Why does Seaweed Extract Boosts Plant Growth?
Seaweed has become an extremely popular supplement in gardening and organic agriculture. Extracts made from brown seaweeds like Ascophyllum nodosum contain a wealth of elements, bioactive polysaccharides and plant hormones, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, alginic acid, algin gum, laminaria starch, amino acids, sterols, sugar alcohols and so on. This compound makes seaweed extract an ideal choice used as fertilizers and gives plants a nutritional boost.
Any garden can benefit from incorporating seaweed extract into its fertilizing or spraying routine. Compared with chemical fertilizers, seaweed extract is pollution-free to people and the environment, and its unique stress resistance greatly reduces the application amount of pesticides, which is conducive to the establishment of a more dynamic and harmonious plant-soil ecosystem. This article explores the science behind using seaweed extract on plants and the benefits it provides.
Stimulate plant growth
Applying seaweed extract to stimulate plant growth and development. These nutrients also activate key enzymes involved in photosynthesis, respiration and protein synthesis. This allows plants to increase leaf chlorophyll content, enhancing photosynthesis and increase growth and yields of fruits like strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, and melons. Home gardeners can take advantage by using seaweed fertilizer on flowering edibles like squash. Flowers also benefit, with greater flowering and improved quality in ornamental plants, by reducing ethylene production and senescence. Cytokinins in seaweed extract are involved in cell division pathways that soil enhances fertility and micronutrients plants need. Apply it as a soil drench, root dip, or foliar spray to boost seed germination, transplant success, blooms, fruiting, and plant resilience.
Promotes Robust Root Systems
Seaweed extract contains cytokinins, auxins, and betaines that regulate plant cell division and enlarge root systems, enhance seed germination and accelerate formation of roots. The application of seaweed fertilizer can promote the growth and development of plant roots and enhance the absorption ability of plants to mineral nutrients.The extract With more expansive root networks, plants can absorb larger amounts of water and nutrients. Research in the journal HortScience showed lettuce seeds soaked in seaweed extract had up to 60% longer roots only 3 days after germination. The vigorous root growth supports overall plant development.
Improves Stress Tolerance
Environmental stresses such as drought, high salt levels and temperature changes reduce crop yields and threaten food security. Seaweed extract has a good effect on reducing the harm to plants in the adverse environment. Seaweed extract strengthens plants’ resilience against stresses like extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, pests and diseases. The polysaccharides and antioxidant pigments in seaweed extract help regulate stress hormones in plants. This protects their cells against damage. Using seaweed extract on lawns was found in Scientia Horticulturae to increase heat and drought tolerance, reducing water loss and membrane damage. The protective effects translate into higher-quality plants and crops.
Improve soil health and microbial growth
Seaweed extracts can also affect the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, thus affecting plant growth. It can improve the water retention capacity of the soil and promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Brown seaweed is rich in polysaccharides such as algin, and its chelation and hydrophilic properties can bind metal ions in soil to form high molecular weight complexes and further absorb water and expand, so as to keep soil water and improve soil aggregate structure. This increases the permeability of soil and enhances the capillary effect of soil pores, thus promoting the growth of plant roots and soil microorganisms. In addition, it has been reported that the polyanion properties of seaweed can repair soil heavy metal pollution.
Seaweed extract can promote rhizosphere microbial growth and induce microbial secretion of soil regulatory substances. Seaweed extract can increase the number and physiological activity of rhizosphere microorganisms and soil respiration intensity. Seaweed extract can stimulate the proliferation of root nodules in soil, promote the formation of root nodules and enhance plant nitrogen fixation.
Seaweed extract provides an organic and sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers. It reduces the need for chemical pesticides by increasing natural plant defenses. The extract also enhances beneficial soil microbe activity which builds long-term soil fertility. It’s also cleared for use in organic agriculture, offering organic growers a proven soil enhancement. By harnessing the power of seaweed, gardens and farms can boost productivity and quality in a sustainable way.
Other natural extracts for plant growth, see more like yucca schidigera extract.
