Ascophyllum nodosum: Characteristics, Properties, and Advanced Uses in Sustainable Agriculture

Ascophyllum nodosum It is a seaweed whose potential in agriculture has revolutionized agronomic practices aimed at crop sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. The in-depth study of its characteristics, properties, and applications has allowed its extracts to be integrated into numerous agricultural processes, making it an undisputed benchmark among cutting-edge agricultural biostimulants. Below, we offer the most complete and detailed guide on Ascophyllum nodosum in agriculture, integrating the most relevant, up-to-date, and comprehensive information to maximize your agricultural knowledge and practice.

What is Ascophyllum nodosum?

Ascophyllum nodosum It is a brown seaweed, belonging to the family Fucaceae, widely distributed on the cold coasts of the North Atlantic, both in Europe and North America. This alga is commonly known as Norwegian kelp, rock algae o Norwegian kelp, and stands out for its particular adaptability to extreme environmental conditions, as it can withstand alternations between immersion and aerial exposure due to the tides.

The survival and adaptation of Ascophyllum nodosum salinity, UV radiation, temperature changes and drying give it a composition unique biochemistry, developing bioactive compounds and structural polysaccharides that can be transferred to cultivated plants, providing them with extraordinary benefits in terms of growth and stress tolerance.

Morphology and Ecology

This algae presents long olive-green to brown fronds, with gas-filled nodules distributed throughout its length to facilitate buoyancy. It attaches to rocky substrates by means of rhizoids and can reach up to two meters in length.

Its slow growth and longevity (more than 14 years) They allow the accumulation of large quantities of compounds useful for agriculture. In addition, they maintain symbiotic relationships with endophytic fungi such as Mycosphaerella ascophylli, strengthening their resistance in adverse habitats.

Biochemical Composition and Main Properties

Ascophyllum nodosum It is a source of a wide variety of active compounds, including:

• Sulfated polysaccharides (fucoidans and alginates): with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory power and soil structure regulating properties.
• Polyphenols: secondary metabolites with antioxidant function and the ability to stimulate plant immunity and natural defenses.
• Mannitol: Osmoprotective polyalcohol with antioxidant function, provides plants with support against drought and salinity, in addition to serving as energy storage.
• Alginic acid: metal ion complex agent, improving water retention and soil structure, and inducing defensive responses in the plant.
• Laminarin: polysaccharide that activates plant defense systems by producing phytoalexins.
• Betaines and polyamines: They help with osmotic stress tolerance and regulate fundamental physiological processes.
• Free amino acids: such as glutamic acid, glycine, proline, lysine, phenylalanine, among others, which promote protein synthesis and the plant's response to adverse factors.
• Natural phytohormones: , the cytokinins, auxins, zeatin y gibberellins, responsible for promoting cell division, elongation, root formation and growth, flowering and fruit setting.
• Micronutrients: such as magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc and boron, which are essential for balanced plant nutrition.

All these compounds act in synergy, making the extract of Ascophyllum nodosum a very powerful tool in the advanced plant nutrition and in generating resistance to various types of stress.

Benefits of Ascophyllum nodosum in Agriculture

• Stimulation of plant growth and development: Its phytohormones and amino acids improve cell division and vegetative vigor, promoting greater production of biomass, roots, leaves and flowers.
• Increased efficiency in nutrient absorption: Thanks to chelating polysaccharides (mainly alginic acid), the availability and retention of essential nutrients in the soil is optimized.
• Improving soil structure and health: It increases moisture retention, stabilizes aggregates and promotes the activity of beneficial microorganisms, generating more fertile, aerated and biologically active soils.
• Increased fruit yield and quality: Numerous trials demonstrate an increase in the number and size of fruits and flowers, as well as improvements in flavor, nutritional content and post-harvest life.
• Reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides: By boosting the plant's immune system, the dependence on synthetic inputs is reduced, reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact.
• Tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress: the extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum They reinforce resistance to drought, frost, salinity, diseases and pests through various molecular mechanisms.
• Efficient recovery after episodes of stress: It promotes the restoration of damaged tissues after transplants, adverse weather or pruning.
• Sustainability and environmental conservation: Its implementation promotes an agronomic model that respects the environment, protecting biodiversity and the health of agricultural ecosystems.

Impact of Ascophyllum nodosum on Plant Physiology

When applied to crops, the extract of Ascophyllum nodosum It acts comprehensively on the plant's physiology. Among its most notable effects:

• Improving germination and seedling vigor
• Stimulation of chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis, increasing the energy efficiency of the plant.
• Specific hormonal stimulation (auxins for roots, cytokinins for shoots, gibberellins and zeatin for growth and flowering).
• Strengthening natural defenses by activating metabolic pathways associated with the production of phytoalexins and antioxidants.
• Reduction of leaf senescence, extending the useful life of leaves and productive organs.

