Seaweed Fertilizer Research Articles

Co-application of polyethylene oxide (PEO), biochar, and seaweed fertilizer improves desert soil properties

Improving water retention, erosion resistance and nutrients in desert areas is essential for ecological sustainability. This study evaluated the effects of biochar, polyethylene oxide (PEO), and seaweed fertilizer on the properties of desert sandy soil, focusing on water retention, erosion resistance, and soil nutrients. The sandy soil used in the study was taken from the Tengger Desert in Gansu, China, and an orthogonal experimental design was used to select three different proportions of biochar, PEO, and seaweed fertilizer. Compared with the control, applying of these three substances decreased bulk density by 5.8–9.6%, increased porosity by 8.3–14%, and increased water-holding capacity by 2.2–6.7%. The erosion rate decreased by more than 99%, and water-stable aggregates increased by 9.7–37.4%. Soil nutrients showed varying degrees of increase, and seed germination increased by 26.7%. The results of the principal component analysis showed that B6P0.6S2 had the best overall improvement effect. Therefore, a ratio of 6% biochar, 0.6% PEO, and 2% seaweed fertilizer is recommended to improve the properties of sandy desert soils. Overall, biochar, PEO, and seaweed fertilizer can improve the physical properties of desert sandy soil, enhance soil nutrients, and create a stable and suitable environment for plant growth.

Investigation of The Alleviating Effect of Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer on Lavandula officinalis under Salt Stress.

Sustainable practices in plant production involve various environmental methods that improve the urban ecosystem by preserving both natural resources and biological diversity. Organic material application against salt stress is one of the most important sustainable practices. The purpose of this study was to explore how various traits of Lavandula officinalis under salt stress were affected by seaweed liquid. To this end, the experiment was performed as a completely randomized experimental design with two factors including four replications under greenhouse conditions. In the experiments, salt concentrations were prepared as control (distilled water), 40mM and 80mM NaCl, and seaweed liquid levels were applied as control (0%) - 0.5%-1%-2% and 4%. L. officinalis was considerably negatively affected by salt stress in terms of its quality, growth, photosynthetic and biochemical traits. According to the results of this empirical research, seaweed liquid application was the alleviating factor in negative effects in all traits resulting from the increase in NaCl concentrations. Seaweed liquid also revealed the highest values of all traits in the absence of salt stress. Photosynthetic and biochemical traits without proline, Relative water content, and chlorophyll a/b declined more than other quality and growth traits with a rise in salt content from 0 to 40mM. Further research will be needed to test the beneficial effects of seaweed liquid on traits of L. officinalis seedlings in outdoor landscaping that includes salty spaces.

Effects of seaweed fertilizer application on crops' yield and quality in field conditions in China-A meta-analysis.

Seaweed fertilizer, formulated primarily with seaweed extract as its main ingredient, has been extensively studied and found to significantly improve nutrient use efficiency, increase crop yield and quality, and enhance soil properties under field conditions. This growing body of evidence shows that seaweed fertilizer is a suitable option for sustainable agriculture in China. However, a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the overall effects of seaweed fertilizer application in China is lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of relevant studies on the effects of seaweed fertilizers under field conditions in China with MetaWin and SPSS software. Our analysis examined the effects of seaweed fertilizers on crop yield, quality, and growth under different preparation methods, application techniques, and regions. Our results showed that the application of seaweed fertilizer led to a significant average increase in crop yield of 15.17% compared with the control treatments. Root & tuber crops exhibited the most pronounced response, with a yield boost of 21.19%. Moreover, seaweed fertilizer application significantly improved crop quality, with elevations in the sugar-acid ratio (38.32%) vitamin C (18.07%), starch (19.65%), and protein (11.45%). In addition, plant growth parameters such as height, stem thickness, root weight, and leaf area showed significant enhancement with seaweed fertilizer use. The yield-increasing effect of seaweed fertilizers varied depending on their preparation and use method, climate, and soil of application location. Our study provides fundamental reference data for the efficient and scientific application of seaweed fertilizers in agricultural practices.

