Agricultural Microbials Market by Type (Bacteria, Fungi, Virus, and Protozoa), Function (Soil Amendment and Crop Protection), Crop Type (Cereals & Grains, Oilseed & Pulses, and Fruits & Vegetables), Mode of Application, Formulation, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

The agricultural microbials market was valued at USD 2.74 Billion in 2016, and is projected to reach USD 6.01 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 14.21% during the forecast period.

The years and their periodization considered for the study are as follows:

• Base year: 2016
• Forecast period: 2017–2022

The objectives of the report

• Determining and projecting the size of the market, with respect to type, function, crop type, mode of application, formulation, and regional markets, over a five-year period ranging from 2017 to 2022
• Identifying attractive opportunities in the market by determining the largest and fastest-growing segments across regions
• Analyzing the demand-side factors based on the impact of macro and microeconomic factors on the market and shifts in demand patterns across different subsegments and regions

Research Methodology:

• Major regions were identified, along with countries contributing the maximum share.
• Secondary research was conducted to obtain the value of agricultural microbials market for regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and RoW.
• The key players were identified through secondary sources such as the Bloomberg, Businessweek, Factiva, agricultural magazines and companies’ annual reports, while their market shares in the respective regions were determined through both, primary and secondary research. The research methodology includes the study of annual and financial reports of top market players, as well as interviews with industry experts (such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and marketing executives) for key insights (both quantitative and qualitative) for this market.

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The various contributors involved in the value chain of the agricultural microbials market include raw material suppliers, R&D institutes, agricultural microbials manufacturing companies such as BASF (Germany), Bayer (Germany), Monsanto BioAg (US), BioWorks (US), and Certis (US) and government bodies & regulatory associations such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Target Audience

The stakeholders for the report are as follows:

• Key manufacturers of microbial pesticides, microbial fertilizers, and microbial biostimulants
• Key companies in the agricultural biologicals market
• Traders, distributors, and suppliers in this market
• Technology providers to agricultural microbial companies
• Farmer’s organizations and crop protection product manufacturers
• Associations and industry bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Biopesticide Industry Alliance (BPIA), International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA), and Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO)
• Concerned government authorities, commercial R&D institutions, and other regulatory bodies

Scope of the Report:

This research report categorizes the global market based on type, function, crop type, mode of application, formulation, and region.

Based on Type, the market has been segmented as follows:

• Bacteria
  • Bacillus spp.
  • Rhizobium spp.
  • Others (Enterobacteriaceae, Pasteuria, and Streptomyces)
• Fungi
  • Trichoderma spp.
  • Mycorrhizae
  • Others (Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Lecanicillium)
• Viruses
• Protozoa

Based on Function, the market has been segmented as follows:

• Crop protection
  • Biofungicides
  • Bioinsecticides
  • Bioherbicides
  • Bionematicides
  • Others (biomolluscicides, bioacaricides, and biorodenticides)
• Soil amendment
  • Biofertilizers
  • Biostimulants

Based on Crop Type, the market has been segmented as follows:

• Cereals & grains
• Oilseeds & pulses
• Fruits & vegetables
• Other crops (sugar crops, forage, turf, and ornamentals)

Based on Mode of Application, the market has been segmented as follows:

• Seed treatment
• Soil treatment
• Foliar spray
• Post-harvest

Based on Formulation, the market has been segmented as follows:

• Liquid
• Dry

Based on Region, the market has been segmented as follows:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• South America
• RoW (the Middle East and Africa)

Available Customizations

With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to the company’s specific scientific needs.

The following customization options are available for the report:

Product Analysis

• Product matrix, which gives a detailed comparison of product portfolio of each company

Geographic Analysis

• Further breakdown of the Rest of Europe market for agricultural microbials
• Further breakdown of the Rest of Asia Pacific market for agricultural microbials
• Further breakdown of other countries in the RoW market for agricultural microbials

Company Information

• Detailed analyses and profiling of additional market players (up to five)

Table of Contents

1 Introduction (Page No. - 17)
    1.1 Objectives of the Study
    1.2 Market Definition
    1.3 Study Scope
    1.4 Years Considered
    1.5 Currency Considered
    1.6 Stakeholders

2 Research Methodology (Page No. - 21)
    2.1 Research Data
           2.1.1 Secondary Data
           2.1.2 Primary Data
                    2.1.2.1 Key Industry Insights
                    2.1.2.2 Breakdown of Primary Interviews
    2.2 Market Size Estimation
    2.3 Data Triangulation
    2.4 Research Assumptions
    2.5 Limitations

3 Executive Summary (Page No. - 29)

4 Premium Insights (Page No. - 34)
    4.1 Attractive Opportunities in this Market
    4.2 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Function & Region, 2016
    4.3 North America: Agricultural Microbials Market, By Crop Type & Country, 2016
    4.4 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Type & Region, 2016
    4.5 Market Share: Key Countries

