Understanding the Drought Dilemma

Drought, a pervasive challenge impacting global crop production, is characterized by a prolonged deficit in precipitation, causing rainfall to fall significantly below average for a given region. This climatic phenomenon has far-reaching consequences for agriculture, where many crops heavily rely on adequate rainfall. Recent data from the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge reveals the severe consequences of drought in April 2023, making it the driest April on record for the Iberian Peninsula. Disturbingly, over 5 million hectares of unirrigated cereals in Spain suffered irreversible losses due to this drought.

Drought’s Devastation on Crops

The escalating issue of drought presents an alarming threat to global food production and food security. This predicament necessitates innovative solutions that empower plants to withstand water stress, posing significant scientific challenges. Drought-induced water scarcity severely diminishes essential water resources for plants, impeding their normal growth and often resulting in plant wilting and death. Biostimulants play a crucial role in enhancing plant resistance to various stressors, including drought. These products stimulate plant metabolism, bolstering their capacity to confront adverse conditions.

How Biostimulants Tackle Water Stress

Ajinomoto Agro Solutions biostimulants have demonstrated their effectiveness in enhancing plant tolerance and adaptability to water stress conditions. When crops face water limitations, the application of our biostimulants results in noticeable improvements in plant development.

Our plant-based biostimulants offer multifaceted support for crops facing water stress:

• Increasing osmolyte levels to limit water loss from cells.
• Boosting metabolites with antioxidant properties to safeguard against stress-related damage.
• Enhancing tolerance to abiotic stress by activating antioxidant enzymes that counteract stress-induced toxins.
• Facilitating plant recovery following stress periods.
• Ajinomoto Agro Solutions biologicals fortify and safeguard plants in water stress scenarios, enabling them to thrive. The application of our products yields similar growth to non-stressed control plants

Boosting Leaf Area and Dry Weight

Notably, the application of our biostimulants leads to a remarkable 23% increase in the leaf area index compared to stressed control plants. Furthermore, the dry weight of leaves treated with our biostimulant is 9% higher than that of untreated stressed plants, closely resembling the characteristics of non-stressed control plants.

These compelling results underscore the efficacy of biostimulants in alleviating water stress situations. The unique composition of our products stimulates the vegetative growth of crops even in the face of water stress, showcasing the potential of plant-based biostimulants as a revolutionary approach to drought management.

Bibliography

Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Agricultores y Ganaderos (2023). Impacto de la sequía en el sector agrario. Recuperado el 25 de mayo de 2023, de https://coag.chil.me/download-file/104758-439976

Franzoni, G., Cocetta, G., Prinsi, B., Ferrante, A., & Espen, L. (2022). Biostimulants on crops: Their impact under abiotic stress conditions. Horticulturae, 8(3), 189.

Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico(s,f). Recuperado el 22 de mayo de 2023, de https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/agua/temas/observatorio-nacional-de-la-sequia/que-es-la-sequia/

Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico(2023). Agencia de gobierno. Recuperado el 22 de mayo de 2023, de https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/agua/temas/observatorio-nacional-de-la-sequia/informe_sequiayescasez_may2023_tcm30-486646.pdf

Seleiman, M. F., Al-Suhaibani, N., Ali, N., Akmal, M., Alotaibi, M., Refay, Y., … & Battaglia, M. L. (2021). Drought stress impacts on plants and different approaches to alleviate its adverse effects. Plants, 10(2), 259.