Organic matter and beneficial microorganisms to increase wheat yields

A similar trend was observed for soft wheat production, which recorded a 5% increase compared to 2024, reaching 2.7 million tons.
The grain quality levels in both cases ranged from satisfactory to excellent.

Nevertheless, the sector faces ongoing challenges.
In terms of protein content in kernels, recent years have sometimes been disappointing, leading to product downgrades and consequently low remuneration for farmers. At the same time, weather conditions have become increasingly unpredictable, bringing extreme events and thermal and water-related stress. Added to this are the rising production costs, linked to an uncertain economic and geopolitical context, and competition from foreign wheat, making it clear why the Italian milling industry has faced a national product deficit for several years.

Italian wheat production is therefore under pressure for multiple reasons, and such a complex situation cannot be solved with “simple recipes.” One thing is certain: working toward higher yields and better quality, while keeping an eye on cost containment (which also involves optimizing cultivation techniques), is a key part of the solution.

The fertilization strategy for wheat typically involves split applications, particularly for NPK macronutrients, which may be applied during pre-sowing, sowing and tillering (completed by winter), stem elongation, and possibly heading (spring top-dressing).

Regardless of the chosen split scheme, the goals must always be to maximize the efficiency of applied nutrients and minimize or eliminate losses through leaching and volatilization.
While some applications can be skipped, base fertilization before sowing, which primarily supplies phosphorus and part of the required nitrogen, should never be underestimated—especially on depleted or marginal soils that need fertility restoration and, more broadly, soil regeneration.

Applying humified organic matter is the first step. In addition to serving as a slow-release nutrient reserve, which humic and fulvic acids will deliver to crop roots when needed, it helps improve soil structure and porosity, and consequently its water-holding capacity.

Furthermore, introducing beneficial microorganisms is highly effective. These not only create an unfavorable environment for pathogens (a common issue in exploited soils and monoculture systems) but also mineralize part of the organic matter, making its nutrients available, and/or establish symbiotic relationships with roots, improving the plant’s nutritional status.

This is essentially a “restorative” (regenerative) treatment for the soil, preparing it to support the crop from sowing onward—with measurable positive results on yield and quality, as widely documented in the literature.

With identical spring fertilization in both treatments (using nitrogen- and sulfur-based products), one plot received pre-sowing fertilization with Agribios Fertisoil, a mycorrhizal fungi inoculum on an organic carrier, while the control plot received no pre-sowing fertilization.

Satellite imagery taken in mid-May 2025 showed a clear correlation between blue-colored areas (indicating higher vigor) and plots fertilized with Fertisoil.
At harvest, the combine—equipped with sensors for automatic yield and parameter detection—recorded a yield of 6.5 t/ha in the plot with base fertilization, compared to 5.3 t/ha in the control.

While the significance of such a yield increase must be considered in light of the soil’s reduced fertility, it clearly indicates that applying organic matter and beneficial microorganisms in challenging conditions can make a difference for soil and plant health—and can also support performance in less critical situations to maximize yields.

Its primary function is to restore fertility in depleted soils by introducing microorganisms with targeted activities such as nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, siderophore production, and indoleacetic acid synthesis. Thanks to these microorganisms, the applied organic matter, and naturally supplied humic acids, Fertisoil improves the soil microbiota and boosts microbial fertility—delivering significant benefits to crops.