5 Market Overview (Page No. - 39)
    5.1 Introduction
    5.2 Macroeconomic Indicators
           5.2.1 Increased Production of Horticulture Crops
           5.2.2 Increased Usage of Agricultural Biologicals
    5.3 Market Dynamics
           5.3.1 Drivers
                    5.3.1.1 Rising Adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Practices Across the Globe
                    5.3.1.2 Reduced Development Cost for Microbials in Comparison to Conventional Chemical Pesticides
                    5.3.1.3 Target Specificity Associated With Microbial Pesticides
                    5.3.1.4 Rising Number of Organic Farming Practices and Increasing Demand for Residue-Free Crop Protection Products
           5.3.2 Restraints
                    5.3.2.1 Shorter Shelf Life, Field Persistence, and Storage Conditions of Microbial Pesticides
                    5.3.2.2 Higher Application Costs and Low Adoption Rate of Microbials
           5.3.3 Opportunities
                    5.3.3.1 Significant Developments in the Seed Treatment Segment
                    5.3.3.2 Large-Scale Investments in R&D By Major Players for the Development of New Products
           5.3.4 Challenges
                    5.3.4.1 Unorganized Market and Availability of Counterfeit Products in Emerging Markets
                    5.3.4.2 Regulatory Barriers
    5.4 Regulatory Framework
           5.4.1 Introduction
           5.4.2 North America
                    5.4.2.1 US
                    5.4.2.2 Canada
           5.4.3 Europe
                    5.4.3.1 France
                    5.4.3.2 Spain
                    5.4.3.3 Russia
           5.4.4 Asia Pacific
                    5.4.4.1 Australia
                    5.4.4.2 India
                    5.4.4.3 China
           5.4.5 South America
                    5.4.5.1 Brazil
           5.4.6 South Africa

6 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Type (Page No. - 55)
    6.1 Introduction
    6.2 Bacteria
           6.2.1 Bacillus Spp.
           6.2.2 Rhizobium Spp.
           6.2.3 Others
    6.3 Fungi
           6.3.1 Trichoderma Spp.
           6.3.2 Mycorrhizae
           6.3.3 Others
    6.4 Viruses
    6.5 Protozoa

7 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Function (Page No. - 63)
    7.1 Introduction
    7.2 Soil Amendment
           7.2.1 Biofertilizers
           7.2.2 Biostimulants
    7.3 Crop Protection
           7.3.1 Bioinsecticides
           7.3.2 Biofungicides
           7.3.3 Bioherbicides
           7.3.4 Bionematicides
           7.3.5 Others

8 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Crop Type (Page No. - 73)
    8.1 Introduction
    8.2 Cereals & Grains
    8.3 Oilseeds & Pulses
    8.4 Fruits & Vegetables
    8.5 Others

9 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Mode of Application (Page No. - 80)
    9.1 Introduction
    9.2 Foliar Spray
    9.3 Soil Treatment
    9.4 Seed Treatment
    9.5 Post-Harvest

10 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Formulation (Page No. - 87)
     10.1 Introduction
     10.2 Dry
             10.2.1 Dry Granules
             10.2.2 Water-Dispersible Granules
             10.2.3 Wettable Powders
     10.3 Liquid
             10.3.1 Emulsifiable Concentrate
             10.3.2 Suspension Concentrate
             10.3.3 Soluble Liquid Concentrate

11 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Region (Page No. - 92)
     11.1 Introduction
     11.2 North America
             11.2.1 US
             11.2.2 Canada
             11.2.3 Mexico
     11.3 Europe
             11.3.1 Spain
             11.3.2 France
             11.3.3 Germany
             11.3.4 Italy
             11.3.5 UK
             11.3.6 Rest of Europe
     11.4 Asia Pacific
             11.4.1 Australia
             11.4.2 China
             11.4.3 India
             11.4.4 Japan
             11.4.5 Rest of Asia Pacific
     11.5 South America
             11.5.1 Argentina
             11.5.2 Brazil
             11.5.3 Rest of South America
     11.6 Rest of the World (RoW)
             11.6.1 South Africa
             11.6.2 Others in RoW

12 Competitive Landscape (Page No. - 143)
     12.1 Overview
     12.2 Market Rankings
     12.3 Competitive Scenario
             12.3.1 New Product Launches & Developments
             12.3.2 Agreements, Partnerships, Joint Ventures, and Collaborations
             12.3.3 Expansions & Investments
             12.3.4 Acquisitions

13 Company Profiles (Page No. - 150)
(Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, SWOT Analysis, MnM View)*
     13.1 Bayer AG
     13.2 Syngenta
     13.3 Monsanto Bioag Alliance
     13.4 BASF SE
     13.5 Dowdupont
     13.6 Certis USA LLC
     13.7 Marrone Bio Innovations
     13.8 Valent Biosciences LLC
     13.9 Arysta Lifescience Corporation
     13.10 Koppert B.V.
     13.11 Bioworks, Inc.
     13.12 Isagro S.P.A.

