What is Functional Crop Nutrition® ?
The escalating climate crisis, rapid population growth, and the dwindling availability of arable land and irrigation resources underscore the urgent need for sustainable food production solutions.
AGROLOGY’s Functional Crop Nutrition® (FCN®) addresses these challenges through a holistic approach of crop nutrition that utilizes the synergistic effect of Essential Nutrients and Beneficial Substances to enhance crop efficiency and sustainability.
Functional Crop Nutrition® is the simultaneous
Nutrition, Protection and Biostimulation, using
multi-dimensional products that integrate the
synergistic activity of Elemental to Molecular
Biostimulants with Essential Nutrients.
The Essential Nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Fe, etc.) cover the necessary requirements for the growth and productivity of crops and are always essential for the plant growth cycle.
Beneficial Substances can be divided in two non-microbial Biostimulant categories, according to their nature. Elemental (or Inorganic) biostimulants that are derived from non-organic, mineral-based substances and they contain metals like Silicium, Titanium, Cobalt. Molecular (or Organic) Biostimulants that are derived from natural, organic materials like plant-based Amino acids, Humic and Fulvic acids, seaweed extracts, polysaccharides, chitosan and many more organic bioactive compounds.
Biostimulants from both categories enhance plant growth and productivity by stimulating natural processes such as the activation of certain metabolic pathways, resulting improved Nutrient and Water Use Efficiency, stress tolerance, and overall plant development, production and its nutritional value. They stimulate plants’ metabolism and signaling cascades, increase the synthesis of antioxidants, osmo-protective substances, and metabolites, activate enzymatic systems and processes, and delay the ageing of plant tissues.
When applied in conjunction with essential nutrients, biostimulants can have synergistic effects, enhancing the overall efficacy of nutrient use and contributing to better plant performance. Biostimulants improve nutrient uptake, increase stress tolerance, enhance hormonal regulation, and promote soil microbial activity, all of which result in more efficient use of fertilizers. This synergy not only boosts plant growth and yield but also leads to a sustainable cropping system, through the reduction of the environmental impact of excessive fertilizer use.
Functional Crop Nutrition ® (FCN®) Benefits:
- Increased Nutrient and Water Use Efficiency
- High crop yields, even under stress conditions
- Improved production quality characteristics
- Increased antioxidants (e.g., Vitamin C, phenols) production
- Enhanced plant’s natural defense and resilience
- Reduced agrochemical inputs
