Bioassay of Bio Stimulants Extracted from Brown Sea Weed using

Knowledge of Research
2015, 2(1), 1-3
Research Article
Merlin Thomas,
Dhiraj Chauhan,
Jigar Patel and Tirth Panchal
Department of Industrial Chemistry,
Institute of Science and Technology
for Advanced Studies and Research,
V. V. Nagar, Gujarat -388120, India
[email protected]
Received 16 November 2014
Accepted 21 November 2014
ISSAC Publications
http://www.knowledgeofresearch.com
Bioassay of Biostimulants Extracted
from Brown Seaweed using Various
Solvents and their Comparison with
Extracts of Terrestrial Plants
Abstract: Biostimulants were extracted from brown seaweed
(Sargassum Tenerimum) using solvents like water, NaOH,
KOH, HCl and also by fermentation using sour milk. The
bioassay of the extracted biostimulants was tested using
green gram seeds. The extracted biostimulants were also
compared for mineral content with extracts from mango and
moringa leaves using ICP-OES.
Keywords: Biostimulants, Brown seaweed, Bioassay ,
Mineral content
Introduction
Seaweeds contain 20-50 % essential minerals in their dry weight. These essential minerals are not usually
found in in fresh water and crops grown on mineral depleted soil. The elements abundant in seaweeds
include potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine etc.1 Seaweed extracts are increasingly being
used as nutrient supplements due to the presence of natural plant hormones2-3.
Seaweeds have attracted particular attention because of their rapid growth. They have become a
nuisance forming large detached mats, clogging marinas, recreational areas and other sports facilities. They
can foul fishing lines, clog pipes of boats and trap debris.
Biostimulants are materials of biological origin that enhances plant growth or development when
applied to the soil. They stimulate plants to meet their maximum, healthy potential and cause regeneration of
healthy soil. The biostimulants are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins especially sodium, potassium
iron due to their high polysaccharide content .The biostimulants are characterized by high efficiency in
plants cultivation and are environmentally friendly due to biological origin of material. Therefore, they can
constitute an alternative to synthetic plant stimulants, the application of which very often causes
environmental pollution, and support to traditional fertilizers. They have the potential of increasing plant
productivity and quality through influence on various metabolic processes. Plant biostimulants are also
known to improve fruit size, appearance and aril quality by having direct effects on fruit growth and
development or indirectly by regulating crop load, tree vigour and canopy architecture4-6. Biostimulants
foster plant growth and development throughout the crop life cycle from seed germination to plant maturity.
Seaweed and seaweed-derived products have been widely used as amendments in crop production systems
due to the presence of a number of plant growth-stimulating com-pounds. However, the biostimulatory
potential of many of these products has not been fully exploited due to the lack of scientific data on growth
factors present in seaweeds and their mode of action in affecting plant growth7.The common phytohormones
identified in seaweed extracts are auxins, cytokinins, gibberelins, abscisic acid and ethylene auxins are
responsible for elongational growth of plant tissues and apical dominance, cell division, plant movements
and plant aging. Cytokinins are involved in cell division regulation affecting plant growth and rest period.
Know Res., 2015, 2(1), 1-3
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The biostimulants extracted from seaweeds are characterized by high efficiency in plants cultivation and
are environmentally friendly due to biological origin of material. Therefore, they can constitute an
alternative to synthetic plant stimulants, the application of which very often causes environmental pollution,
and support to traditional fertilizers8. In the present study biostimulants were extracted from various types of
seaweeds and their bioassay was tested.
Experimental
Biostimulants were extracted from Brown Seaweed using various solvents like water, potassium hydroxide,
sodium hydroxide, HCl and by using fermentation by sour milk8.
Solutions with water of concentrations varying from 0% to 50% were made from the extracted
biostimulant. Green gram seeds were surface sterilized with 0.1% mercuric chloride for 1h.The seeds were
then washed thoroughly in tap water. The seeds were then soaked in various biostimulant solutions for 24
hours. The seeds were spread on the cushion of filter paper in petri dishes and periodically wetted with tap
water. Each petri dish contained 100 seeds of green gram.
Extracts of mango and moranga leaves were taken using water as solvent. Brown seaweed biostimulants
which are water extracted and fermented using sour milk was compared with extracts of mango leaf and
moringa leaf for the mineral composition using ICP-OES (Perkin-Elmer, optima 3300, RL model) in SICART .
Results and Discussion
As shown in Table 1, the maximum germination of 100% was observed for Brown seaweed extract
fermented with curd. Higher concentration of biostimulant however had a deleterious effect on germination
using all types of solvents.
As shown in Table 2, the biostimulant extracted from brown seaweed was found to be better than
terrestrial source extracts from mango leaf and moringa leaves. The composition of sodium, potassium,
magnesium, boron, manganese and copper was found to be much higher in the biostimulant than in the
extracts of mango and moringa leaves.
Table 1. Bioassay of biostimulant from brown seaweed
S.No
1
2
3
4
5
Type of
Biostimulant
Water extract
KOH extract
NaOH extract
HCl extract
Fermented
using sour milk
% Germination using different concentration of biostimulant
2%
5%
25%
50%
97
91
76
5
98
92
65
0
96
90
63
0
95
89
60
0
100
94
79
6
S.No.
Table 2. Mineral content comparison of biostimulant from brown seaweed with extracts of mango and
moranga leaves
Test parameter
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Calcium
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium
Boron
Manganese
Zinc
Iron
Copper
Cobalt
Molbdenum
Result in mg/kg
Biostimulant from Brown
Biostimulant
seaweed(fermented using sour milk) from Mango leaf
392.96
126.97
433.68
195.58
1467.2
352.65
1543.23
875.71
8.9964
0.6099
2.8831
1.4589
0.3225
1.1254
11.861
1.5527
63.403
0.2753
0.0455
BDL
BDL
BDL
Biostimulant from
Moringa leaf
497.17
411.88
371.03
699.88
1.2048
2.2404
0.6433
22.814
0.2258
BDL
BDL
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Conclusion
The germination of green gram can be activated using the biostimulants extracted from brown seaweed if
used in concentrations less than 50 %. The biostimulants are found to be richer in all the essential minerals
than the extracts of mango and moranga leaves. The brown seaweed biostimulants can be a good alternative
to synthetic plant stimulants, thus avoiding environmental pollution.
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