Effect of Ascophyllum nodosum Alga Application on Microgreens, Yield, and Yield Components in Oats Avena sativa L.
At a Glance
Section titled âAt a Glanceâ| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2021-07-20 |
| Journal | Agronomy |
| Authors | Barbara DrygaĆ, Joanna Depciuch, CzesĆaw Puchalski |
| Institutions | RzeszĂłw University, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences |
| Citations | 12 |
| Analysis | Full AI Review Included |
Executive Summary
Section titled âExecutive SummaryâThis study investigates the efficacy of Ascophyllum nodosum (A. nodosum) algae extract as a biostimulant for oat (Avena sativa cv. Bingo) production, analyzing effects on seed chemistry, microgreens, and field yield over three years.
- Yield Enhancement: Application of the highest algae dose (A2) resulted in a significant average oat grain yield increase of 6.38% compared to the control (A0).
- Stress Tolerance Mechanism: The beneficial effect was most pronounced during years with unfavorable hydrometeorological conditions (dry seasons), showing increases of 9.28% (2016) and 10.21% (2018), confirming the role of A. nodosum as an abiotic stress mitigator.
- Chemical Modification (Seeds & Microgreens): Both FTIR (microgreens) and FT-Raman (seeds) spectroscopy confirmed that algae soaking alters the chemical composition, specifically increasing absorbance values for sugar-building (polysaccharides) and protein functional groups.
- Yield Component Improvement: The A2 dose significantly improved key yield components, increasing panicle grain weight by 14.01% and the number of grains in the panicle by 4.3%.
- Concentration Window: Spectroscopic analysis defined an effective concentration range; excessively low (0.05%) or high (15%) algae concentrations did not induce detectable chemical changes in the oat seeds.
- Physical Factor Ineffectiveness: Pre-sowing stimulation using a low-frequency magnetic field (50 mT, 50 Hz) had no statistically significant beneficial effect on final oat yield or yield structure components.
Technical Specifications
Section titled âTechnical Specificationsâ| Parameter | Value | Unit | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Algae Dose (A2 Total) | 6.4 | g·ha-1 | Boron (B) content |
| Field Algae Dose (A2 Total) | 12.4 | g·ha-1 | Zinc (Zn) content |
| Field Algae Dose (A2 Total) | 0.86 | kg·ha-1 | Iron (Fe) content |
| Field NPK Fertilization | 80 / 80 / 100 | kg·ha-1 | N / P2O5 / K2O constant dose |
| Average Oat Yield (3-Year) | 4.48 | t·h-1 | Field experiment average |
| Max Yield Increase (A2) | 10.21 | % | Increase vs. control (A0) in 2018 |
| MF Stimulation Field Strength | 50 | mT | Pre-sowing seed treatment |
| MF Stimulation Frequency | 50 | Hz | Pre-sowing seed treatment |
| MF Exposure Times (S1 / S2) | 6 / 60 | s | Pre-sowing seed treatment |
| FTIR Scanning Range | 600-4000 | cm-1 | Microgreens analysis |
| FT-Raman Scanning Range | 150-3700 | cm-1 | Seed analysis |
| FT-Raman Laser Wavelength | 1064 | nm | Nd:YAG laser source |
| Pot Experiment Day Temp | 23 | °C | Climatic chamber (16 h photoperiod) |
| Pot Experiment Light Intensity | 350 | ”mol·m-2·s-1 | Bright period |
| Soil pH (Pot Experiment) | 5.5-6.5 | pH | Universal soil Sterlux |
| Hydrothermal Coefficient (Dry) | 0.4 < k †0.7 | Dimensionless | Characterized growing seasons (2016, 2017) |
Key Methodologies
Section titled âKey MethodologiesâThe research involved three distinct experiments: Microgreens (Pot), Seed Treatment (Spectroscopy), and Field Yield.
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Seed Preparation and Soaking:
- Certified oat seeds (cv. Bingo) were soaked for 24 hours at 20 ± 1 °C in homogeneous suspensions of dried, comminuted A. nodosum algae in demineralized water.
- Concentrations ranged from 0.01% to 15% (w/v) for spectroscopic analysis and 0.5% to 10% (w/v) for the microgreens pot experiment.
-
Microgreens Experiment (FTIR Analysis):
- Soaked seeds were planted in pots using Sterlux soil and grown for 10 days in a controlled climatic chamber (16h day at 23 °C, 8h night at 16 °C).
