A series of meetings and workshops were held during the arrival in the country of Fabricio Darío Cassán, Doctor in Biological Sciences of the National University of Río Cuarto (Córdoba, Argentina) and expert of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
His visit was framed in the actions developed under the project of the Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (ARCAL), which aims to improve the productivity of crops through the use of genotypes of nutrient-efficient crops and biofertilizers / biostimulants to optimize food security.
During the visit of Dr. Cassán, an experimental work protocol was established that considers determining the environmental conditions and the doses of fertilizers and biostimulants in a variety of potatoes. Under these conditions, a greenhouse study will be carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical responses in potato cultivation.
Therefore, in conjunction with the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Mycology of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), the team of the Nuclear Technologies Department of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN), organized trial design meetings and workshops to which also attended by representatives of the Chilean Network of Bioinputs and private companies dedicated to the analysis of soil, microorganisms and agricultural production of the country.
The work meetings incorporated the discussion of the future product standard of biostimulants and biofertilizers, their definitions, modes of use and the need to have homogeneous analysis protocols between analytical laboratories for the elaboration of labels and assurance of the packaging.
Dr. Cassán recounted the journey and the difficulties that Argentina raffled in the development of its current standard. He presented the current strengths of having this norm, which allows both the agricultural producer and the marketing companies to ensure the contents of the elements present in the labeling.
Biofertilizers / Biostimulants
Biofertilizers or biostimulators – depending on their function – are products developed for vegetable protection and nutrition, made from microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, protozoa, viruses and fungi, natural substances such as pheromones or semi-chemicals, macro organisms and invertebrates, as well as botanical extracts. This type of products are being increasingly used in world agriculture as a complement or alternative to the use of traditional pesticides. (Source: www.fao.org)
In this framework, the objective of the use of biofertilizers and biostimulants seeks to reduce the impact of chemical products in the environmental system, increase the absorption efficiency and the development of the plant / soil / water ratio, and decrease the cost per productive unit.
