Abstract
Abstract Macroalgal extracts offer an alternative option to increase crop yields and plant performance whilst reducing reliance on inorganic chemical fertilisers. Macroalgae have high concentrations of bioactive compounds capable of enhancing crop growth, stress tolerance and pest resistance. This study investigated whether seasonal variation in the chemical composition of three brown seaweeds Ascophyllum nodosum , Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus affected plant growth in Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativa through different extract concentrations. Crops were treated with 1:20, 1:50 and 1:100 dilutions from macroalgal extracts and compared to controls tap water, deionised water and one commercial macroalgae-based fertiliser made from A. nodosum . Dry weight assessment results revealed that moderately diluted dosages had better effects on plant growth than concentrated dosages, showing that the most suitable concentrations of all macroalgae extracts are 1:50 for Arabidopsis ; no trend was detected in B. vulgaris or L. sativa growth. Overall, there were peaks of increased plant growth when treated with extracts harvested in June and August, which correlates with fertility peaks in commercial brown macroalgae in the wild. These results suggest that the optimal harvest for A. nodosum , F. serratus and F. vesiculosus for plant stimulant products should occur between May and August at sustainable harvest levels. Soil respirometry trials using the extracts showed no differences in CO 2 fluxes between the macroalgal species, different harvesting seasons, or correlation with plant biomass. It is therefore likely that macroalgal extracts impact the plant directly and produce minor impact on soil microbiota. Thus, these results support the use of macroalgal fertilizers as a low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fertilisers.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
A 1:50 extract dilution was most suitable for Arabidopsis growth.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis
Arabidopsise0 - Treatment
- 1:50e0
- Outcome
- plant growthe1
- Direction
- bettere1
- Comparator
- concentrated dosagese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the most suitable concentrations of all macroalgae extracts are 1:50 for Arabidopsis”
e1“moderately diluted dosages had better effects on plant growth than concentrated dosages”
Claim · model-written summary
No dilution response trend was detected in Beta vulgaris growth.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris
Beta vulgarise1 - Outcome
- growthe0
- Direction
- no trende0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no trend was detected in B. vulgaris or L. sativa growth”
e1“Beta vulgaris”
Claim · model-written summary
No dilution response trend was detected in Lactuca sativa growth.
- Taxon
- Lactuca sativa
Lactuca sativae1 - Outcome
- L. sativa growthe0
- Direction
- no trende0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no trend was detected in B. vulgaris or L. sativa growth”
e1“Lactuca sativa”
Claim · model-written summary
Extracts harvested in June produced peaks of increased plant growth.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativaArabidopsis thalianaLactuca sativaBeta vulgarise1
- Treatment
- extracts harvested in Junee0
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“peaks of increased plant growth when treated with extracts harvested in June and August”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativa”
Claim · model-written summary
Extracts harvested in August produced peaks of increased plant growth.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativaArabidopsis thalianaLactuca sativaBeta vulgarise1
- Treatment
- extracts harvested in June and Auguste0
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“peaks of increased plant growth when treated with extracts harvested in June and August”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativa”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil carbon dioxide flux did not differ among macroalgal extract species.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“no differences in CO 2 fluxes between the macroalgal species, different harvesting seasons, or correlation with plant biomass”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativa”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil carbon dioxide flux did not differ among harvest seasons.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“no differences in CO 2 fluxes between the macroalgal species, different harvesting seasons, or correlation with plant biomass”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil carbon dioxide flux did not correlate with plant biomass.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“no differences in CO 2 fluxes between the macroalgal species, different harvesting seasons, or correlation with plant biomass”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend harvesting the three macroalgae between May and August for plant stimulant products.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativaArabidopsis thalianaLactuca sativaBeta vulgarise1
- Outcome
- between May and August at sustainable harvest levelse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“optimal harvest for A. nodosum , F. serratus and F. vesiculosus for plant stimulant products should occur between May and August at sustainable harvest levels”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana , Beta vulgaris and Lactuca sativa”
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