Sustainable Use of Organic Seaweed Fertilizer Improves the Metagenomic Function of Microbial Communities in the Soil of Rice Plants

The frequent use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural practices has developed into a serious environmental concern which urgently needs a solution to restrain their use in agricultural systems. Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate potential organic fertilizers from various natural resources to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers. Seaweed is among the natural resources with potential sustainability value. Our previous work has shown the effectiveness of seaweed fertilizer for increasing plant growth and soil beneficial microbiota. This study aims to evaluate the functional genes present in the soil of rice plants treated with seaweed fertilization. It involves amendments with reduced concentrations of chemical fertilizer in three groups: CF (only chemical fertilizer), CFSF1 (50% dose of CF + seaweed fertilizer 1 ton/ha), and CFSF2 (50% dose of CF + seaweed fertilizer 2 ton/ha). The rice plants supplemented with CFSF1 and CFSF2 were taller and faster to mature compared to CF. In addition, the primary macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were also significantly higher in soil supplemented with SF. Our findings showed increased ammonia-oxidizing archaea Crenarchaeota abundance in increasing SF treatments. The PICRUSt analyses indicated enriched functional genes and proteins in relation to amino acid, nucleotide, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism based on the KEGG, BioCyc, and PFAM databases. The current outcomes enhanced our understanding regarding the importance of microbial community for soil quality. Furthermore, seaweed supplementation has shown improvement in soil fertility, which significantly increases rice plant growth and productivity.

Improvement of Soil Structure and Bacterial Composition by Long-Term Application of Seaweed Fertilizer

Improvement of Soil Structure and Bacterial Composition by Long-Term Application of Seaweed Fertilizer

Lippia citriodora L. bitkisinin bazı agronomik özellikleri ve uçucu yağ içeriğinin artırılması için çeşitli organik gübrelerin araştırılması

Objective: The objective of this was to identify the impact of various organic fertilizers on the yield and quality characteristics of Lippia citriodora L. plants and assess their adaptability under the ecological conditions of Aydın. Furthermore, it was also aimed to provide information on the potential of organic fertilizers to enhance crop productivity by minimizing the employment of chemical fertilizers. Material and Methods: The study was conducted for two years (2018-2019) in Aydın ecological conditions. Six different organic fertilizers and one control were tested in the study, these are microbial fertilizer, animal-based liquid organic fertilizer, solid seaweed fertilizer, animal manure compost, leonardite and plant-based liquid organic fertilizer. Research Findings: Organic fertilizers have a significant effect on all measured traits as compared to control, it may be due to biofertilizers can increase photosynthetic texture by increasing nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur uptake, which these elements play an important role in chlorophyll production and required enzymes production. This can be the reason for obtaining positive effect of biofertilizers on plant growth and development. Conclusion: Overall, findings suggest that the use of humic acid-containing fertilizers and proper organic fertilizer management can improve the growth and yield of Lippia citriodora L. plants.

Systematic study on the effect of seaweed fertilizer on the growth and yield of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (Mung bean)

Seaweed (Marine algae) extracts have been reported to be beneficial to plants for early seed germination, better plant growth, improved crop yield, and also in preventing biotic and abiotic stress. They are naturally rich in plant growth-promoting factors like microelements, organic matter, vitamins, and fatty acids and can be a low-cost alternative to conventional N:P:K fertilizers and expensive organic farming techniques. Herein, the seaweed fertilizer (SF) have prepared by using three seaweeds, viz., Turbinaria ornata (TSF), Ulva intestinalis (USF), and Portieria hornemannii (PSF). The formulation was evaluated for biostimulant potential by performing a pot culture on Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek, along with aqueous control, chemical fertilizer control (CFC), and organic manure control (OMC). The plants were treated with various groupings (individual and combination) of SF at six different concentrations. The study revealed that PSF (30%) stimulates maximum seed germination and an upsurge in plant growth (shoot length (28%), root length (120%), leaf count (53%), leaf area (62%), fresh weight (41%), and dry weight (54%)), pigment concentration (carotenoid (80%), chlorophyll a (29%), and chlorophyll b (41%)), and biochemical parameters of the leaves (carbohydrate (18%), protein (21%), amino acids (21%), phenolic content(49%)) when compared with aqueous control. The study revealed an 85% surge in the quantity of grains (15.568 g/plant) upon treatment with 30% PSF compared with aqueous control (8.413 g/plant). Followed by 30% (USF + PSF), 30% (TSF + PSF), and 40% PSF, have exhibited 75%, 73%, and 72% increase, respectively, compared with aqueous control. The nutrient uptake study exhibited that 30% PSF improves the efficiency of mineral uptake in V. radiata (L) plants. The results suggest that the tested SF, especially PSF, could be a low-cost and environmentally safe fertilizer. Based on this study, the formulated PSF could be used alone or partially replaced with commercial fertilizers to reduce the total cultivation cost.

