Application Of Biostimulants Research Articles

Responses of Water and Fertilizer Utilization Efficiency and Yield of Cotton to Foliar Biostimulant under Irrigation with Magnetic–Electric-Activated Water

The foliar application of biostimulants at specific concentrations under magnetic–electric water irrigation has a positive effect on water and fertilizer use efficiency and yield of cotton, which is crucial for green and sustainable agricultural development. As a new type of fertilizer, biostimulants have demonstrated remarkable effects in improving crop yield and quality by enhancing nutrient uptake, promoting plant growth, and increasing resilience to environmental stress. In this study, the effects of magnetic–electric-activated water irrigation and foliar biostimulant application on cotton growth and yield were investigated, with the aim of understanding the underlying mechanisms. The field experiment included various irrigation treatments (brackish water, fresh water, magnetic–electric brackish water, and magnetic–electric fresh water) and biostimulant concentrations (1600, 1200, 800, 400 times dilution, and no spraying). SEM analysis indicated that under magnetoelectric water irrigation, the foliar application of biostimulants enhances physiological growth of cotton, improving the water and nutrient uptake efficiency, and thereby increasing yield. Specifically, the effective boll number and single boll weight under magnetic–electric fresh water irrigation with an 800 times biostimulant concentration increased by 21.84–48.78% and 5.50–18.91%, respectively, compared to the no-spraying treatment. The seed cotton yield rose by 16.61–38.63%, water-use efficiency improved by 24.35%, the harvest index reached 0.33, and nitrogen absorption increased by 76.21%. Thus, integrating magnetic–electric water irrigation with foliar biostimulants offers a theoretical and technical foundation for advancing green, high-quality agriculture and sustainable production.

Biostimulants Enhance the Nutritional Quality of Soilless Greenhouse Tomatoes.

The application of biostimulants in vegetable cultivation has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the nutritional quality of crops, particularly in controlled environment agriculture and soilless culture systems. In this study, we employed a rigorous methodology, applying various biostimulants amino acids, Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), fulvic acid, chitosan, and vermicompost along with mineral fertilizers, both foliar and via the roots, to soilless greenhouse tomatoes during spring cultivation. The experiment, conducted in a coir pith medium using the 'Samyeli F1' tomato cultivar, demonstrated that plants treated with biostimulants performed better than control plants. Notable variations in nutritional components were observed across treatments. PGPR had the best effects on the physical properties of the tomato fruit, showing the highest fruit weight, fruit length, equatorial diameter, fruit volume, fruit skin elasticity, and fruit flesh hardness while maintaining high color parameters L, a, and b. PGPR and fulvic acid demonstrated significant enhancements in total phenolics and flavonoids, suggesting potential boosts in antioxidant properties. Amioacid and vermicompost notably elevated total soluble solids, indicating potential fruit sweetness and overall taste improvements. On the other hand, vermicompost stood out for its ability to elevate total phenolics and flavonoids while enhancing vitamin C content, indicating a comprehensive enhancement of nutritional quality. In addition, vermicompost had the most significant impact on plant growth parameters and total yield, achieving a 43% increase over the control with a total yield of 10.39 kg/m2. These findings underline the specific nutritional benefits of different biostimulants, offering valuable insights for optimizing tomato cultivation practices to yield produce with enhanced health-promoting properties.

Synergistic effect of compost and moringa leaf extract biostimulants on the remediation of gold mine tailings using chrysopogon zizanioides

