Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Algae Biomass: Characteristics and Applications pp 115–122Cite as

Algae As Fertilizers, Biostimulants, and Regulators of Plant Growth

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Developments in Applied Phycology ((DAPH,volume 8))

Abstract

Currently, legislation restricts the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides and thus forces a new approach to reducing the use of chemical products through either parallel application or partial replacement with formulations capable of enhancing the efficiency of conventional treatment. Among the natural materials of such capability are algae, which contain a variety of biologically active compounds verified to have a beneficial influence on plants. Algal derivatives have been confirmed to provide crops with nutrients, increase biomass production, and activate the natural ability of plants to respond properly to stress agents. Depending on the formulation, algae-based products might show the functionality of organic fertilizers or components of organo-mineral fertilizers, soil amendments (improvers), (bio)stimulants, and pesticides. However, current European rules are not harmonized at the union level. Until a single market is established, algae’s potential for plant growth enhancement will not be sufficiently developed. There are, however, new strategies for elaborating EU-wide standards and regulations governing products obtained within value chains based on secondary feedstock.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Abiotic stress – negative effect or condition suffered by a living organism as a result of exposure to nonliving factors, including high and low temperatures, drought, humidity, light intensity, supply of water and minerals, CO2, salinity, heavy metals, and ozone (Schulze et al. 2005; Ferrero 2014).

  2. 2.

    Biotic stress – negative effect or condition suffered by a living organism as a result of interactions with other organisms, leading to infection (pathogen attack), mechanical damage (including trampling), symbiosis, or parasitism (Schulze et al. 2005).

References

  • Aneiros A, Garateix A (2004) Bioactive peptides from marine sources: pharmacological properties and isolation procedures. J Chromatogr B 803(1):41–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arysta LifeScience. https://www.arystalifescience.com/. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Balconi C, Stevanato P, Motto M, Biancardi E (2012) Breeding for biotic stress resistance/tolerance in plants. In: Ashraf M, Öztürk M, Ahman MSA, Aksoy A (eds) Crop production for agricultural improvement. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 57–114

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Beckett RP, van Staden J (1989) The effect of seaweed concentrate on the growth and yield of potassium stressed wheat. Plant Soil 116:29–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya A, Sood P, Citovsky V (2010) The roles of plant phenolics in defence and communication during Agrobacterium and Rhizobium infection. Mol Plant Pathol 11(5):705–719

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bi F, Iqbal S, Arman M, Ali A, Hassan MU (2011) Carrageenan as an elicitor of induced secondary metabolites and its effects on various growth characters of chickpea and maize plants. J Saudi Chem Soc 15:269–273

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bio-Based Industry Council (BBI-C) (2017). http://biconsortium.eu/. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Blunden G (1971) The effect of aqueous seaweed extract as fertilizer additives. Proc Int Seaweed Symp Tokyo 7:584–589

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth E (1969) The manufacture and properties of liquid seaweed extracts. Proc Int Seaweed Symp 6:655–662

    Google Scholar 

  • Briand X, Cluzet S, Dumas B, Esquerre-Tugaye MT, Salamagne S (2007) Use of ulvans as activators of plant defence and resistance reactions against biotic or abiotic stresses. US Patent 2007/0232494 A1

    Google Scholar 

  • Caliceti M, Argese E, Sfriso A, Pavoni B (2002) Heavy metal contamination in the seaweeds of the Venice lagoon. Chemosphere 47:443–454

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cazzonelli CI, Nisar N, Hussain D, Carmody ME, Pogson BJ (2010) Biosynthesis and regulation of carotenoids in plants – micronutrients, vitamins and health benefits. In: Pua EC, Davey MR (eds) Plant developmental biology-Biotechnological perspectives, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, pp 117–137

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Clé C, Hill LM, Niggeweg R, Martin CR, Guisez Y, Prinsen E, Jansen MA (2008) Modulation of chlorogenic acid biosynthesis in Solanum lycopersicum; consequences for phenolic accumulation and UV-tolerance. Phytochemistry 69:2149–2156

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Commission Decision of 3 May 2000 replacing Decision 94/3/EC establishing a list of wastes pursuant to Article 1(a) of Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste and Council Decision 94/904/EC establishing a list of hazardous waste pursuant to Article 1(4) of Council Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste

