RAW MATERIALS ▶▶▶


Maximising the crop mineral status


Animal producers are constantly looking for more efficient feed ingredients to increase bioavailability and reduce inputs, which poses the question: does the crop industry seek to maximise nutrient efficacy in the same way?


BY MARK GAFFNEY, PHD, RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER, ALLTECH EUROPEAN BIOSCIENCE CENTRE, IRELAND


The mineral type (organic or in- organic) of Manganese had a direct effect on the manganese status of the resulting grain.


T he first half of the 20th century heralded a shift in the


way crop production was managed. The Green Rev- olution adopted high-yielding crop varieties, better irrigation systems and a greater reliance on synthet-


ic fertilisers and pesticides, focusing purely on generating enough to feed a booming population. While this approach was fit for purpose at the time, there was little regard for sus- tainable production and the effects of these practices are be- ing felt today, in diminished soil quality and as a direct conse- quence, nutritionally compromised foodstuffs. Modern agriculture is facing two daunting challenges; doubling year- on-year production to feed a longer-living population and


while doing this, address the growing issue of hidden hunger, whereby food may be calorie rich but doesn’t provide the nu- tritional quality, necessary for a healthy balanced diet. Crop nutritional management will be a key aspect of the next Green Revolution, which is looking towards technology and more sustainable practices to help make crop production more efficient; to get more out of less.


A new approach Crop biostimulants are a relatively new concept and their ex- act definition tends to be vague and far reaching at best. Largely accepted as a fairly versatile term, biostimulants typi- cally describe a natural substance which aims to improve plant function and efficacy, often added at relatively low lev- els and encompassing everything from seaweed extract, to beneficial microorganisms, to amino acid containing prod- ucts. Regardless of definition, more and more producers are adopting biostimulants into their management practices, motivated not only by the increasing regulation associated with agrochemicals and pesticides; but also, an evolving con- sumer demand for more sustainable and responsible produc- tion practices. This shift in thinking has seen the EU organic sector grow at 5.5% per year over the last decade, with 6.2%


32 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 25, No. 10, 2017


PHOTO: PETER ROEK


PHOTO: HENK RISWICK


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