Providing food for a growing population while making the most of limited arable land is one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture. However, increasingly unpredictable weather conditions are making sustainable food production even more challenging for farmers across Africa.
As droughts, heatwaves and irregular rainfall become growing concerns, crop performance is no longer measured by yield alone. The ability of crops to withstand environmental stress and maintain productivity under changing conditions is becoming just as important.
For farmers, the objective remains the same: achieving the best possible performance from every hectare while protecting yield potential against increasingly unpredictable growing conditions.
“Crop resilience is becoming increasingly important when talking about productivity,” says Venessa Moodley, biostimulant lead at Omnia Nutriology.
She explains that decisions made early in the growing season can influence how effectively crops respond when conditions change. While genetics, crop nutrition and sound agronomic practices remain fundamental, there is growing emphasis on preparing crops for environmental stress before it begins to affect growth and productivity.
“Yield will always be an important measure of success, but increasingly we also need to think about protecting yield potential,” says Moodley.
“The question is not only how a crop performs when conditions are favourable, but how effectively it can respond when drought, heat or other environmental pressures begin to affect growth.”
The Importance of Biostimulants
Biostimulants are becoming an increasingly important tool in crop management as farmers face challenges such as climate variability, water scarcity, soil degradation and other environmental pressures.
Unlike conventional fertilisers, which primarily supply essential plant nutrients, biostimulants are designed to influence plant physiological processes that support growth, nutrient-use efficiency and responses to environmental stress.
Depending on their composition and application, biostimulants can help support root development, nutrient uptake and plant health, potentially helping crops maintain growth and recover from certain environmental stresses.
“Biostimulants play a key role in supporting nutrient uptake, nutrient-use efficiency, root development and overall plant health,” says Moodley.
“Alongside sound nutrition and agronomic practices, biostimulants help optimise crop performance and strengthen tolerance to environmental stress factors. Early application of the right biostimulant can help prepare the plant before challenging conditions begin to affect growth.”
For African farmers, particularly those operating in drought-prone regions or rain-fed production systems, preparing crops for potential stress is an important consideration. However, biostimulants should complement, rather than replace, balanced nutrition, effective soil management and appropriate water management.
Omnia’s Liquid Biostimulant
The chitosan in Chitostar, Omnia’s liquid biostimulant, acts as an elicitor that helps activate the plant’s natural defence responses. Elicitors stimulate defence-related signalling pathways when recognised by plant cells, potentially triggering the production of protective compounds and enzymes.
These responses can contribute to stronger plant defence mechanisms and support physiological processes that help plants cope with certain environmental stresses.
According to Moodley, these processes can support chlorophyll production, biomass development and more consistent plant growth under suitable conditions.
Registered as a biostimulant under South Africa’s Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act 36 of 1947), Chitostar is designed to complement existing crop nutrition programmes and integrate into standard fertiliser practices.
In addition to its biostimulant activity, the product supplies zinc, manganese and copper. These micronutrients play important roles in plant metabolism, enzyme activity and other physiological processes essential for healthy crop development.
Moodley notes that research and field evaluations have demonstrated improvements in chlorophyll production, root and shoot biomass, and crop performance under both favourable and water-stressed conditions. She also reports that field evaluations across multiple crops have shown yield responses.
The extent of these benefits depends on factors such as crop type, environmental conditions, application timing and the overall crop management programme. Local field evaluations remain important in determining the product’s performance under specific African farming conditions.
Moodley emphasises that no product can eliminate environmental risks entirely. However, biostimulants can provide farmers with an additional tool to help crops respond to the challenges that arise throughout the growing season.
Rather than waiting for visible signs of stress before taking action, farmers can consider proactive crop management strategies that support plant health and protect yield potential from the early stages of development.
As weather conditions become less predictable, crop resilience is becoming an increasingly important consideration in sustainable agriculture. For African farmers, combining sound agronomic practices with appropriate crop nutrition and carefully selected biostimulants may help support more consistent crop performance under challenging growing conditions.
