and provide protective components against fungi, bacteriosis, viruses or harmful insects.

Allies for a suppressive soil

One of the most interesting options for achieving healthy and productive crops involves the use of PGPR in rhizosphere colonization. In addition to acting to stimulate and improve plant growth, PGPR act as biocontrol agents for fungal and bacterial diseases by displacing pathogenic microorganisms.

Essential functions of PGPR

• Stimulating the production of phytohormones (auxins, gibberellinghs and cytokinins) through chemical signals that facilitate cell communication and stimulate plant growth.

• Increasing nutrient availability through nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization and iron chelation.

• Protecting the plant against phytopathogens that may compete for space and nutrients; the rhizobacteria produce metabolites, antibiotics and siderophores and increase the plant’s systemic response capacity against an aggressor.

Among the most common PGPR for controlling plant diseases are Pseudomonas (putida, aeruginosa and fluorescens) and Burkholderia, which stand out for their ability to solubilize inorganic phosphates present in the soil. The genera Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Rhizobium are of particular interest for their ability to facilitate the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form assimilable for plants.

In comparison to any other genus, Pseudomonas is the most favored bioinoculant due to its significant properties in both plant growth and phytopathogen control during its synergistic association with the host plant.

Pseudomonas putida is an extraordinarily versatile bacteria capable of thriving in hostile environments and resisting physicochemical stress; it is a great ally in improving crop production and quality.

Among its multiple applications in agriculture, it stands out for its effectiveness in promoting plant growth (through auxin production or phosphate solubilization) and improving plant health. It can also act as an antagonist against pathogens and play a role as a bioremediation agent in contaminated environments.

Recovering soil biological activity

The use of chemical control techniques, especially the application of broad-spectrum fungicides, has been the principal strategy used for many decades for controlling phytopathogens. In addition to having negative impacts on the health of humans and the environment, this approach was responsible for a rise in the number of treatment-resistant strains.

Microbiota in the soil were affected by these applications and by the excessive use of mineral fertilizers, which threw off the natural balance of disease-suppressive soils and made way for more illness-susceptible soils.

The time has come to revive healthy biological life in the soil by inoculating the plant roots with microorganisms beneficial to the plants' well-being, therefore reestablishing its biological activity. In doing so, we support the development of the root system, enhancing nutrient absorption. Plants will be able to better withstand environmental challenges, strengthen their defenses and experience increased growth and productivity.

Are you looking to recover your soil’s natural microbial balance and improve its disease-suppressing capability, optimizing crop productivity? Contact our technical team to further discuss how beneficial microorganisms and healthy plant-microbe interactions can favor profitable and sustainable crop production.

I want to learn more about soil health.

Mycotoxin contamination is a growing concern for animal feed producers worldwide. According to the 2023 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook, Asian feed production has been steadily increasing, from 350 million tons in 2012 to 465 million tons in 2022, leading to a greater reliance on imported grains. As reported by the USDA, this trend is expected to continue, which means it's now more important than ever to have a good understanding of the potential mycotoxin risk in imported raw materials.

To address this concern, Alltech prepared the 2023 Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis, a comprehensive report designed to inform the Asian feed sector and livestock producers of the potential mycotoxin contamination patterns in the grains that they import for their business in 2023.

The Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis report draws on data from Alltech’s harvest analysis programs carried out across 2022. Depending on the region and the ingredient being assessed, the test method varied between Alltech 37+, RAPIREAD and SGS.

The analysis assessed the mycotoxin risks in grains — such as corn, wheat, barley and byproducts — sourced from Europe, North America, Latin America, India and Australia for feed and livestock producers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Europe

Throughout 2022, the persistence of drought conditions in Europe resulted in reduced crop yields and increased levels of mycotoxins. In countries such as Hungary, Serbia and Romania, many corn samples displayed levels of mycotoxins that exceeded the EU's regulatory limit of 20 ppb for animal feed.

• Corn samples showed an average of 3.8 mycotoxins per sample, and over 50% contained aflatoxin at an average concentration of 16 ppb. More than 27% of samples contained fumonisin at an average concentration of 1,455 ppb.
• Almost all wheat and barley samples were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin, with an average of 3.7 mycotoxins per sample.
• New emerging classes of mycotoxins were found in all wheat and barley samples, with an average concentration of 152 ppb.

U.S.

The weather conditions in the United States had a significant impact on the mycotoxin profile of corn samples collected for analysis. As the weather conditions got wetter moving from the West to the East, the mycotoxin levels increased. Additionally, crops harvested later in the season tended to have significantly higher toxin loads than those harvested earlier.

• All corn samples had at least one mycotoxin present and had an average of 6.7 mycotoxins per sample.
• Fusarium mycotoxins (DON, fumonisin and zearalenone) and emerging mycotoxins were more prevalent and were present in higher concentrations in most samples.
• The Alltech risk equivalent quantity (REQ*) system indicates that the combined impact of these mycotoxins poses a significant risk to animals and could lead to significant production losses.

