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Effect of liquid seaweed extracts on growth of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

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Abstract

Seaweed extracts are used as nutrient supplements, biostimulants, or biofertilizers in agriculture and horticulture to increase plant growth and yield. In this study, we examined the effect of liquid seaweed extracts (LSEs) made from Ulva lactuca, Caulerpa sertularioides, Padina gymnospora, and Sargassum liebmannii as biostimulants on the germination and growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions using foliar and soil drench applications of LSEs. We assessed LSEs at different concentrations (0.2, 0.4, and 1.0 %) on germination parameters (percentage, index, mean time, energy, and seedling vigor index) and growth parameters (plumule length, radical length, shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight) of tomato seedlings. Our results indicate that seeds treated with LSEs of U. lactuca and P. gymnospora at lower concentrations (0.2 %) showed enhanced germination (better response in germination rate associated with lower mean germination time, high germination index and germination energy, and consequently greater seedling vigor and greater plumule and radicle length). Application as a soil drench was found to be more effective in influencing the height of the plant (up to 79 cm) than the foliar spray application (75 cm). Plants receiving LSEs of U. lactuca and P. gymnospora showed increased shoot length, root length, and weight. Furthermore, U. lactuca and P. gymnospora were found to be more successful and better candidates for developing effective biostimulants to improve the growth of tomato plants. This study provides important information on the identification and utilization of Mexican seaweed resources for agriculture and is the first study to report on the uses of these seaweeds as a source of liquid extracts as biostimulants in agriculture.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. Dr. Carla Vanessa Sánchez Hernández from the “Departamento de Producción Agrícola, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA) Universidad de Guadalajara” for her valuable suggestions during this research. Gustavo Hernández wishes to express his thanks for the fellowship granted under the program “Beca de exclusividad” of the “Comisión de Operación y Fomento de Actividades Académicas del IPN (COFAA)” and also the program “Estímulo al Desempeño de los Investigadores (EDI) del IPN.”

Authors thank to Biol. Kim Siewers for the English editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Carretera Guadalajara-Nogales Km 15.5, C.P. 45110, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico

    Rosalba Mireya Hernández-Herrera, Fernando Santacruz-Ruvalcaba & Mario Alberto Ruiz-López

  2. Acadian Seaplants Limited, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X8, Canada

    Jeffrey Norrie

  3. Instituto Politécnico Nacional–Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, C.P.23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    Gustavo Hernández-Carmona

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  1. Rosalba Mireya Hernández-Herrera
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  2. Fernando Santacruz-Ruvalcaba
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  3. Mario Alberto Ruiz-López
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  4. Jeffrey Norrie
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  5. Gustavo Hernández-Carmona
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Correspondence to Gustavo Hernández-Carmona.

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Hernández-Herrera, R.M., Santacruz-Ruvalcaba, F., Ruiz-López, M.A. et al. Effect of liquid seaweed extracts on growth of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.). J Appl Phycol 26, 619–628 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0078-4

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