Practical Applications and Methods of Use

• Foliar application: It allows rapid absorption of the active ingredients and is especially useful at critical moments of development (flowering, setting, stress).
• Application via irrigation (root): Improves soil structure and fertility, stimulates the root system and optimizes nutrient absorption.
• Seed treatment: increases vigor and germination rate, as well as protecting against soil pathogens.
• Combination with other agricultural inputs: It can be mixed with fertilizers, phytosanitary products, amino acids and micronutrients, always under technical advice to avoid hormonal imbalances.

Dosage and Application Time Recommendations

• Dosages vary depending on the type of crop, phenological stage, and commercial formulation used. For example, for field crops such as soybeans or peanuts, use is recommended during the flowering and grain-filling stages.
• In horticulture and fruit growing, it is optimal to apply during pre-flowering, fruit setting, development and ripening.
• The frequency and timing of application should be planned to maximize physiological responses and synergies with other phytosanitary or nutritional products.

Main Crops Processed

• Citrus: improves the size, uniformity and resistance of the fruits.
• Grapes and seed and stone fruit trees: increases performance and organoleptic quality.
• Tomatoes and vegetables: increases the mineral content and weight of roots and shoots.
• Ornamental plants: enhances the color, size and duration of the flowers.
• Extensive crops (cereals, soybeans, peanuts): increases resistance to stress and the weight of harvested grains.

Synergistic Effect and Environmental Sustainability

The agronomic effect of extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum It is the result of the combined action of dozens of bioactive compounds. Their synergistic interaction amplifies the benefits and makes this biostimulant a comprehensive solution, capable of responding to multiple contemporary agricultural challenges, such as the reduction of synthetic inputs and adaptation to climate change.

The adoption of extracts from Ascophyllum nodosum is aligned with the principles of organic and sustainable agriculture, since its extraction and obtaining process in most cases respects marine ecosystems, guaranteeing the conservation of resources and minimizing environmental impact.

Comparison with Synthetic Fertilizers and Other Alternatives

Feature	Ascophyllum nodosum extract	Synthetic fertilizers
Environmental impact	Low, respectful and sustainable	High, risk of contamination and degradation
Effect on the ground	Improves structure, retention and microbiota	It can cause erosion and salinization
Plant health	Promotes natural defenses and productivity	It can induce resistance to pests and diseases
Resource Conservation	Optimizes use of water and nutrients	Waste of resources and leaching

Extraction Technology and Quality Assurance

La extract quality It depends on the extraction process used. Today's advanced technologies, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction or cold processes, allow nutrients, phytohormones, and antioxidants to be preserved intact, maximizing the biostimulant effect and ensuring uniform and effective products.

It's important to choose suppliers who certify the sustainability of their seaweed harvesting and compliance with environmental regulations to ensure minimal impact on the marine ecosystem.

Commercial Products and Examples of Use

The agricultural market offers a wide variety of products based on Ascophyllum nodosum formulated for different needs and crops:

• Jisamar^®: Liquid fertilizer with seaweed extract and amino acids, designed for flowering and setting with NPK mixture.
• Ascophyllum^®: an ecological biostimulant in solid format, rich in biomolecules and natural phytohormones.
• Algadul^®: Pure extract with high concentration for all types of crops, both conventional and organic.
• Stimulator Strong: 100% Ascophyllum nodosum solid concentrate, provides carbohydrates, amino acids and phytohormones.
• Algaton: Enriched with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, molybdenum and phytohormones, it stimulates growth, flowering and ripening, both in conventional and organic agriculture.
• Taravert^® (range of biostimulants): lines formulated with extract of Ascophyllum nodosum and amino acids of plant origin, designed to enhance development in different phases of cultivation.

The selection of the appropriate product should be based on the type of crop, phenological stage, and production objectives, always in consultation with specialists or the technical department of the supplier company.

Relationship with Other Seaweeds: Differences and Advantages

Within the field of biostimulants, Ascophyllum nodosum stands out from other species such as Ecklonia maxima due to its greater richness in mannitol, polyphenols and phytohormones, which broadens its spectrum of action in vegetative growth, stress resistance, ripening and final quality of the harvest.

While Ecklonia maxima It especially enhances rooting and the formation of adventitious roots, Ascophyllum nodosum offers a more global effect, covering all phenological stages of the plant and allowing its use throughout the entire agricultural cycle.

Integrated Pest and Disease Management

Thanks to its oligosaccharides, polyphenols and laminarin, Ascophyllum nodosum has the ability to initiate endogenous defenses in the plant, helping to reduce the incidence and severity of pests and diseases, even in integrated management systems or organic farming, where the use of phytosanitary products is limited.

• Polyamines and oligosaccharides activate metabolic pathways related to the immune response.
• The effect on reducing sodium absorption and water balance generates plants that are more resistant to salinity and drought.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ascophyllum nodosum in Agriculture