    Google Scholar 

  • Craigie JS (2011) Seaweed extract stimuli in plant science and agriculture. J Appl Phycol 23:371–393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch IJ, van Staden J (1993) Evidence for the presence of plant growth regulators in commercial seaweed products. Plant Growth Regul 13:21–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch IJ, Beckett RP, van Staden J (1990) Effect of seaweed concentrate on growth and mineral nutrition of nutrient stressed lettuce. J Appl Phycol 2:269–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutler HG, Cutler SJ (2000) Growth regulators, plant. In: Kirk-Othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology (published online 15 October 2004). http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/0471238961.1612011403212012.a01.pub2/full. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Demir N, Dural B, Yildirim K (2006) Effect of seaweed suspensions on seed germination of tomato, pepper and aubergine. J Biol Sci 6:1130–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (Text with EEA relevance)

    Google Scholar 

  • Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides (Text with EEA relevance)

    Google Scholar 

  • Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market, no longer in force

    Google Scholar 

  • Du Granrut ADB, Cacas JL (2016) How very-long-chain fatty acids could signal stressful conditions in plants? Front Plant Sci 7:1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du Jardin P (2012) The science of plant biostimulants–a bibliographic analysis, ad hoc study on biostimulants products. European Commission, Contract 30-CE0455515/00-96

    Google Scholar 

  • European Biostimulant Industry Council (EBIC) (2017). http://www.biostimulants.eu/. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • European Commission (2016a) Circular economy: new regulation to boost the use of organic and waste-based fertilisers. Press release, Brussels. 17 Mar 2016

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2016b) Circular economy package. Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules on the making available on the market of CE marked fertilising products and amending regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EC) No 1107/2009 (text with EEA relevance). Brussels. 17 Mar 2016

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2017a) Report from the commission to the European Parliament, the council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions on the implementation of the circular economy action plan. Brussels. 26 Jan 2017

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2017b) Pesticides. https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides_en. Accessed on 3 Nov 2017

  • European Crop Protection Association (EPCA) (2017). http://www.ecpa.eu/. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Ferrero A (ed) (2014) Role in sustainable agriculture, detrimental effects and management strategies. Nova Science Publishers, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Forcat S, Bennett MH, Mansfield JW, Grant MR (2008) A rapid and robust method for simultaneously measuring changes in the phytohormones ABA, JA and SA in plants following biotic and abiotic stress. Plant Methods 4:16–23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • González A, Castro J, Vera J, Moenne A (2013) Seaweed oligosaccharides stimulate plant growth by enhancing carbon and nitrogen assimilation, basal metabolism, and cell division. J Plant Growth Regul 32:443–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hankins SD, Hockey HP (1990) The effect of a liquid seaweed extract from Ascophyllum nodosum on the 2 spotted red spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Hydrobiologia 204:555–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hou Q, Ufer G, Bartels D (2016) Lipid signalling in plant responses to abiotic stress. Plant Cell Environ 39(5):1029–1048

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito K, Hori K (1989) Seaweed: chemical composition and potential foods uses. Food Rev Int 5:101–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaulneau V, Lafitte C, Jacquet C, Fournier S, Salamagne S, Briand X, Esquerré-Tugayé MT, Dumas B (2010) Ulvan, a sulfated polysaccharide from green algae, activates plant immunity through the jasmonic acid signaling pathway. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/525291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelpak. http://www.kelpak.com/. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Khan W, Rayirath UP, Subramanian S, Jithesh MN, Rayorath P, Hodges DM, Critchley AT, Craigie JS, Norrie J, Prithiviraj B (2009) Seaweed extracts as biostimulants of plant growth and development. J Plant Growth Regul 28:386–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klarzynski O, Descamps V, Plesse B, Yvin JC, Kloareg B, Fritig B (2003) Sulfated fucan oligosaccharides elicit defense responses in tobacco and local and systemic resistance against tobacco mosaic virus. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 16:115–122

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kraan S (2012) Algal polysaccharides, novel applications and outlook. In: Chang CF (ed) Carbohydrates – comprehensive studies on glycobiology and glycotechnology. InTech, Rijeka. https://doi.org/10.5772/51572

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lahaye M, Robic A (2007) Structure and functional properties of ulvan, a polysaccharide from green seaweeds. Biomacromolecules 8:1765–1774

