The farming landscape constantly evolves, presenting new challenges each year. Weather has a major impact on farming practices, particularly erratic weather conditions and the resulting crop stress. In response, growers continually explore effective crop management methods to weatherproof crops, enhance production, and meet market demands.
One solution gaining traction is climate-proofing the farm with biostimulant products. The concept of climate-smart agriculture provides innovative strategies to boost productivity while tackling crop stress and other challenges associated with shifting climate patterns. Climate-smart agriculture focuses on three key pillars-increasing productivity, enhancing resilience to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This comprehensive approach aims to create a sustainable and efficient agricultural system that can adapt to the challenges posed by a warming planet and shifting weather patterns.
Biostimulants from Acadian Plant Health™ (APH) play a vital role in this strategy to enhance plant health by stimulating plant growth, improving nutrient uptake, and boosting soil health.
Pursuing climate-smart agriculture.
When applied to plants or soil, APH's Ascophyllum nodosum technology stimulates natural processes, improving nutrient efficiency, stress tolerance, and overall performance.
Acadian Plant Health's biostimulant research reveals positive effects on plants' nutrient use and efficiency. The results showed enhanced root growth and absorptive function, leading to increased uptake of dissolved macro and micro-nutrients.
Our studies have shown that applications of our Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants lead to enhanced root development, increased root mass, and a stronger root system. Additionally, we've seen changes in gene expression that affect nutrient uptake and movement within the plant, so plants grow better and are more productive under limited nutrition. When treated with Acadian's Ascophyllum nodosum extract, plants exhibit increased nitrogen absorption, resulting in enhanced growth and productivity even with reduced fertilizer application.
Dr. Holly Little, Director of Research and Development with Acadian Plant Health
Trials on corn showed increased yield under standard and reduced nitrogen conditions when combined with Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extracts.
(CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)
Wheat trials conducted at the APH Craigie Research Centre showed root dry weight increased 17% 20 days post-treatment of Acadian Plant Health Ascophyllum nodosum extracts and UAN, compared to plants treated with UAN alone. (CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)
Improving plant growth and stress tolerance.
Environmental stress impacts crop growth and yields 7-10 times more than diseases and pests. As crops confront various abiotic stresses, including cold, excessive water, heat waves, and drought, there is a growing implementation of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed-based biostimulants in crop management practices.
With our unique extraction process, we are able to liberate numerous bioactive compounds such as mannitol, polysaccharides, and betaines. These compounds have been shown to improve plant tolerance to stressful growing conditions, including, but not limited to, heat stress and drought.
Dr. Holly Little
Increasingly unfavorable weather conditions have contributed to farmers losing 30-70% of their yield[1] with an estimated contribution of only 10% from biotic stress. (CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)
Studies show APH biostimulants work with plants' internal systems to help improve productivity and growth through stress. Biostimulants can…
Reduce plant cell damage
Increase tolerance to abiotic stress
Increase antioxidant production
Promote root growth and branching
Support water retention through heat, drought, or salinity
Supporting healthy and carbon-rich soils.
An increasingly important approach to climate-proofing farms is regenerative agriculture, which focuses on improving soil health. Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulants support the microbiome, soil structure, and overall contributions to soil organic carbon. Due to their proximity to plant roots, soil microbes aid in nutrient uptake while stimulating plant growth through root system development.
Acadian Plant Health's extensive research has proved many ways seaweed extracts contribute to soil:
Increasing growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
Strengthening plant-microbe relationships
Optimizing nutrient availability
Increasing nodulation on the roots
Increasing soil aggregation and improving soil structure
Improving C02 absorption
Increasing root biomass and promoting soil carbon content
APH's seaweed extracts improve microbial abundance and growth through multiple mechanisms. Soil respiration is linked to soil's ability to cycle carbon and nutrients. Increased plate counts indicate APH products support greater microbial abundance, and increased ATP indicates a rise in living microbes. (CREDIT: Acadian Plant Health)
Sustainability and better crop productivity.
Adaptability is crucial for farmers facing unpredictable weather patterns. Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants are a valuable tool to allow growers to maintain consistent yields despite environmental challenges.
Dr. Holly Little
The more weather and climate patterns shift, the more essential it becomes to implement new technology in farming practices. Harnessing the power of Acadian Plant Health Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulants is key for building a climate-smart strategy and enhancing crop performance.