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for restoring degraded land. However, optimizing phytoremediation conditions and using locally sourced materials can further improve the sustainability of this approach. A 3×2×2 factorial design was used in determining the optimal parameters in the remediation of gold mine tailings using vetiver grass. The treatments consisted of three compost concentrations (0 %, 30 % and 60 %), two biostimulant types (laboratory-extracted and commercial biostimulants) and two application regimens (once and twice a week) in a randomized complete block design. The biomass and metal concentrations in the vetiver grass were measured after 16 weeks. All the vetiver that was planted in 0 % compost amendment died within four weeks regardless the MLE treatment. There was no significant difference in vetiver biomass between vetiver grown in 30 % and that grown in 60 % compost amendment. Biostimulant application frequency led to no significant differences. A difference on vetiver biomass due to the type of moringa leaf extract was eminent, with laboratory moringa leaf extract resulting in significantly higher biomass in vetiver grown on 60 % compost yet the commercial moringa leaf extract producing significantly higher vetiver biomass on vetiver grown on 30 % compost amendment. These findings suggest that the optimal combination for field study would be 30 % compost amendment with commercial biostimulant for a more cost-effective option.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Humic Substances-Based Product for Lettuce Growth and Nitrogen Use Efficiency under Low Nitrogen Conditions

Increasing crop yield with low-N supplies has become one of the main aims of current agriculture to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. A sustainable strategy to improve crop productivity, N assimilation, and N Use Efficiency (NUE) under limit-N growth conditions is the application of biostimulants, such as humic substances (HS). Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of an HS-based biostimulant, BLACKJAK®, in improving lettuce growth and NUE under N-deficit conditions. Thus, BLACKJAK® was applied radicularly (R) and foliarly (F) at the following doses: R-HS 0.40 mL/L, R-HS 0.60 mL/L, F-HS 7.50 mL/L, and F-HS 10.00 mL/L. Three N levels were applied: optimal (7 mM) and N-deficit (3 mM and 1 mM). The results showed that shoot dry weight (DW) was reduced at 3 mM N (−32%) and 1 mM N (−42%). However, R and F BLACKJAK® enhanced plant growth at all three N levels, especially with F-HS at 10.00 mL/L, which showed an increase of 43% in shoot DW at 3 and 1 mM N, compared to plants not treated with HS. BLAKCJAK® also improved photosynthesis, NO3− and organic N accumulation, the activity of N assimilation enzymes, and the concentration of amino acids and proteins, regardless of the N level. In addition, HS enhanced NUE parameters under all N conditions, except for R-HS 0.60 mL/L at 1 mM N. Hence, our study suggests that the HS-based product BLACKJAK® could be a good candidate for reducing chemical fertilizer use and improving lettuce growth and NUE under low N conditions, although further research is required.

Microbial biofertilizers and algae-based biostimulant affect fruit yield characteristics of organic processing tomato.

Microbial biofertilizers and algae-based biostimulants have been recognized for supporting sustainable agriculture. Field experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 growing seasons in an organic farm located in Ferrara (Italy) with the aim of evaluating plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) and algae-based biostimulants (Biost) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The experimental treatments were: (i) two microbial biofertilizers (PGPM_1, PGPM_2) and no inoculated plants (No_PGPM); and (ii) two algae-based biostimulant rates (0.5% (Biost_0.5%), 1.0% (Biost_1.0%)) and no application (No_Biost). PGPMs were applied at transplanting, while biostimulants at 15 and 30 days after transplanting. Treatments were replicated three times according to a split-plot experimental design. Plant characteristics were evaluated at 30 days after transplanting in No_Biost treatments. During tomato cultivation, soil plant analysis development (SPAD), nitrogen difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI) and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were monitored. Tomato yield was determined. PGPM_2 showed the highest shoot biomass (132.9 g plant-1), plant height (44.7 cm), leaf number (34.0 plant-1) and root biomass (9.22 g plant-1). Intermediate values were observed in PGPM_1, while all parameters were lower in No_PGPM. Both PGPMs achieved higher values of SPAD, NDVI, PPFD and LAI than No_PGPM. Biost_1.0% increased all measured growth parameters followed by Biost_0.5% and No_Biost, respectively. Tomato yield was the highest for PGPM_2-Biost_1.0% (67.2 t ha-1). PGPMs affected fruit size and sugar content, while biostimulants were associated with color and lycopene. The application of microbial biofertilizers and algae-based biostimulants could be part of environment-friendly practice in organic farming. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Response of Purslane Plants Grown under Salinity Stress and Biostimulant Formulations.

