Healthy, productive crops and pastures depend on more than fertiliser alone. Soil biology, root development and plant physiology all influence how efficiently plants use the nutrients and moisture available to them.
At EMNZ, we believe the greatest opportunity for biological agriculture comes from understanding how these processes work together.
Rather than relying on a single product to deliver every benefit, our approach focuses on three connected areas: supporting soil biology, encouraging root development and stimulating plant growth.
1. Soil Biology: Building the Foundation
Every productive farming system relies on the biological activity taking place beneath the soil surface.
Microorganisms help decompose organic matter, recycle nutrients and interact with plant roots. Their activity influences the availability of nutrients and the environment in which crops and pasture grow.
EMNZ's microbial products are designed to support these natural processes.
EM Soil & Crop introduces beneficial microorganisms into the soil, while EM Balance combines microorganisms with organic compounds, including amino acids, fish hydrolysate and humic and fulvic substances.
The objective is to support an active soil environment where biological processes can contribute to nutrient cycling and plant performance.
However, soil biology is only one part of the equation. A biologically active soil also needs a healthy root system to take advantage of the nutrients available.
2. Root Development: Connecting Soil and Plant
Roots provide the connection between soil resources and above-ground production.
A well-developed root system can explore a greater volume of soil, potentially improving access to water and nutrients.
This is an area where EMNZ research has recorded encouraging results.
In an independent Canterbury pasture trial, root mass increased from 149 g in the untreated control to 211 g following Plant-Stim treatment — approximately a 42% increase.
The same research also recorded improvements in clover content under selected biological treatments.
These findings are important because they demonstrate that biological inputs can influence more than the visible growth above ground.
While greater root mass does not automatically guarantee higher yield, it provides a useful indicator of how biological treatments may influence plant development.
3. Plant Growth: Making Better Use of Available Resources
Once soil and root conditions are considered, the next opportunity is to support the plant itself.
Plant-Stim is EMNZ's fermented plant-extract biostimulant, designed to influence plant physiological activity and support growth.
Unlike conventional fertilisers, its primary purpose is not to supply large quantities of nutrients.
Instead, it is designed to complement existing nutrition programmes by supporting plant and root responses.
This is an important distinction. Biological inputs do not necessarily replace the nutrients a crop requires, but they may help improve how effectively plants use their growing environment.
The potential value is particularly relevant during periods of rapid growth, crop establishment and recovery from environmental stress.
What Does This Look Like on a Farm?
The EMNZ biological approach can be adapted to different farming systems.
In a cropping programme, soil-focused biological products may be applied around cultivation or establishment, followed by plant-focused treatments during key growth stages.
In pasture systems, biological inputs can be incorporated into existing fertiliser and spray programmes, with applications timed around active growth and grazing rotations.
For growers using granular fertiliser, EM Fert Enhance provides another option by introducing a solid microbial amendment into the fertiliser programme.
The aim is not to add unnecessary complexity, but to use biological products where they have the greatest potential to complement existing management.
What Is the Research Telling Us?
EMNZ has evaluated biological products across New Zealand pasture, maize, wheat, lucerne and horticultural crops.
In the 2021/22 independent Canterbury pasture trial, biological treatments produced encouraging improvements in dry matter production, clover content and root development.
More recently, a commercial Wattie's process pea trial in Canterbury recorded a 13.4% increase in adjusted yield with EM Balance compared with the standard programme.
These results provide encouraging evidence, although responses will vary with crop, soil, season and management conditions.
Our research, including work published in the peer-reviewed journal Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science in September 2026, continues to investigate where biological programmes can deliver measurable value.
A More Complete Approach to Plant Performance
After more than 30 years working with biological agriculture in New Zealand, EMNZ's focus remains on developing practical products that complement conventional farming systems.
We don't believe soil biology, root development and plant growth should be considered separately.
They are interconnected parts of the same system.
By supporting these processes together, we aim to help farmers and growers get more from their soil, their fertiliser programmes and ultimately their crops and pasture.
Explore the EMNZ agricultural product range or our research and field trials to learn more.