Seaweed fertilizer improved drought tolerance of tomato seedlings in sandy soil

Global climate change has increased atmospheric transpiration and evaporation and decreased rainfall, and these changes have exacerbated water deficit-induced restrictions on agricultural production in arid and semi-arid areas. To test the influence of seaweed fertilization, a product of Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group Co., Ltd®., on tomato drought response in sandy soils, on tomato drought response in sandy soils, a pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to measure biomass and leaf parameters, including chlorophyll concentration, relative water content, and carbohydrate and nitrogen content, under two water-availability scenarios including 85 ± 5% field water content and without irrigating treatment (chemical fertilization under well-watered conditions (WW), chemical fertilization under drought-stressed conditions (WD), seaweed fertilization under well-watered conditions (WW + SF), and seaweed fertilization under drought-stressed conditions (WD + SF)). The results showed that under water deficit stress, seaweed fertilization increased soil urease activity (429%) and soil ammonium nitrogen content, thereby increasing the nitrogen content available to the plants. Seaweed fertilization also enhanced the leaf proline content and water content of the plants, and decreased oxidative damage (low malondialdehyde content, which is lower 43.8% compared with WD). In addition, seaweed fertilization increased the leaf nitrogen content and reduced the nonstructural carbohydrate contentto maintain a relatively low total nonstructural carbohydrate/nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Taken together, seaweed fertilization-induced changes improved drought resistance in tomato seedlings and these results suggested that seaweed fertilization has the potential to improve crop drought resistance in sandy areas.

Kajian Pemanfaatan Pupuk Organik Rumput Laut Terhadap Produksi Dua Varietas Bayam (Amaranthus sp.)

Spinach is one of the most important needs for humans, but spinach production in Indonesia has decreased from year to year, so it needs improvement in terms of cultivation technology. The purpose of this study was to analyze the interaction between varieties of spinach and the dose of organic seaweed fertilizer on spinach production; analyzed the dose of organic seaweed fertilizer on spinach production and analyzed the effect of spinach varieties on spinach production. This study was arranged in a factorial randomized block design (RBD), which consisted of two factors, the first factor was the variety of spinach (b) which consisted of two levels, namely green spinach variety Giti Hijau (b1) and red spinach variety Giti Merah (b2), the second factor is the dose of organic fertilizer (d) which consists of 4 levels, namely control (d0), 2 mL/L water (d1), 3 mL/L water (d2), 4 mL/L water (d3). The treatment was divided into 3 blocks as repetition. Data analysis used ANOVA and follow-up test with a DMRT level of 5%. The results showed that the variety of spinach had a significant effect on plant height from 3 to 5 WAP, the number of leaves at 2 WAP and 3 WAP, and the fresh weight of spinach. Fertilizer dosage did not significantly affect plant height, number of leaves, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight of plants . There was no interaction between spinach varieties and doses of organic seaweed fertilizer on all growth parameters and production of spinach.

Diseminasi Pemanfaatan Pupuk Bionik Untuk Perbaikan Performa Pertumbuhan Rumput Laut

Farming seaweed is a significant source of income since it helps coastal communities become more resilient. Due to the simple growing, harvesting, and drying methods, low degree of capital investment, and quick production cycle (1.5 months), seaweed cultivation in Tablolong Village, West Kupang District, East Nusa Tenggara Province is dominated by cultivators from coastal villages. The present issue for farmers of seaweed is the unavailability of seeds, both in terms of quantity and quality. Simple actions such as community service projects (PKM) with a focus on fertilizing activities utilizing bionic fertilizers can be taken to encourage the growth of seaweed. The method used to achieve the target of this PKM program is participatory counseling, dissemination of research results, assistance in seaweed cultivation, and monitoring during seaweed cultivation. In November 2021, PKM operations are conducted in Tablolong Village's coastal region. Through the use of bionic seaweed fertilizer, the activity's aim is to earn the partner group's production rates. After participating in PKM activities, the "Blue Sea" partner group was able to produce Kappaphycus striatum by utilizing bionic fertilizers, where the analysis results showed that the daily growth rate was 3.38% day-1, absolute growth was 176 gr and production was 2,755.62 gr m-1.