Purslane has been suggested as an alternative crop suitable for human consumption due to its high content of minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and several health-beneficial compounds. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of salinity stress (tap water (control), 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10,000 mg L-1), biostimulant application (putrescine and salicylic acid at 200 mg L-1), and the combination of the tested factors (i.e., salinity × biostimulant application) on the growth and chemical composition of purslane plants (Portulaca oleracea L.) over two growing seasons (2022 and 2023). Irrigation with tap water and putrescine application resulted in the highest plant height, weight of aboveground and underground parts, and number of shoots per plant. In contrast, the lowest values of growing parameters were recorded under severe saline stress (10,000 mg L-1), especially for the plants that were not treated with biostimulants. The same trends were observed for macronutrients (N, P, K), total carbohydrates, total chlorophylls, and vitamin C content in leaves. Moreover, nitrate and proline content was higher in plants grown under salinity stress, especially under severe stress (8000-10,000 mg L-1) without biostimulant application. In general, the application of biostimulants mitigated the negative impact of salinity on plant growth and leaf chemical composition, while the effect of putrescine on the tested parameters was more beneficial than that of salicylic acid. In conclusion, this study provides useful information regarding the use of putrescine and salicylic acid as biostimulatory agents with the aim of increasing purslane growth under salinity conditions.

Boosting cherry tomato yield, quality, and mineral profile through the application of a plant-derived biostimulant

The present experiment addressed the effects of a plant-derived biostimulant (PDB, Bioup® TF) on fruit quality and composition of two greenhouse cherry tomato cultivars (Caravaggio and Creativo) grown during the autumn-winter. The biostimulant application enhanced the marketable fruit yield up to 1.148 g m−2 of ‘Creativo’ (+16 %) and increased the fruit dry matter, firmness, and chroma (C*), particularly of ‘Caravaggio’ (by 23, 12, and 11 %, respectively). ‘Caravaggio’ also showed the strongest increase in total polyphenols (+26 %) and carotenoid contents (+50 %) in response to the treatment. This trend paralleled the strongest rise of the in vitro antioxidant activity of its fruit extracts, as revealed by the DPPH and FRAP assays. Moreover, the biostimulant treatment resulted in higher concentrations of 10 among 12 minerals analyzed in fresh fruit. This effect was particularly relevant for calcium, manganese, and copper, whereas ‘Caravaggio’ proved the strongest rise for potassium, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. Interestingly, the biostimulant application did not promote or even reduced the concentration of nickel in fresh ‘Caravaggio’ and ‘Creativo’ (-38 %) fruit, respectively. This suggests that the integration of PDBs in the framework of agronomic strategies could assist in producing Ni-poor tomatoes while increasing, at the same time, their levels in health-promoting minerals.

Life Cycle Assessment of Microalgal Biomass Valorization from a Wastewater Treatment Process

Abstract Purpose The life cycle assessment (LCA) performed in this work evaluates the potential environmental impacts of an activated-sludge-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) coupled with microalgal cultivation, including the algal biomass recovery. The system is compared with the WWTP without algal integration to evaluate the potential benefits derived by the coupling. In addition to more conventional valorization strategies for the algal biomass, a special focus is given to the production of biostimulants, that give the chance to replace some chemical fertilizers. Method Four scenarios are compared. They differ in the algal biomass valorization route: direct use in agriculture (S1), incineration with energy recovery (S2), use in cement plant as an auxiliary fuel (S3), and biostimulants production and use on crops (S4). The environmental impacts of the system are assessed including 16 categories, to comprehensively cover its potential impacts. Results S4 allows for significant impact reductions (compared to the WWTP without algal integration) only when the increase of the nutrient-uptake efficiency of crops is taken into account. Assuming a 5% reduction of fertilizers application, S4 shows an improvement in 14 out of the 16 impact categories. Conversely, when the amount of substituted fertilizers is calculated comparing just the macronutrient content of biostimulants with that of algae, S4 is comparable with S1, S2, and S3, where just four to five impact categories show lower impacts than the WWTP without algal integration. Conclusions The LCA confirms the environmental benefits of biostimulants application on crops, although the modeling approach requires further research as it strongly influences the results.