“ * The companies listed are a representative sample of the market’s ecosystem and in no particular order”

*Details on Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, SWOT Analysis, MnM View Might Not Be Captured in Case of Unlisted Companies.

14 Appendix (Page No. - 183)
     14.1 Knowledge Store: Marketsandmarkets’ Subscription Portal
     14.2 Introducing RT: Real-Time Market Intelligence
     14.3 Available Customizations
     14.4 Related Reports
     14.5 Author Details

List of Tables (112 Tables)

Table 1 USD Exchange Rate, 2014–2017
Table 2 Agrochemical Industry R&D Expenditure, By Sector, 2014 vs 2019 (USD Million)
Table 3 Regulatory Authorities for Agricultural Biologicals in Each Country
Table 4 Cibrc Guidelines/Data Requirements for Registration of Biopesticides
Table 5 Biopesticides Registered in China, 2016
Table 6 Bacteria: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Subtype, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 7 Bacteria: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 8 Fungi: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Subtype, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 9 Fungi: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 10 Viruses: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 11 Protozoa: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 12 Soil Amendment: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Product, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 13 Soil Amendment: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 14 Biofertilizers: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 15 Biostimulants: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 16 Crop Protection: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Product, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 17 Crop Protection: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 18 Bioinsecticides: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 19 Biofungicides: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 20 Bioherbicides: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 21 Bionematicides: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 22 Other Crop Protection: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 23 Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 24 Cereals & Grains: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 25 Oilseeds & Pulses: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 26 Fruits & Vegetables: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 27 Other Crop Types: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 28 Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 29 Foliar Spray: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 30 Soil Treatment: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 31 Seed Treatment: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 32 Post-Harvest: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 33 Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 34 Dry Formulation: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 35 Liquid Formulation: Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 36 Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 37 North America: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 38 North America: Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 39 North America: Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 40 North America: Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 41 North America: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 42 North America: Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 43 US: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 44 US: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 45 Canada: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 46 Canada: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 47 Mexico: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 48 Mexico: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 49 Europe: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 50 Europe: Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 51 Europe: Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 52 Europe: Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 53 Europe: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 54 Europe: Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 55 Spain: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 56 Spain: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 57 France: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 58 France: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 59 Germany: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 60 Germany: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 61 Italy: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 62 Italy: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 63 UK: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 64 UK: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 65 Rest of Europe: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 66 Rest of Europe: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 67 Key Crops Cultivated, By Country, 2016
Table 68 Asia Pacific: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 69 Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 70 Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 71 Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 72 Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 73 Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 74 Australia: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 75 Australia: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 76 List of Microbial Pesticides Registered in China
Table 77 China: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 78 China: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 79 List of Microbial Pesticides Registered in India
Table 80 India: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 81 India: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 82 Japan: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 83 Japan: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 84 Rest of Asia Pacific: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 85 Rest of Asia Pacific: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 86 South America: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 87 South America: Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 88 South America: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 89 South America: Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 90 South America: Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 91 South America: Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 92 List of Microbial Pesticides Registered in Argentina
Table 93 Argentina: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 94 Argentina: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 95 Brazil: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 96 Brazil: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 97 Rest of South America: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 98 Rest of South America: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 99 RoW: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 100 RoW: Market Size, By Crop Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 101 RoW: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 102 RoW: Market Size, By Mode of Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 103 RoW: Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 104 RoW: Market Size, By Formulation, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 105 South Africa: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 106 South Africa: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 107 Others in RoW: Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 108 Others in RoW: Market Size, By Function, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 109 New Product Launches & Developments, 2015–2017
Table 110 Agreements, Partnerships, Joint Ventures, and Collaborations, 2013–2017
Table 111 Expansions & Investments, 2013–2017
Table 112 Acquisitions, 2014–2017

List of Figures (39 Figures)

