Breaking Biological Barriers: Industry Experts Share Practical Solutions to Boost Grower Adoption
11 March 2026 Grower use of biological products remains uneven across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
In the AgriBusiness Global LIVE! webinar, Minding the Biological Gap, five industry experts highlighted the persistent obstacles holding growers back and offered solutions.
Barrier 1: Inconsistent Performance
Biologicals are living products with context-specific outcomes. Unlike chemicals, their performance can’t always be predicted with a simple dose-response curve.
“You might have a product that performs incredibly well during drought stress, but it shows very little effect in cool, wet conditions,” said Dr. Nathan Kleczewski, Technical Product Lead for Biologicals at Syngenta. “That’s not product failure; it’s just biology. And our systems aren’t always built to handle that nuance.”
Solution:
Kleczewski reinforced that growers need clear guidance and robust local data.
“Growers need honest conversations and guidance on when — and why — biologicals deliver value,” Kleczewski said.
That starts with expectation management and positioning. Because biological performance is highly context-specific, companies must generate strong regional datasets that demonstrate where products fit best — whether under drought stress, high disease pressure, or specific soil conditions.
It also requires reframing the mindset around evaluation. Traditional chemical development systems rely on clean dose-response curves and broad environmental consistency. Biologicals behave differently. Kleczewski noted that internal systems — from screening tools to field validation methods — must evolve to account for nuanced, systems-based responses rather than simple “does it kill or not” outcomes.
“We don’t want to make these products unnecessarily complex,” Kleczewski said. “They’re valuable technologies, but we must present them in a way that builds understanding without adding confusion.”
When biologicals are positioned correctly — with predictable ROI, compatibility guidance, and transparent field data — consistency improves not just in performance, but in grower confidence.
Barrier 2: Knowledge Gaps
Growers, consultants, and retailers often lack training on biologicals, from soil microbiomes to plant physiology.
Solution:
Dr. Sara Monteiro, Head of Global RCD Biocontrol and Adjuvants at Rovensa Next, suggested creating robust labels and instructions.
“We need to deliver more technical information, not just on the active ingredients but on formulations, compatibility, and how biologicals fit into growers’ normal programs,” Monteiro said.
Kleczewski emphasized the need for clear, field-based learning.
“We’re taking vague claims and making them understandable, explaining exactly what the product does, where it fits, and why it matters,” he said.
Large-scale demo plots and side-by-side field days allow growers to see biologicals in action, building confidence and understanding in ways that data alone cannot.
Barrier 3: Logistical and Formulation Challenges
Shorter shelf life, batch variability, and supply chains designed for chemicals can compromise reliability.
Carlos Ledó, Founder and CEO of Veganic, highlighted another angle: “Biologicals have a different go-to-market model — they’re premium, technical products, but there’s a scarcity of trained talent to explain their proper use, and higher dose rates can create additional challenges on-farm.”
Solution:
Dr. Willian Batista Silva, Technical Product Development Manager LATAM/CAC, Rainbow Bio, stressed the importance of stable, compatible formulations that fit seamlessly into existing spray schedules.
“Our goal is to make biologicals easy to use without forcing growers to change how they farm,” he said, highlighting the link between usability and trust. “Consistency is a big question for growers. We increase confidence when we have stable, compatible formulations that fit seamlessly into existing farm practice.”
Barrier 4: Misaligned Expectations
High-dose applications, compatibility with conventional programs, and the “chemical mindset” of many growers can create friction when it comes to growers implementing biologicals.
Solution:
At the end of the day, suppliers must build trust with growers, proving the products’ usability, return on investment, and operational fit.
Dr. Brooks Coetzee, Biologicals Business Partner at Corteva, summarized the pathway to adoption: “It all comes down to three levers: trust, education, and seamless integration. Hit those, and you’re going to make the best inroads with biologicals.”
Monteiro added that collaborations with universities, technical institutes, and grower associations enable crop-specific programs that partially replace chemical inputs while maintaining sustainability and efficacy.
“By integrating our solutions and validating them through strong partnerships, we create programs that growers can trust and adopt more easily,” Monteiro said.
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