The use of biostimulants as a key to sustainable hydroponic lettuce farming under saline water stress

BackroundThe utilization of high-quality water in agriculture is increasingly constrained by climate change, affecting availability, quality, and distribution due to altered precipitation patterns, increased evaporation, extreme weather events, and rising salinity levels. Salinity significantly challenges salt-sensitive vegetables like lettuce, particularly in a greenhouse. Hydroponics water quality ensures nutrient solution stability, enhances nutrient uptake, prevents contamination, regulates pH and electrical conductivity, and maintains system components. This study aimed to mitigate salt-induced damage in lettuce grown via the floating culture method under 50 mM NaCl salinity by applying biostimulants.ResultsWe examined lettuce’s physiological, biochemical, and agronomical responses to salt stress after applying biostimulants such as amino acids, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), fulvic acid, and chitosan. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with a randomized complete block design, and each treatment was replicated four times. Biostimulant applications alleviated salt’s detrimental effects on plant weight, height, leaf number, and leaf area. Yield increases under 50 mM NaCl were 75%, 51%, 31%, 34%, and 33% using vermicompost, PGPR, fulvic acid, amino acid, and chitosan, respectively. Biostimulants improved stomatal conductance (58–189%), chlorophyll content (4–10%), nutrient uptake (15–109%), and water status (9–107%). They also reduced MDA content by 26–42%. PGPR (1.0 ml L‒1), vermicompost (2 ml L‒1), and fulvic acid (40 mg L‒1) were particularly effective, enhancing growth, yield, phenol, and mineral content while reducing nitrate levels under saline conditions.ConclusionsBiostimulants activated antioxidative defense systems, offering a sustainable, cost-effective solution for mitigating salt stress in hydroponic lettuce cultivation.

The Effect of Organic and Amino Acid Biostimulants on Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’ Cultivation: Evaluation of Growth, Metabolism, and Kiwifruit Postharvest Performance

The commercial value of kiwifruit is determined mostly by its nutritional composition and antioxidant content. The enrichment of these traits in an era where climate change affects kiwi growth conditions is worth investigating via the application of biostimulants that enhance plant growth. In this work, we evaluated the effects of three commercial biostimulants on the metabolism and growth characteristics of the Actinidia deliciosa cultivar ‘Hayward’: (I) a humic and fulvic-based biostimulant, (II) a glycine–betaine–proline-based biostimulant, and (III) a vegetal amino acid-based biostimulant. A biostimulant-free treatment was used as a control. In the two-year experiment (2022 and 2023), the growth characteristics of kiwi trees were measured, such as stem length, the number of leaves, leaf area, and fresh and dry biomass at the end of each growing season. The leaves’ total chlorophyll, total phenolics, and proline content were detected during the two seasons in order to obtain more insights into plant metabolism. Κiwifruit qualities and antioxidant traits, such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness, fresh and dry biomass, DPPH, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), were recorded during the postharvest life for each season. Data analysis illustrated the beneficial impact of some biostimulants on several of the previously mentioned parameters, such as antioxidant kiwifruit traits, especially in the case of glycine–betaine–proline-based acid-based biostimulants.

Hydrolysates from cauliflower and artichoke industrial wastes as biostimulants on seed germination and seedling growth: a chemical and biological characterization.

