Abstract
Biostimulants have emerged as effective tools for enhancing both the productivity and quality of crops. In this study, we assessed the impact of the two commercial biostimulant products (Kiana Earth® and Kiana Climate®) on the growth, yield, and quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Eight treatments were established, comprising six different biostimulant formulations, a normal control (no fertilizer applied), and a positive control (chemical fertilizer application). Biostimulant treatments significantly improved plant and stem diameters, fresh and dry biomass, and yield (p < 0.01). The best yields and morphological performance were obtained with samples receiving T6 (Kiana Climate® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K) and T7 (Kiana Earth® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K) applications, which comprised biostimulant–fertilizer combinations. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll levels were significantly higher with than without biostimulant treatment, indicating that the biostimulants enhanced photosynthetic efficiency. Biochemical analyses further identified significant increases in vitamin C levels, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoid contents, especially with treatments T5 (Kiana Earth® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K)–T8 (Kiana Climate® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K). Nitrogen assimilation analysis showed that leaf NO3− levels were lower with the combined treatment than with chemical fertilizer alone, suggesting that the biostimulants improved nitrogen-use efficiency. Micronutrient (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na) and macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) levels were significantly increased with biostimulant-enriched treatments, alongside a rise in soil organic matter. Biostimulants, especially when combined with mineral fertilization, significantly enhanced lettuce growth, yield, and nutritional quality, while also promoting soil fertility. These findings highlight the potential of biostimulants as valuable tools in conventional, regenerative, and organic agricultural practices, offering a sustainable approach to enhancing agricultural productivity while ensuring long-term soil fertility.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulants significantly increased plant and stem diameters, fresh and dry biomass, and yield.
- Taxon
- Lettuce
Lactuca sativat0 - Treatment
- Biostimulant treatmentse0
- Outcome
- plant and stem diameters, fresh and dry biomass, and yielde0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- p < 0.01e0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Biostimulant treatments significantly improved plant and stem diameters, fresh and dry biomass, and yield (p < 0.01).”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
T6 gave the best yields and morphological performance.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- T6 (Kiana Climate® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K)e0
- Outcome
- yields and morphological performancee0
- Direction
- beste0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The best yields and morphological performance were obtained with samples receiving T6 (Kiana Climate® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K) and T7 (Kiana Earth® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K) applications”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
T7 gave the best yields and morphological performance.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- T7 (Kiana Earth® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K)e0
- Outcome
- yields and morphological performancee0
- Direction
- beste0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The best yields and morphological performance were obtained with samples receiving T6 (Kiana Climate® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K) and T7 (Kiana Earth® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K) applications”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulants significantly increased chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll versus no biostimulant.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- biostimulant treatmente0
- Outcome
- Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll levelse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- without biostimulant treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll levels were significantly higher with than without biostimulant treatment”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulant treatments, especially T5–T8, significantly increased vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, phenolics and flavonoids.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- treatments T5 (Kiana Earth® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K)–T8 (Kiana Climate® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K)e0
- Outcome
- vitamin C levels, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoid contentse0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant increases in vitamin C levels, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoid contents, especially with treatments T5 (Kiana Earth® + 75:50:75 kg ha−1 N:P:K)–T8 (Kiana Climate® + 150:100:150 kg ha−1 N:P:K)”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined biostimulant treatment lowered leaf nitrate relative to chemical fertilizer alone.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- combined treatmente0
- Outcome
- leaf NO3− levelse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- chemical fertilizer alonee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“leaf NO3− levels were lower with the combined treatment than with chemical fertilizer alone”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulant-enriched treatments significantly increased measured micronutrient levels.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- biostimulant-enriched treatmentse0
- Outcome
- Micronutrient (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na)e0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Micronutrient (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na) and macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) levels were significantly increased with biostimulant-enriched treatments”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulant-enriched treatments significantly increased measured macronutrient levels.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- biostimulant-enriched treatmentse0
- Outcome
- macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) levelse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Micronutrient (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na) and macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) levels were significantly increased with biostimulant-enriched treatments”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulant-enriched treatments increased soil organic matter.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- biostimulant-enriched treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil organic mattere0
- Direction
- risee0
- Comparator
- normal controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“with biostimulant-enriched treatments, alongside a rise in soil organic matter”
e1“a normal control (no fertilizer applied)”
t0“Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)”
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