Figure 1 Market Segmentation
Figure 2 Regional Segmentation
Figure 3 Research Design
Figure 4 Breakdown of Primary Interviews: By Company Type, Designation, and Region
Figure 5 Market Size Estimation Methodology: Bottom-Up Approach
Figure 6 Market Size Estimation Methodology: Top-Down Approach
Figure 7 Data Triangulation Methodology
Figure 8 Research Assumptions
Figure 9 Research Limitations
Figure 10 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Crop Type, 2017 vs 2022
Figure 11 Market, By Mode of Application, 2017 vs 2022
Figure 12 Market, By Formulation, 2017 vs 2022
Figure 13 Regional Snapshot
Figure 14 Need to Mitigate the Risk of Chemical Pesticides to Drive the Market Growth
Figure 15 Crop Protection Dominated Across All Regions, 2016
Figure 16 Strong Demand for Microbial Products From Fruit & Vegetable Growers in 2016
Figure 17 North America Dominated the Bacteria & Fungi Segments in 2016
Figure 18 US and Brazil Were Important Markets for Agricultural Microbials, 2016
Figure 19 Increased Production of Fruits & Vegetables
Figure 20 Agricultural Microbials Market: Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges
Figure 21 Distribution of Organic Agricultural Land, By Region, 2015 (Million Hectares)
Figure 22 Global Growth of Organic Land, 1999–2015 (Million Hectares)
Figure 23 Agricultural Microbials Market, By Type, 2017 vs 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 24 Crop Protection Projected to Be the Largest Segment, 2017 vs 2022
Figure 25 Agricultural Microbials Market Size, By Crop Type, 2017 vs 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 26 French Market Projected to Grow at the Highest Rate in the Forecast Period
Figure 27 US Dominated the North American Agricultural Biologicals Market
Figure 28 Asia Pacific Market Snapshot
Figure 29 Bayer AG: Company Snapshot
Figure 30 Bayer AG: SWOT Analysis
Figure 31 Syngenta: Company Snapshot
Figure 32 Syngenta: SWOT Analysis
Figure 33 Monsanto Company: Company Snapshot
Figure 34 Monsanto Bioag Alliance: SWOT Analysis
Figure 35 BASF SE: Company Snapshot
Figure 36 BASF SE: SWOT Analysis
Figure 37 Dowdupont: SWOT Analysis
Figure 38 Marrone Bio Innovations: Company Snapshot
Figure 39 Isagro S.P.A.: Company Snapshot

The agricultural microbials market is estimated at USD 3.09 Billion in 2017, and is projected to reach USD 6.01 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 14.21%. The agricultural and environmental benefits associated with these microbial solutions are the major factors contributing to the growth of this market, globally. In comparison to their chemical counterparts, microbial solutions are very target-specific.

Crop protection is the major function targeted by agricultural input companies. Owing to the increasing ban on chemical pesticides in major countries, there is an immense scope and an increasing demand for the development of agricultural microbials. The reduced development cost and time associated with microbial pesticides, reduction in the availability of chemical or synthetic active ingredients, and increase in pest resistance to several chemical pesticides is pushing the market growth toward microbial crop protection.

The agricultural microbials market, based on type, has been segmented into bacteria, fungi, virus, and protozoa. The application of bacteria in agriculture has increased in terms of biofertilizers and biopesticides, as these provide higher and healthy yields in a sustainable manner. Bacterial strains are easily available in the surrounding environment and can be isolated and reproduced. The application of bacterial strains in agriculture is expected to increase with the entry of agrochemical players and a rise in the number of product launches.

Fruits & vegetables are mostly eaten without industrial processing; the concerns regarding pesticide residue is higher in such crops as compared to that in other crop types that are not consumed in their raw form. Thus, agricultural microbials are most prominently used in the production of fruits & vegetables. Thus, the market for the use of agricultural microbials in fruit & vegetable cultivation is estimated to dominate the global market in 2017.

Microbials can be applied in a number of ways, of which foliar spray is the most widely accepted application mode across the globe. However, precision targeting and application advantages associated with seed treatment have been gaining importance in recent times for microbials across the globe. Controlled-release is another technology being explored by research institutions and key players to enhance integrated pest management and the sustainability of their products.

The agricultural microbials market, in terms of formulation, was dominated by the liquid segment. The convenience in use, handling, and application of liquid microbial products are the major reasons that support the acceptance of these products among farmers. However, manufacturers have been developing a number of dry microbial products for crop protection, owing to which the segment is projected to grow at a higher rate in the coming years.

North America is estimated to account for the largest market share in 2017, while Europe is projected to be fastest-growing in the agricultural microbials market over the next five years. Agricultural microbials are expected to be a potential substitute for synthetic pesticides in Europe, due to the growing regulations on chemical usage and maximum residue limit. The ban on the use of neonicotinoids, glyphosate, and paraquat is expected to drive the growth of the European agricultural microbials industry.

The major factors restraining the growth of agricultural microbials are the shorter shelf life, field persistence, and storage conditions of microbial pesticides. Microbial solutions have a shorter shelf life of 6–24 months in comparison to conventional pesticides, which can last for 2–4 years.

The global market for agricultural microbials is dominated by large players such as BASF (Germany), Bayer (Germany), Monsanto BioAg (US), BioWorks (US), DowDuPont (US), Syngenta (Switzerland), and Certis (US). Some emerging players in the global market include Marrone Bio Innovations (US), Koppert (Netherlands), Arysta LifeScience (US), Valent BioSciences (US), and Isagro (Italy).

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