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) and globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) are vegetables with a high waste index mainly related to stems and leaves. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysates obtained from these wastes were proposed to be used as plant biostimulants. Life cycle assessment methodology was also applied to evaluate environmental performances related to cauliflower and artichoke byproducts. Hydrolysates (HYs) were chemically and biologically characterized. Amino acids, organic acids, amines, polyols, mineral elements, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and sulfur compounds were identified and quantified by means of NMR, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and UV-visible analyses. Cauliflower leaf and flower HYs showed the highest concentration of free amino acids, whereas stems showed the highest concentration of Ca. Regarding artichoke, asparagine, glutamine and aspartic acid were exclusively detected in stems, whereas artichoke leaves showed the highest Mg and Mn levels together with the highest antioxidant activity. The HYs diluted in water were tested as biostimulants. The impacts of five concentrations of HYs (0.00, 0.28, 0.84, 2.52 and 7.56 g L-1) on seed germination and early seedling growth of crimson clover, alfalfa, durum wheat and corn were investigated. The application of artichoke biostimulant (0.28 g L-1) positively influenced the coefficient of velocity of germination in alfalfa, crimson clover and durum wheat, whereas cauliflower biostimulant significantly improved corn germination speed. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Use of biostimulants for water stress mitigation in two durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes with different drought tolerance

Agriculture is facing complex and unprecedented challenges, such as climate change and global population growth, associated with the increase of food demand. Durum wheat (DW) is a strategic crop for food security in the Mediterranean region. In this work, the effect of two biostimulant compounds on drought response of two DW genotypes with different drought tolerance degree was evaluated: the tolerant genotype Svems16 and the sensitive cv. Iride. Genotyping-By-Sequencing analysis allowed to identify variants in response to water-related genes, such as those encoding dehydrins, with Svems16 exhibiting a missense variant divergent from the sequence found in Iride. Drought significantly hindered growth of cv. Iride by increasing oxidative stress and diminishing stomata density. This difficulty was mitigated by the application of biostimulants, which induced root morphological changes, and increased stomata density. On the other hand, the growth of Svems16 seedlings was not significantly affected by drought, confirming its significant degree of tolerance toward that stress compared with Iride. As a result, both biostimulants showed limited efficacy when applied to Svems16 stressed plants. In conclusion, the application of biostimulants emerges as a valuable agronomic strategy for mitigating drought stress in sensitive DW cultivars.

The Mitigating Effects of Biostimulant Amendments on the Response of Purslane Plants Grown under Drought Stress Conditions

Portulaca oleracea L. is a wild edible plant with high potential for exploitation in commercial cropping systems due to its nutritional value and great adaptability to abiotic stress conditions. The present study aimed to investigate the response of purslane plants grown under drought stress conditions (100%, 80%, and 60% of field capacity (FC)) and the implementation of biostimulant amendments (control without amendment, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), mycorrhiza, and effective microorganisms (EMs)) for two consecutive years. In the two-year experiment, the greatest height was recorded in plants grown under no-stress conditions and inoculated with PGPR. The highest branch number, and fresh and dry weight of aboveground and underground parts were observed under no-stress conditions at the mycorrhiza treatment. Moreover, mycorrhiza application in plants growing under 100% FC resulted in the highest N, P, total carbohydrates, and vitamin C and the lowest nitrate and proline contents in leaves. Purslane plants grown under 100% FC and inoculated with PGPR treatment resulted in the highest K and total chlorophyll leaf contents. Additionally, growing plants under mild drought stress (80% FC) combined with biostimulant application (e.g., inoculation with mycorrhiza, PGPR, and EM) may improve plant growth characteristics and mitigate negative stress effects. In general, the applied biostimulant amendments alleviated the adverse effects of drought on plant growth and leaf chemical composition indicating the importance of sustainable strategies to achieve high yield and sufficient quality within the climate change scenario.