Biochar improved the composting quality of seaweeds and cow manure mixture and altered the microbial community.

The beneficial effects of biochar addition during composting have been proved for many feedstocks, like manures and crop straws. However, the effect of biochar on the quality of composting product with seaweed as the feedstock and the bacterial response has not been investigated. In this study, the wheat straw biochar addition on the quality of the composting product and the bacterial response was explored at the rate of 0-10%. The results showed that biochar addition at the optimal rate (5%, w/w) could increase the germination index and the ratio of the optical density of humic acid at 460 nm to that at 660 nm (E4/E6) of the composting product, which indicated the decreased biotoxicity and enhanced compost maturity. The significant increase of the nitrate nitrogen (NO3 --N) content of the composting product proved the improvement of N cycling during composting process with biochar addition. The bacterial community of composting product was shifted and the relative abundance of some beneficial taxa (e.g., Muricauda and Woeseia) was significantly increased with biochar addition. Furthermore, the relative abundance of some bacterial genes related to amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism was also increased with biochar addition. The results of our study provided the positive effect of biochar addition on the composting of seaweed and could help to produce high quality seaweed fertilizer by composting with biochar addition.

Use of plant growth regulators to reduce 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid-Na (MPCA-Na) damage in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

Background2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid-Na (MPCA-Na) is a phenoxy carboxylic acid selective hormone herbicide that is widely used in the crop fields. However, drift of MPCA-Na during application is highly damaging to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and other crop plants. This study was carried out from 2019 to 2020 to determine the effects of different concentrations of MPCA-Na on physiological and metabolic activities besides growth and yield of cotton plants at seedling, budding, flowering and boll stages. Moreover, we evaluated the different combinations of 24-epibrassinolide, gibberellin (GA3), phthalanilic acid and seaweed fertilizer to ameliorate herbicide damage.Results2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid-Na (MPCA-Na) exposure caused a decrease in the chlorophyll content, and an increase in the soluble protein content, Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and protective enzyme activity. It also caused significant reductions in plant height, boll number and the single boll weight at the seedling and budding stages, but had little effects on plant height and the single boll weight at flowering and boll stage. Under the maximum recommended dose of MPCA-Na (130 g/L), the number of cotton bolls at seedling and budding stages decreased by 75.33 and 79.50%, respectively, and the single boll weight decreased by 46.42 and 36.31%, respectively. Nevertheless, the number of G. hirsutum bolls and single boll weight at flowering and boll stage decreased by 48.15 and 5.38%, respectively. Application of plant growth regulators decreased the MDA content, and increased chlorophyll, soluble protein content and protective enzyme activity, and alleviated MCPA-Na toxicity. Positive effects in case of growth regulators treated plants were also observed in terms of G. hirsutum yield. Phthalanilic acid + seaweed fertilizer, 24-epibrassinolide + seaweed fertilizer, and GA3 + seaweed fertilizer should be used at the seedling, budding, and flowering and boll stages, respectively.ConclusionsThe results of current study suggest that certain plant growth regulators could be used to alleviate MPCA-Na damage and maintain G. hirsutum yield. When the cotton exposed to MCPA-Na at the seedling stage, it should be treated with phthalanilic acid + seaweed fertilizer, while plants exposed at the budding stage should be treated with 24-epibrassinolide + seaweed fertilizer, and those exposed at the flowering and boll stages should be treated with GA3 + seaweed fertilizer to mitigate stress.

Effects of Fermented Seaweed Fertilizer Treatment on Paddy Amino Acid Content and Rhizosphere Microbiome Community

Seaweed has often been reported on for it potential bioresources for fertilizers to improve crop productivity and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers (CF). However, little is known about the nutritional status of the crop grown with the implementation of seaweed fertilizers (SF). In this study, the amino acid content of rice produced by SF implementation was evaluated. Furthermore, the rhizosphere bacterial community was also investigated. The paddy seedlings were divided into five groups, control (C0), chemical fertilizer (CF), seaweed fertilizer (SF), chemical and seaweed fertilizer combination 25:75 (CFSF1), and chemical and fertilizer combination 50:50 (CFSF2). The CFSF2 group shown significantly better growth characteristics compared to other groups. Based on the concentration of macronutrients (N, P, K) in paddy leaf, CFSF2 also shown the best results. This also correlates with the abundant amino acid composition in CFSF2 in almost all tested amino acids, namely, serine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, valine, glycine, tyrosine, proline, threonine, histidine, and arginine. Interestingly, beneficial bacteria Rhizobiales were significantly higher in CFSF2-treated soil (58%) compared to CF (29%). Another important group, Vicinamibacterales, was also significantly higher in CFSF2 (58%) compared to CF (7%). Hence, these potentially contributed to the high rice amino acid content and yield in the CFSF2-treated paddy. However, further field-scale studies are needed to confirm the bioindustrial application of seaweed in agricultural systems.

