ABSTRACT

Sea weed extracts are the inexpensive source of naturally occurring plant growth regulators which have greater potential as biostimulants in agriculture. The endogenous plant growth regulators present in the sea weed extracts and concentrates is thought to be involved in the promoting plant growth and yield. Different plant phytohormones and growth regulators present in sea weed extracts are known to enhance the yield and yield attributes of crops, when applied exogenously. Seaweed liquid fertilisers are useful for achieving higher agricultural production, because the extract contains growth promoting hormones like Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Gibberellins, Abscisic acid, Ethylene, Betaine and Polyamines other than the trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotics and micronutrients. This paper reviews the literature supporting evidence for the occurrence of plant growth regulators in sea weed extracts and seaweed concetrates and their use for sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

INTRODUCTION

Seaweeds and various seaweed extracts have been utilised in agricultural practices since long. The extracts of marine macroalgae viz. brown, red and green algae are known to have positive effect on growth and yield of crops. The brown algae are the most commonly used sea weeds in agriculture. Sea weed extracts contain different phytohormones like Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Abscisic acid, Ethylene, Betaine and Polyamines and other growth promoters along with trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotics and micronutrients which enhance the yield and yield attributes of crops, when applied exogenously. Sustainable agriculture is the successful management of resources for agriculture to satisfy changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the quality of the environment and conserving natural resources (CGIAR, 1978). Sea weeds and sea weed extracts which are important components of organic farming are a promising avenue for yield maximization through their biostimulatory role on crop plants. Sea weeds and their extracts are integral to sustainable farming because of their multifarious utility in various fields of agriculture including nutrient and crop management, growth promotion and plant protection etc.

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