The Effect of the Foliar Application of Biostimulants in a Strawberry Field Plantation on the Yield and Quality of Fruit, and on the Content of Health-Beneficial Substances

In modern horticulture, biostimulants can be an effective alternative to traditional, industrial means of production. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of three biostimulants (Calgreen, Erathis, Greit VG) containing selected macronutrients (N, Ca), organic matter, and amino acids on the yield and quality of strawberries and their content of health-beneficial substances. In the comparative variant, the plants were treated with mineral fertilisers applied into the soil. In 2021, an experiment was conducted on a two-year-old strawberry plantation of the ‘Rumba’ cultivar located on a horticultural farm in northwestern Poland. The following parameters were assessed: the yield, weight, and firmness of fruits as well as their content of soluble substances, sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, and anthocyanins. The use of biostimulants caused a decrease in soil acidity and salinity. In comparison with the soil fertilisation variant, the number of flowers and fruits on the plants increased by 50% to over 100%, which translated into a significant increase in the yield. The fruits from the plants treated with the biostimulants several times were of better quality. Their average weight, firmness, and the content of soluble substances (also after being stored for several days) increased significantly. However, the total content of sugars and ascorbic and malic acids, as well as the content of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, did not change.

Revealing the Complex Interplay of Biostimulant Applications.

Some biostimulant products provide proven benefits to plant production, potentially offering more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and natural inputs into production systems. However, the transference and predictability of known benefits between different growth environments, application protocols, and management systems are fraught with difficulty. In this study, we carried out carefully controlled glasshouse and in vitro assays with applications of humic acids, protein hydrolysates, and seaweed extract to compare the variability of biostimulant effects and dosage-dependent variations across diverse conditions, encompassing a sufficient range to comprehensively assess their full spectrum of impacts. The results demonstrated a clear trend of dosage-dependent effects with each biostimulant exhibiting a significant growth-promoting effect within a critical concentration range, but detrimental effects when the concentration fell outside this range. While substantial growth-promoting effects were observed under glasshouse conditions, biostimulant applications tended to be more sensitive and generally led to negative impacts in sterilised conditions. The combined use of biostimulants mostly resulted in detrimental and toxicological responses with only two combined treatments showing marginal synergistic effects. The findings demonstrated a complex interplay between biostimulants and the growth conditions of plants. Lack of knowledge of the indirect effects of different growth media may result in negative impacts of biostimulant applications and combinations of products outside narrow critical concentration ranges.

The combination of a microbial and a non-microbial biostimulant increases yield in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under salt stress conditions by up-regulating cytokinin biosynthesis.

Salinization poses a significant challenge in agriculture, exacerbated by anthropogenic global warming. Biostimulants, derived from living microorganisms or natural extracts, have emerged as valuable tools for conventional and organic agriculture. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of biostimulants is very limited, especially in crops under real cultivation conditions. In this study, we adopted an integrative approach to investigate the effectiveness of the combined application of plant growth-promoting bacterium (Bacillus megaterium strain BM08) and a non-microbial biostimulant under control conditions (normal watering) and salt stress. After confirming the yield increase under both conditions, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed effect by measuring a number of physiological parameters (i.e., lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, chlorophylls, total phenolics and phytohormone content), as well as RNA sequencing and primary metabolite analyses. Our findings reveal that the combined effect of the microbial and non-microbial biostimulants led to a decrease in the antioxidant response and an up-regulation of genes involved in cytokinin biosynthesis under salt stress conditions. This, in turn, resulted in a higher concentration of the bioactive cytokinin, isopentenyladenosine, in roots and leaves and an increase in γ-aminobutyric acid, a non-proteic amino acid related to abiotic stress responses. In addition, we observed a decrease in malic acid, along with an abscisic acid (ABA)-independent up-regulation of SR-kinases, a family of protein kinases associated with abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, we observed that the single application of the non-microbial biostimulant triggers an ABA-dependent response under salt stress; however, when combined with the microbial biostimulant, it potentiated the mechanisms triggered by the BM08 bacterial strain. This comprehensive investigation shows that the combination of two biostimulants is able to elicit a cytokinin-dependent response that may explain the observed yield increase under salt stress conditions.