- Above-ground plant material (young leaves) was dried, ground, and analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with an ATR crystal plate.
- Chemometric analysis (PCA) was performed on the 800-1800 cm-1 region to identify similarities in chemical composition (sugars, proteins).
-
Seed Experiment (FT-Raman Analysis):
- Washed and dried treated seeds were analyzed using FT-Raman spectroscopy (Nd:YAG laser, 0.5 W power).
- Multivariate analysis (PCA, HCA, and PLS with VIP calculation) was used to determine the spectral variation and identify the most important vibrational bands associated with chemical changes (proteins, polysaccharides, fatty acids).
-
Field Experiment (Yield and Structure):
- A three-year split-block experiment (2016-2018) was established with two factors: Algae dose (A0, A1, A2) and Pre-sowing Magnetic Field (MF) stimulation (S0, S1, S2).
- MF stimulation involved exposing seeds to 50 mT, 50 Hz for 6 s or 60 s prior to sowing.
- Algae were applied as a foliar spray in installments during the tillering (BBCH 29) and stalk shooting (BBCH 39) phases.
- Yield components (panicle grain weight, thousand-grain weight, plant height, number of grains) were measured and analyzed using ANOVA and Tukeyâs HSD test, correlated with detailed meteorological data.
Commercial Applications
Section titled âCommercial ApplicationsâThe findings support the development and application of A. nodosum biostimulants in several areas of modern agriculture:
- Abiotic Stress Management: Manufacturing biostimulant products specifically marketed for improving crop resilience and stabilizing yields in regions prone to drought or temperature extremes.
- High-Value Crop Production: Developing specialized nutrient solutions for the microgreen and specialty cereal grass industry (e.g., oatgrass, wheatgrass) to maximize the accumulation of beneficial compounds like proteins and polysaccharides.
- Sustainable Input Reduction: Integrating A. nodosum extracts into fertilizer regimes to enhance nutrient use efficiency (NUE), allowing farmers to potentially reduce reliance on synthetic NPK fertilizers.
- Seed Priming and Vigor: Creating commercial seed treatment protocols based on optimal algae concentrations (e.g., 0.5% to 5% range) to chemically prime seeds, ensuring robust germination and early plant development.
- Quality Control and Formulation: Utilizing vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR/Raman) as a rapid analytical tool for quality assurance in biostimulant manufacturing and for verifying the chemical efficacy of seed treatments.
View Original Abstract
This paper describes the influence of Ascophyllum nodosum algae on the seeds, microgreens, yield, and yield components of oat Avena sativa cv. Bingo. This article includes the results from three experiments. In one of the experiments, the oat seeds were soaked in a solution of demineralized water with dried comminuted and homogenized algae. For the FT-Raman spectra measurements, a spectrometer with an Nd:YAG laser, with a germanium detector, was used. The results obtained show that an excessively low as well as an excessively high alga concentration did not have an influence on the change in oat composition. Other algae concentrations that were used in these experiments caused significant chemical changes in the oat seeds. For the FT-Raman data, separation of the control from all the oat grains treated with different algae concentrations was possible. The aim of the pot experiment was to determine the effect of the application of algae (in different doses) on the A. sativa green mass of young plants (microgreens). The certified oat seeds, after being soaked in a solution with algae, were planted in the ground. For the chemometric analysis of the oat samples, a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer device was used. The data were recorded with a viewing diamond with an attenuated total reflection (ATR) crystal plate. The FTIR spectra showed that soaking in an algae suspension affected the germination, general metabolism, and chemical composition of the oats. The use of algae did not change the lipid content of the plant. The three-year field experiment was established by introducing two factors: A. nodosum application (A) and a pre-sowing stimulation with a low-frequency magnetic field (S). The influence of experimental factors on the oat yield and its structure (yield structure components and yield components) was investigated. The beneficial effect of algae on oat yield was demonstrated by improved parameters such as the number and weight of the grains; however, under field conditions, the pre-sowing magnetic field stimulation of seeds did not have a beneficial effect. Various weather conditions also had a great influence on the yield. This study also considered the role of A. nodosum as a biostimulant in plants, and this showed potential under less favorable conditions.
Tech Support
Section titled âTech SupportâOriginal Source
Section titled âOriginal SourceâReferences
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