_{*REQ: A measurement of the cumulative impact of mycotoxins in reference to aflatoxin B1}

Canada

Canada improved notably in terms of its yields as compared to the previous year. As part of our ongoing monitoring efforts, we tested approximately 250 samples of wheat and barley from Canada using the Alltech RAPIREAD system.

• DON was the most commonly detected mycotoxin in the samples analysed from Canada.
• More than 50% of the samples tested displayed levels of DON that were higher than the level of quantification.
• T-2/HT-2 and zearalenone were also detected in a smaller number of samples.
• Although Canada's harvest was impressive, producers should still remain vigilant about the threat of mycotoxin contamination.

Latin America

Brazil and Argentina displayed significant reductions in yields in 2022. In Brazil, the overall yield was 5% lower than the five-year average, while Argentina saw even worse reductions in yields due to drought.

• The majority of the samples were found to have significant amounts of Fusarium mycotoxins.
• DON was the main toxin of concern in corn from this region, with average levels reaching almost 2,000 ppb.
• Fumonisin, T-2/HT-2 and zearalenone mycotoxins were also found in the samples.
• The combined effect of these mycotoxins can lead to significant losses in animal production, as well as health problems.

India

Limited access to fertilizers impacted the quality and yield of crops from this country. Along with the limited supply of fertilizer, both the Rabi and Kharif corn crops were heavily impacted by large amounts of rainfall, leading to a high mould count and the presence of mycotoxins.

• Fumonisin and aflatoxin were the most significant mycotoxins detected, with levels of up to 1,600 ppb and 40 ppb, respectively. Other mycotoxins were also present in the samples.
• The presence of these mycotoxins can have a significant impact on the performance, health and productivity of livestock.

Australia

This year's wheat and barley harvest delivered the second-highest yields on record in Australia, which is positive news for the industry. However, in the Eastern states, late rains and floods led to significant crop losses and quality issues. This has resulted in high-moisture grains, which will present storage challenges and require producers to practice continuous monitoring to maintain quality.

• Significant levels of DON mycotoxins were detected, reaching up to 3,200 ppb.

High concentrations of DON can negatively impact animal health and performance. Therefore, it is essential for producers and animal nutritionists in Australia to remain vigilant and incorporate appropriate mitigation strategies to ensure the safety and health of their animals.

Corn byproducts

As the cost of raw materials that are commonly used in animal feed has continued to rise in recent years, the use of byproducts has also become increasingly popular. However, this trend poses a significant challenge when it comes to mycotoxin contamination, as corn byproducts are significantly more likely to be contaminated at higher levels compared to parent grains.

To gain a better understanding of the level of mycotoxin contamination in the byproducts commonly used in animal feed, Alltech analyzed corn gluten meal and DDGS samples from North America, China and Europe using the Alltech 37+ analysis method.

• All samples tested were shown to have at least two mycotoxins present, with an average of 10 mycotoxins per sample.
• Fusarium mycotoxins (DON, fumonisin, zearalenone and fusaric acid) were the most common and significant mycotoxins detected.
• Emerging mycotoxins were also present.
• DON was found at levels of approximately 12,000 ppb and fumonisin at 19,000 ppb.
• High levels of mycotoxins and multiple contamination present a serious challenge for animals consuming feed that includes these byproducts.

The key to mycotoxin risk management

The findings outlined above highlight the need for more rigorous testing and quality-control measures in the use of byproducts in animal feed.

Achieving successful mycotoxin management requires taking a holistic approach, and the only accurate way to understand the true risk presented by the feeds that animals are consuming is to use a routine mycotoxin testing program when purchasing feed ingredients and establishing nutrition plans.

Conclusion

1. Mycotoxin contamination is widespread and multifaceted, affecting a range of grains and byproducts from different regions. Mycotoxins are a critical issue for animal feed producers globally.
2. The 2023 Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis provides valuable insights into the potential mycotoxin risk in grains imported into the Asia-Pacific region in 2023.
   • The report highlights the impact of environmental factors on the prevalence and amounts of mycotoxins in crops.
   • The majority of the raw materials imported into the Asia-Pacific region are contaminated with Fusarium-related mycotoxins (DON, fumonisin, zearalenone, T-2 and fusaric acid).
3. Implementing effective mycotoxin management strategies can reduce the risk of mycotoxin contamination, ensuring the safety and well-being of animals and the profitability of the operation — but it all comes down to reducing the mycotoxin contamination of the feed supply.

To download a copy of the 2023 Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis, visit go.alltech.com/asia-import-risk-analysis. Learn more about mycotoxin management at knowmycotoxins.com.