The evaluation of a Sargassum biostimulant formulation (OJA1) and its effect on tomato demonstrates the valorisation potential of Sargassum and could contribute to sustainable agriculture and propels economic development in coastal communities.
Abstract
Several environmental and economic issues have been brought about by mass accumulations of Sargassum seaweed along the coastlines in Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider Caribbean region. Though there are many issues associated with this seaweed biomass, there remains opportunities to transform this problem into a solution. The current study presents the evaluation of a Sargassum biostimulant formulation (OJA1) and its effect on tomato. Tomato plants were foliar (0.5% v/v) treated with the OJA1 biostimulant under both greenhouse and field conditions. OJA1 significantly improved plant performance (p < 0.05) by means of increased chlorophyll (22.7%), plant height (29.3%), root biomass (34.4%), shoot biomass (49.6%), and yield (54.8%), while reducing disease severity by 37.8% for bacterial spot and 37.5% for early blight under greenhouse conditions. In field trials, OJA1 significantly increased yield and reduced disease severity across both growing seasons. Yield increases ranged from 75.6–103.2% with OJA1 alone and 114.6–154.8% when alternated with fungicides. Similarly, bacterial leaf spot and early blight severity were reduced by up to 50.6% and 61.8%, respectively, relative to the Control. Molecular mechanistic testing revealed that OJA1-treated tomato plants had more than a two-fold increase in gene transcripts responsible for abiotic/biotic stress tolerance and biosynthesis of growth hormones. Additionally, OJA1-treated plants had significantly lower DNA levels of both pathogens. Additional analysis further showed that OJA1-treated plants had significantly higher hormonal content (auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin), and fruits had significantly higher mineral content (N, P, K, Na, and Zn) than Control plants. The results exemplify the valorisation potential of Sargassum and could contribute to sustainable agriculture and propels economic development in coastal communities.
The genus Sargassum possesses high biotechnological value due to its content of bioactive compounds and nutrients, positioning it as a promising raw material for the development of sustainable agricultural inputs. This research aimed to evaluate the biostimulant potential of a Sargassum horridum hydrolysate obtained under acidic conditions on the germination and initial development of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings compared to a commercial product (Trialga-L®). Seedlings treated with the Sargassum horridum hydrolysate showed significantly greater stem and root growth than that observed with the commercial product. Although the concentration of 2.0 mS cm-1 reduced chlorophyll content and decreased the germination rate index compared to the control, it is concluded that the S. horridum hydrolysate constitutes a mixture capable of supporting seedling development, validating its use as a strategy for the valorization of brown algae in agriculture.
José Eduardo González Cervantes, Ana Laura González Castro, F. H. Ruiz Espinoza et al.· Ecosistemas y Recursos Agrop...· 0 citations
Seaweed-derived biostimulants are promising tools for improving crop performance and fruit quality in sustainable horticulture. This study evaluated the effects of foliar application of a liquid Sargassum spp. extract on the commercial quality, nutraceutical attributes, and antioxidant response of melon fruit (Cucumis melo L. cv. ‘Cruiser’). Four extract concentrations (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5%, v/v) were applied in a randomized complete block design with six replications. Compared with the control, the 1.5% treatment increased (p ≤ 0.05) fruit firmness (33.5%), total soluble solids (25.4%), flesh thickness (16.5%), and ascorbic acid content (51.2%). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents also increased by 22.9% and 22.4%, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). Antioxidant enzyme activities increased in a concentration-dependent manner (p ≤ 0.05), highlighted by a 207.1% increase in catalase activity at 4.5% with catalase. In contrast, the highest concentration reduced carbohydrate content by 49.3% (p ≤ 0.05), while fruit yield remained unaffected (p > 0.05). Overall, 1.5% provided the best balance between commercial and nutraceutical quality while avoiding the adverse biochemical responses observed at 4.5%. These findings suggest the potential use of Sargassum spp. extract as a biostimulant for sustainable melon production under the conditions of this study.
Melisa C. Hermosillo-Alba, Bernardo Murillo-Amador, Alain Buendía-García et al.· Crops· 0 citations
Lettuce production faces challenges that require sustainable alternatives to improve productivity and crop quality. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the combined application of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHAp) and a chitin-based biostimulant (CB) on yield, phytochemical compounds, and enzymatic activity of the crop. The experiment was structured under a completely randomized design,, evaluating two concentrations of nHAp (1 000 and 2 000 mg L-1) applied via seed imbibition and CB via foliar application, resulting in a total of five treatments including a control, with five replicates each. The results showed that treatment T3 (2,000 mg L-1 nHAp) maximized biomass production by 28.17%. Additionally, biochemical quality was improved by the 1 000 mg L-1 nHAp + CB treatment (T4), which recorded increases of 19.16% in total phenols and 15.27% in flavonoids compared to the control. Similarly, the 2 000 mg L-1 nHAp + CB treatment (T5) enhanced the L-ascorbic acid content, although it induced an antioxidant defense response mediated by the catalase enzyme. Applied individually, nHAps act as effective yield promoters, whereas their combination with chitin induces a state of eustress that favors biofortification.
Jessica Janeth Rocha Santillano, Pablo Preciado Rangel, Sergio Arturo Ortiz Díaz et al.· Ecosistemas y Recursos Agrop...· 0 citations
The results demonstrate that the combined application of S. wightii extract and PGPR can effectively enhance tomato productivity while reducing fertiliser usage by 25 %, and offers a sustainable approach to improving crop performance and reducing chemical fertiliser dependence.
K. Oviya, J. Jaipriyanka, S. Mahalakshmi et al.· Plant Science Today· 0 citations
Microgreens are considered a good source of nutritional and functional compounds, offering humans significant health benefits. Biostimulants are recognized as a sustainable tool to elicit growth and development of vegetables. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of a plant protein hydrolysate (PH) and a seaweed extract (SWE) - supplied via seed priming or root application - on pea and arugula microgreens performance. Moreover, a partial budget analysis was conducted to assess the economic implication of biostimulants application. Hydropriming and PH-priming treatments enhanced pea microgreens yield compared to the root application treatment's counterpart by 53.2% and 33.3%, respectively. Nitrates were increased by SWE application and reduced by PH supply, in both species, compared with the not biostimulated plants, particularly when biostimulants were applied via root application [SWE, + 26.6% (pea); PH, -19.9% (pea), SWE, + 6.5% (arugula); PH, -24.3% (arugula)]. The combination of biostimulants and priming enhanced ascorbic acid compared to the control × root application (negative control) in pea microgreens by 20.9%, whereas, in arugula, either the biostimulants or priming alone significantly improved the aforesaid parameter. Biostimulants boosted total polyphenol content in pea microgreens, supplied via priming (SWE, + 21.5%; PH, 22.8%, compared to the hydropriming) or root application (SWE, + 15.7%; PH, 14.6%, compared with the negative control). Total polyphenols in arugula microgreens increased when PH and SWE were supplied via priming (+14.3%, for both biostimulants, compared to the hydropriming). Biostimulants significantly increased the antioxidant capacity (DPPH), although the method of application did not significantly affect DPPH. These findings confirmed the efficacy of biostimulants in modulating microgreens qualitative features. Furthermore, the partial budget analysis underlined that the use of both biostimulants, independently of the type of application, is economically suitable for pea, but not always convenient for arugula. The application of PH or SWE, especially via root application, was a suitable strategy to increase the nutritive and functional values of pea and arugula microgreens, contributing to their potential as valuable novel foods for human consumption.
B. Consentino, P. Bellitto, Fabiana Mancuso et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