Application of biostimulants in agriculture: Effects on plant growth and yield

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of biostimulants, such as humic acid preparation, Seaweed algae extract and microbial preparation BaikalEM, on plant growth and yield. The impact of biostimulants on plant development and crop yields was studied on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and maize (Zea mays). To achieve this goal, field studies were conducted to compare different biostimulants in terms of germination and yield (total crop weight, weight of a single fruit, sugar, starch and protein content). The study was conducted in April-August 2023 in the Sumy district of the Sumy region. Standard agronomic methods, including soil cultivation, measurement of plant growth and yield parameters, and statistical processing of the data were used in the study. The results showed that humic acids and algae extract, when applied separately, provided the highest seed germination and yield. Among all the variants of combined application, the most significant increase in germination rates for beetroot was provided by treatment with a combination of Seaweed and Baikal-EM – 91.7%. For maize, Seaweed with humic acids and Seaweed with Baikal-EM are 92% each. The combination of Seaweed and humic acids had the best effect on the yield of both crops: 460.9 c/ha for beetroot (compared to 325 c/ha without treatment) and 61 c/ha for corn (41.5 c/ha without treatment). The microbial preparation Baikal also demonstrated a positive effect, but its results were lower, and it proved effective in combination with humic acids. The results obtained indicate the feasibility of using humic acids and algae extract to increase plant productivity, while Baikal can be useful for improving the general condition of soil and plants in combination with other fertilisers

Seaweed Extract and Microbial Biostimulants Show Synergistic Effects on Improving Organic Strawberry Production

The application of seaweed extract and microbial biostimulants has been suggested as a promising approach to overcome yield-limiting factors in organic farming. Yet, information regarding their impact on organic strawberry production is limited. This 2-year field study evaluated the effect of seaweed extract and microbial biostimulants and their synergistic effects on strawberry plant growth, nutrient uptake, fruit yield, and quality under organic production. The biostimulant effects were compared on two strawberry cultivars: Sweet Sensation® Florida127 and Florida Brilliance. Over two seasons, the combination of seaweed extract plus microbial biostimulants applied biweekly consistently resulted in a significant increase of whole-season marketable and total strawberry fruit yields by 23% and 20% on average, respectively, compared with the no-biostimulant control. Application of either biostimulant alone did not consistently show positive effects on strawberry productivity. Modified strawberry root system architecture, enhanced N uptake, increased number of crowns, and higher soil respiration were observed in the biostimulant combination treatment in contrast to the no-biostimulant control. The biostimulant impact was not influenced by strawberry cultivar, but genotypic difference in yield performance under organic production was observed. ‘Florida Brilliance’ produced significantly higher total fruit number and yield than ‘Florida127’ by 26% and 12%, respectively, in the first season, and by 34% and 11%, respectively, in the second season. Marketable fruit number (by 18%) and yield (by 9%) of ‘Florida Brilliance’ were also higher in the first season, along with greater marketable fruit number (by 31%) in the second season. In addition, ‘Florida Brilliance’ showed significantly higher values of SPAD index, photosynthetic rate (early harvest), and fruit mineral contents based on dry weight (late harvest) than ‘Florida127’ in both seasons. Although the biostimulant treatments exhibited little influence on the fruit quality attributes including soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC/TA, and total anthocyanin content, varietal differences were observed with significantly higher levels of SSC and lower contents of total anthocyanins in ‘Florida 127’ vs. ‘Florida Brilliance’ during each season. The benefits of combined application of seaweed extract and microbial biostimulants demonstrated in this study suggest the need to further elucidate their synergistic functions in promoting nutrient uptake and fruit yield in organic strawberry production systems under different soil and environmental conditions.

Maximizing the productivity of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) by irrigation regimes and foliar application of biostimulants

Maximizing the productivity of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) by irrigation regimes and foliar application of biostimulants

Response of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata L.) to Varying Tillage Methods and Seaweed Bio-stimulant Application

Response of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata L.) to Varying Tillage Methods and Seaweed Bio-stimulant Application