Researchers at Wageningen University & Research are investigating how plant genetics may influence the effectiveness of biological products, a finding that could help breeders develop crop varieties better suited for sustainable agricultural systems with reduced chemical inputs.
The study, titled “From chemicals to biologicals, breeding plants for transformative sustainable agriculture,” was published in Trends Open and conducted by Mohammadhadi Sobhani and Richard Visser.
Biologicals are naturally derived products designed to support plant growth, improve nutrient efficiency and help crops tolerate stress from drought, heat, pests and disease. These products can include microorganisms that stimulate root growth or natural compounds that strengthen plant resilience. Researchers said biologicals are increasingly viewed as an important component of sustainable agriculture as pressure grows to reduce reliance on conventional chemical products.
The researchers noted that while adoption of biologicals continues to increase, their use remains limited compared with chemical crop protection products. One challenge is inconsistent performance in the field, as biologicals can produce different results depending on the crop variety.
According to the study, the effectiveness of a biological product is influenced by four primary factors: the biological itself, environmental conditions, the type of plant stress involved and the plant’s genetic makeup. Researchers said previous studies have focused mainly on the biological products and stress conditions, while the influence of genetics and environmental interactions has received far less attention.
The paper suggests that a plant’s genetic traits may determine whether a biological product has a positive, neutral or negative effect. Researchers believe this could create new opportunities for plant breeders to select varieties that respond more consistently to biological inputs.
The study also proposes that breeders may eventually evaluate crop response to biologicals alongside traditional breeding targets such as yield, quality and disease resistance. Researchers described this approach as an largely unexplored pathway for improving the reliability and effectiveness of biological products in sustainable farming systems.
To further examine the relationship between genetics and biological performance, the research team plans to conduct experiments using two biological products across 20 to 30 potato genotypes. Potato was selected because of its genetic diversity and its heavy dependence on chemical crop protection products.
Researchers noted that potato production currently accounts for a significant share of chemical crop protection use in the Netherlands, making it an important crop for efforts aimed at reducing chemical dependency, including in organic production systems.
The researchers said the project remains in its early stages, but they hope to involve plant breeders and biological product manufacturers as the work progresses. Several breeding companies have already expressed interest in contributing feedback and exchanging ideas as the research develops.
Source: Wageningen University & Research, "Breeding plants that respond better to biologicals"