Oxfordshire-based agri-tech firm SugaROx has published new research showing that while awareness of biostimulants among UK wheat growers is high, confidence in their performance remains low. The company says stronger regulation is essential to build farmer trust.
The survey of UK wheat growers found that 95 per cent see weather variability as a major challenge to crop production. With dry spells and heatwaves increasingly disrupting crop cycles and affecting yield and grain quality, farmers are under growing pressure to find new tools that improve resilience to climate change.
The research explores UK farmers’ experiences, perceptions, and adoption of biostimulants. It shows that while 88 per cent of farmers are aware of biostimulants, only 44 per cent have tried them, and most remain in the trial stage rather than fully integrating them into spray programmes.
SugaROx, a spin-out from Oxford University and Rothamsted Research, is developing single-molecule biostimulants with clear modes of action. Field trials show its lead molecule, a modified version of the plant sugar trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), has potential to boost yields by to 20 per cent.
The study is part of an Innovate UK-funded project aimed at accelerating the development of SugaROx’s wheat biostimulant in the UK and was conducted by research agency, Grounded Research.
Headline findings from the research include:
- Most farmers reported learning about biostimulants through the farming press (32 per cent) and agricultural events (23 per cent), with only 18 per cent first hearing from agronomists.
- Most farmers associated improved nutrient uptake (86 per cent), root growth (84 per cent), stress tolerance (80 per cent), and yield boost (71 per cent) as functions of biostimulants, but 42 per cent still view them as fertilisers and 24 per cent as pesticides.
- Among farmers who have tried biostimulants, the top benefits observed were resilience against abiotic stress (2.09 out of five), yield gains (2.00) and better nutrient-use efficiency (1.88). Half of farmers expect to use more biostimulants in the next five years.
- Cost-effectiveness is a major barrier for adoption (4.37 out of 5), followed by unproven performance (4.19) and lack of trusted information (4.19) – and the latter was the most widely mentioned barrier for adoption (34 per cent).
- A third of respondents said limited independent evidence is holding them back. As one farmer noted: “Independent trials don’t show anywhere near the advantage manufacturers claim.” Another added: “What’s still holding me back is the lack of clear guidance on which products work best for my crop conditions.”
Commenting on the findings, Clare Otridge, market research consultant at Grounded Research, said: “Resilience to climate change and sustainability are key drivers for biostimulant adoption in the UK. But with farm margins being so tight, yield and profitability gains remain central to farmers’ decision-making.
“The findings indicate a significant growth opportunity within the biostimulant market. While most farmers have limited or trial-only experience, there is clear evidence of growing interest and experimentation across the sector. Many have tested biostimulants but have yet to adopt them consistently, suggesting an openness to innovation coupled with a need for greater confidence in proven results. Over 75 per cent said they would consider products outside their normal spray plan if the advantage was evident.”
Bianca Forte, business development director at SugaROx, added: “Manufacturers have limited understanding of the modes of action within biostimulants, so agronomists struggle to position them. This results in modest yield boosts around 2 per cent.”
“At the moment, biostimulants are also unregulated in the UK. Defra has been considering adopting a certification framework like the EU’s Fertilising Products Regulation (2019/1009), which requires proof of product safety, composition, and efficacy. If Defra moves ahead with this framework to certify performance claims, it will build farmer confidence and accelerate the adoption of products which truly improve the resilience of UK farming to climate change.”
The study was delivered through an online quantitative survey via Grounded Research’s Five Bar Gate farmer panel and supplemented by SugaROx’s stakeholder network, reaching a sample of 211 UK wheat farmers.
Fieldwork ran from 30 April to 30 June 2025. Questions explored awareness, definitions, usage, timing, observed benefits, price sensitivity, purchase channels, and outlook.
About SugaROx
SugaROx is a UK-based agri-tech company at the forefront of crop innovation, developing biostimulant technologies that improve yields and resilience to climate change, whilst reducing the carbon footprint of food production. As a spin-out from Rothamsted Research and the University of Oxford, SugaROx brings together world-class science in plants science and organic chemistry to develop solutions to help farmers meet the increasing demands of global food production.
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