Plant Growth Promoting Properties of Four Arctic Seaweed Extracts

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the White Sea brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissimi extracts on plant growth and biomass accumulation. Extracts were obtained by isopropanol maceration method. Growth promoting effects of all four seaweed extracts were observed at the initial growth phase of Triticum aestivum and Cucumis sativus plants. A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus extracts were more effective at medium concentrations (60, 120 and 300 mg/L) while higher concentration (1200 mg/L) decreased the growth rate and biomass accumulation in wheat plants, but not in cucumber seedlings when compared to control. Higher phenolic content in A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus extracts can possibly be a reason of lower effectiveness of extracts with high concentration. These results suggest that investigated arctic seaweeds have biostimulatory properties that affect plant growth and biomass accumulation and after intensive future studies can be exploited for elaboration of innovative products for agriculture.