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laporte D, Vera J, Chandía NP (2007) Structurally unrelated algal oligosaccharides differentially stimulate growth and defense against tobacco mosaic virus in tobacco plants. J Appl Phycol 19:79–88

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Qian ZJ, Ryu BM, Lee SH, Kim MM, Kim SK (2009) Chemical components and its antioxidant properties in vitro: an edible marine brown alga, Ecklonia cava. Bioorg Med Chem 17:1963–1973

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li YX, Wijesekara I, Li Y, Kim SK (2011) Phlorotannins as bioactive agents from brown algae. Process Biochem 46:2219–2224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston DP, Dirk KH, Heyer AG (2009) Fructan and its relationship to abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Cell Mol Life Sci 66:2007–2023

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lyn LB (1972) The chelating properties of seaweed extract Ascophyllum nodosum vs Macrocystis pyrifera on the mineral nutrition of sweet peppers, Capsicum annum. MSc thesis, Clemson University, Clemson

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercier L, Lafitte C, Borderies G, Briand X, Esquerré-Tugayé MT, Fournier J (2001) The algal polysaccharide carrageenans can act as an elicitor of plant defense. New Phytol 149:43–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michalak I, Chojnacka K, Dmytryk A, Wilk R, Gramza M, Rój E (2016) Evaluation of supercritical extracts of algae as biostimulants of plant growth in field trials. Front Plant Sci 7:1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milton RF (1964) Liquid seaweed as a fertilizer. In: Proceedings of the 4th international seaweed symposium, vol 4. The Macmillan Co, London, pp 428–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagayama K, Shibata T, Fujimoto K, Honjo T, Nakamura T (2003) Algicidal effect of phlorotannins from the brown alga Ecklonia kurome on red tide microalgae. Aquaculture 218:601–611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Onofrejová L, Vašíčková J, Klejdus B, Stratil P, Mišurcová L, Kráčmar S, Kopecký J, Vacek J (2010) Bioactive phenols in algae: the application of pressurized-liquid and solid-phase extraction techniques. J Pharm Biomed Anal 51(2):464–470

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Pramanik K, Nayak BR (2012) Use of sea weed extracts as plant growth regulators for sustainable agriculture. Int J Biores Stress Manag 3(3):404–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Parys S, Rosenbaum A, Kehraus S, Reher G, Glombitza KW, König GM (2007) Evaluation of quantitative methods for the determination of polyphenols in algal extracts. J Nat Prod 70(12):1865–1870

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel D (1997) Techniques for reducing pesticide use: economic and environmental benefits. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Public-Private Partnership on Bio-Based Industries (PPP BBI) (2012) The bio-based industries vision. Accelerating innovation and market uptake of bio-based products

    Google Scholar 

  • Public-Private Partnership on Bio-Based Industries (PPP BBI) (2013) Strategic innovation and research agenda. Bio-based and renewable industries for development and growth in Europe

    Google Scholar 

  • Public-Private Partnership on Bio-Based Industries (PPP BBI) (2017) Strategic innovation and research agenda. Bio-based industries for development and growth in Europe

    Google Scholar 

  • Rai VK (2002) Role of amino acids in plant responses to stresses. Biol Plant 45:481–487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao PVS, Mantri VA, Ganesan K (2007) Mineral composition of edible seaweed Porphyra vietnamensis. Food Chem 102:215–218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rayorath P, Narayanam JM, Farid A, Khan W, Palanisamy R, Hankins SD, Critchley AT, Prithiviraj B (2007) Rapid bioassays to evaluate the plant growth promoting activity of Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. using a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (L) Heynh. J Appl Phycol 20:423–429

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation)

    Google Scholar 

  • Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC

    Google Scholar 

  • Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 relating to fertilisers (Text with EEA relevance)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossano R, Ungaro N, D’Ambrosio A, Liuzzi GM, Riccio P (2003) Extracting and purifying R-phycoerythrin from Mediterranean red algae Corallina elongata Ellis & Solander. J Biotechnol 101(3):289–293

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ruperez P, Ahrazem O, Leal JA (2002) Potential antioxidant capacity of sulphated polysaccharides from the edible brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus. J Agric Food Chem 50:840–845

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Samarakoon K, Jeon YJ (2012) Bio-functionalities of proteins derived from marine algae – a review. Food Res Int 48(2):948–960