Seaweed Fertilizer Prepared by EM-Fermentation Increases Abundance of Beneficial Soil Microbiome in Paddy (Oryzasativa L.) during Vegetative Stage

Excessive use of chemical fertilizer could potentially decrease soil productivity by decreasing soil microbiome diversity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of fermented seaweed fertilizer in the soil microbial community of paddy plants (Oryza sativa L.). The paddy seedlings were divided into five groups, control (C0), chemical fertilizer (CF), seaweed fertilizer (SF), chemical and seaweed fertilizer combination 50:50 (CFSF1), and chemical and fertilizer combination 75:25 (CFSF2). The CFSF1 combination showed to be the most effective in inducing plant height (83.99 ± 3.70 cm) and number of tillers (24.20 ± 4.08). After 8 weeks after transplantation, the isolated DNA from each soil treatment were subjected to 16S rRNA (v3–v4 region) next-generation sequencing. The beneficial Acidobacteriota was most abundant in CFSF1. At genus level, the nitrifying bacteria MND1 was seen to be abundant in CFSF1 and also present in other SF treatments. The genus Chujaibacter is highly abundant in CF, which potentially plays a role in denitrification resulting in soil degradation. In addition, the CFSF1-treated soils show significantly higher diversity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The current results could potentially contribute to the utilization of SF as a bioremediator and promoting green agriculture practice by reducing the amount of CF usage.

ANALISIS FINANSIAL APLIKASI DOSIS DAN JENIS PUPUK ORGANIK CAIR TERHADAP PRODUKSI TANAMAN TOMAT (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill)

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is a type of fruit vegetable, very good to be developed because it has a high economic value, has a unique taste, which is a combination of sweet and sour flavors, making tomatoes one of the fruits that are in great demand by the public. Tomatoes can be consumed fresh or processed into juice and a mixture of cooking spices. Industry players use tomatoes for sauces, cosmetic ingredients, and even as ingredients for medicines because they contain protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. The complete vitamin content in tomatoes is believed to cure various diseases. The research objective was to financially analyze the effect of the interaction between dosage and application of organic liquid fertilizer on tomato plant production and the income of tomato farmers. The hypothesis of this study is that it is suspected that the use of organic liquid fertilizers to the production of tomato plants is financially beneficial. This research was arranged in a randomized block design (RBD) in a factorial pattern. Consists of two factors, namely: the first factor is the type of liquid organic fertilizer (P) which consists of two levels, namely liquid organic fertilizer from seaweed (P1) and liquid organic fertilizer from organic matter (P2) and the second factor is the dose of liquid organic fertilizer ( D) which consists of four levels. The use of seaweed liquid organic fertilizer increases the number of leaves, the number of flowers, and the number of fruit of the tomato plant. The weight of tomatoes also increased from 15,972 kg per hectare to 28,240 kg per hectare. So that financially there is also an increase in farmer income from Rp. 19,318,305, - to Rp. 54,652,305, - or an increase of 182.90%. It is suggested in further research to try the utilization of this organic seaweed fertilizer in other vegetable crops.

Seaweed utilisation in New Zealand

Abstract The commercial landscape of seaweed use in New Zealand (NZ) has shifted and evolved since it was last reviewed in 2006. One of the largest changes saw the introduction of Macrocystis pyrifera and green-lipped mussel spat (which is landed attached to beach-cast seaweed) into the Quota Management System—the primary tool for commercial fisheries management in NZ. There have also been policy changes around commercial harvesting and farming of Undaria pinnatifida, an introduced brown alga native to Asia. Traditionally, commercial algal utilization has been limited to agar production and beach-cast collection for aquaculture feeds, though demand for seaweed products has increased with a growing Asian population in NZ. The NZ seaweed industry is at an early developmental stage, but it has the potential to offer high quality seaweed stock and value-added products to the world market. The exploration of seaweed farming, the growing demand for seaweed fertilizers and the development of high-value bioactive products such as fucoidan has attracted interest from marine farmers and entrepreneurs. The key to success for the NZ seaweed industry rests in developing high-value products for an export market, from integrated farming, harvesting and processing that can deliver the most value, consume the least energy and generate minimal waste.

Impact of short-term application of seaweed fertilizer on bacterial diversity and community structure, soil nitrogen contents, and plant growth in maize rhizosphere soil.

The effects of the short-term application of Ascophyllum nodosum-fermented seaweed fertilizer on the bacterial community, soil nitrogen contents, and plant growth in maize rhizosphere soil were evaluated. The changes in the bacterial community composition and nitrogen contents including those of total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) in rhizosphere soils in response to treatment with seaweed fertilizer were determined. Furthermore, soil enzymatic activity and crop biomass were analyzed. The relative abundance of the dominant phyla varied regularly with fertilization, and bacterial α-diversity was apparently influenced by seaweed fertilizer amendment. The TN contents of all soil samples decreased gradually, and the NO3--N and NH4+-N contents of the soils treated with seaweed fertilizer were much higher than those of the control soils. Similarly, the enzymatic activities of dehydrogenase, nitrite reductase, urease, and cellulase in the soil were significantly increased on day 3, day 8, and day 13 after the application of seaweed fertilizer to the maize rhizosphere soil. However, there was no difference in the activity of soil sucrase between the treatment group and the control group. In this study, the growth of maize seedlings was confirmed to be greatly promoted by the utilization of seaweed fertilizer. These results deepen our understanding of plant-microbe interactions in agroecosystems and should benefit the wide use of seaweed fertilizer in sustainable agricultural production.

The effect of seaweed fertilizer and compost combination on the growth of lettuce head

Research on the effect of organic fertilizer combination, seaweed fertilizer and compost, on the growth of head lettuce plants has been conducted. The treatment in the study was head lettuce fertilizing with compost and seaweed fertilizer in ratio 2:0, 1:1, and 0:2. Land used for head lettuce without fertilizing treatment as control. The study was intended to get the best combination of organic fertilizer for head lettuce growth. The results showed that the best fertilizer formula was obtained from a combination of compost and seaweed fertilizer in ratio 2:0. Growth indicator as a result are average of leaf length of 26.64 cm, leaf width of 25.48 cm, 40 number of leaves, weight 311.75 g, and moisture content of 93.51%.Compost can stabilized acidity of planting land but the present of seaweed fertilizer can stabilized humidity of planting land and does not indicate the presence of fungi and parasites.

The Qualitative Electrochemical Determination of Multiple Components in Seaweed Fertilizer

The Qualitative Electrochemical Determination of Multiple Components in Seaweed Fertilizer

Effects of changes in precipitation pattern and of seaweed fertilizer addition on plant traits and biological soil crusts

In arid areas precipitation patterns and soil nutrient determine plant survival. To study the effect of fertilizer addition on plant traits and on biological soil crusts under different rainfall intervals we collected and sowed the seeds of three typical psammophyte species from a natural community in China’s Mu Us Desert, and raised their seedlings in pots. During the growing season we added commercial seaweed fertilizer to the pots and irrigated the plants at different intervals. After one growing season we measured plant traits and the biomass of biological soil crusts, and soil nutrient contents. Seaweed fertilizer increased biomass production. The combined effects of seaweed fertilizer and rainfall interval were related to the life history attributes of the species. For a given fertilizer addition, changing the rainfall interval from 3 to 15 days increased the Agriophyllum squarrosum and Achnatherum splendens biomass, but decreased Glycyrrhiza uralensis biomass. Seaweed fertilizer significantly affected plant traits, but the effects of the rainfall interval on plant traits were not significant. Fertilizer addition increased the soil organic carbon and total nitrogen. Fertilizer addition also promoted biological soil crusts and enriched their total nitrogen content. Structural equation modeling showed that the organic carbon, total nitrogen, and chlorophyll a content of the biological crusts played different roles in biomass production of the three species. Soil carbon and nitrogen affected biological soil crusts more than they affected plant biomass production. Our results show that seaweed fertilizer can promote plant growth and biological crust development, making it useful for ecosystem restoration in arid and semi-arid regions.