The Potential of a New Commercial Seaweed Extract in Stimulating Morpho-Agronomic and Bioactive Properties of Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav.

This study aimed to understand the effect of commercial seaweed extract as a biofertilizer, named True-Algae-Max (TAM®), on the yield, nutritional, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activity of Eruca vesicaria. Three concentrations of TAM® (5, 10, and 15%) were studied by foliar spray over the two cultivation years (2016 and 2017) without any chemical fertilizer, along with a control consisting of synthetic nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizers. The yield and composition of E. vesicaria were significantly improved in all treatments, particularly at 10% concentration of TAM®, which resulted in maximum yield (1.99 kg m−2) and significant amounts of chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and total nutrients. Compared to the NPK control, E. vesicaria grown with 10% of TAM® improved total antioxidant activity from 41.80 to 49.36 mg g−1 and cytotoxicity from 25.30 to 60.40% with an IC50 value 85.7 µg mL−1 against the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2). These findings indicate that seaweed extract can generally be used as a safe potential multifunctional biofertilizer in the agricultural field. The use of seaweed as a biofertilizer could potentially help mitigate the adverse effects of main nutrient deficiencies, diminishing the use of chemical fertilizers.

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Propagule Formation in Hemerocallis spp. and Hosta spp.

Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effects of selected plant growth regulators on propagule production in Hemerocallis `Happy Returns' and Hosta `Gold Standard'. Benzyladenine (BA), chlormequat chloride (Cycocel), ethephon (Ethrel), prohexadione calcium (Apogee), and an experimental preparation of commercial seaweed extract (Acadian Seaplants Limited Liquid Seaweed Concentrate) amended with BA and IBA were tested at two times of application and three rates of application. Results with Hemerocallis showed that the application of the seaweed/PGR mixture at 3000 mg·L–1, Cycocel at 3000 mg·L–1 or BA at 2500 mg·L–1 applied at flowering, increased the number of plants producing two divisions compared to control plants. In Hosta, no increase in divisions under any treatments was observed.

The effect of foliar application of seaweed extract on potato

The effect of foliar application of commercial seaweed extract on potato growth was studied in long-day conditions (60° 10' N 25°00' E) characterized by a cool and short growing season. The results showed that neither the doses, 0, 5, 10, 20 l/ha nor the spraying 24, 45, 58 days after the emergence had any remarkable influence on potato growth and yield if the other preconditions of production are in order. Only small, although insignificant benefit could be obtained with application done three weeks after emergence, clearly before tuber initiation.