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanderson KJ, Jameson PE, Zabkiewiez JA (1987) Auxin in a seaweed extract: identification and quantification of indole-3-acetic acid by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Plant Physiol 129:363–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitz-Hoerner R, Weissenbock G (2003) Contribution of phenolic compounds to the UV-B screening capacity of developing barley primary leaves in relation to DNA damage and repair under elevated UV-B levels. Phytochemistry 64:243–255

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulze ED, Beck E, Hohenstein KM (2005) Environment as stress factor: stress physiology of plants. In: Plant ecology. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 7–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma SHS, Lyons G, McRoberts C, McCall D, Carmichael E, Andrews F, McCormack R (2012a) Brown seaweed species from Strangford Lough: compositional analyses of seaweed species and biostimulant formulations by rapid instrumental methods. J Appl Phycol 24:1141–1157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma SHS, Lyons G, McRoberts C, McCall D, Carmichael E, Andrews F, Swan R, McCormack R, Mellon R (2012b) Biostimulant activity of brown seaweed species from Strangford Lough: compositional analyses of polysaccharides and bioassay of extracts using mung bean (Vigna mungo L.) and pak choi (Brassica rapa chinensis L.). J Appl Phycol 24:1081–1091

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma SHS, Fleming C, Selby C, Rao JR, Martin T (2014) Plant biostimulants: a review on the processing of macroalgae and use of extracts for crop management to reduce abiotic and biotic stresses. J Appl Phycol 26(1):465–490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spinelli F, Fiori G, Noferini M, Sprocatti M, Costa G (2010) A novel type of seaweed extract as a natural alternative to the use of iron chelates in strawberry production. Sci Hortic 125:263–269

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stadnik MJ, de Freitas MB (2014) Algal polysaccharides as source of plant resistance inducers. Trop Plant Pathol 39:111–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Star-COLIBRI (2011) Joint European biorefinery vision for 2030. Strategic targets for 2020 – Collaboration Initiative on Biorefineries

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson WA (1974) Seaweed in agriculture and horticulture, 3rd edn. Barglya & Gylver Rateaver, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Stirk WA, Arthur GD, Lourens AF, Novák O, Strnad M, Van Staden J (2004) Changes in cytokinin and auxin concentrations in seaweed concentrates when stored at an elevated temperature. J Appl Phycol 16:31–39

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tarakhovskaya ER, Maslov YI, Shishova MF (2007) Phytohormones in algae. Russ J Plant Phys 54(2):163–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valagro. https://www.valagro.com/en/corporate/#. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

  • Valluru R, Van den Ende W (2008) Plant fructans in stress environments: emerging concepts and future prospects. J Exp Bot 59:2905–2916

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Velthuizen H (2007) Mapping biophysical factors that influence agricultural production and rural vulnerability. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, Rome, pp 1–84. http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1075e/a1075e00.htm. ISBN:978-92-5-105689-9. Accessed on 4 Sept 2017

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon NY (2008) Cholinesterase and lens aldose reductase inhibitory activities of phlorotannins from Ecklonia stolonifera and their protective effects on tacrine induced hepatotoxicity and hyperlipidemic rat models. Ph.D. thesis, Pukyong National University, Republic of Korea

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon NY, Chung HY, Kim HR, Choi JS (2008) Acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase inhibitory activities of sterols and phlorotannins from Ecklonia stolonifera. Fish Sci 74:200–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Ervin EH (2004) Cytokinin-containing seaweed and humic acid extracts associated with creeping bentgrass leaf cytokinins and drought resistance. Crop Sci 44:1737–1745

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland

    Agnieszka Dmytryk & Katarzyna Chojnacka

Authors
  1. Agnieszka Dmytryk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Katarzyna Chojnacka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Agnieszka Dmytryk .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology , Wrocław, Poland

    Katarzyna Chojnacka

  2. Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical and Ecological Chemistry, Opole University , Opole, Poland

    Piotr Pawel Wieczorek

  3. Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan , Poznan, Poland

    Grzegorz Schroeder

  4. Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland

    Izabela Michalak

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Dmytryk, A., Chojnacka, K. (2018). Algae As Fertilizers, Biostimulants, and Regulators of Plant Growth. In: Chojnacka, K., Wieczorek, P., Schroeder, G., Michalak, I. (eds) Algae Biomass: Characteristics and Applications. Developments in Applied Phycology, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74703-3_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation