Study aims to show how kelp extract can help promote healthy soil

The project, “Assessing Sugar Kelp Extracts as a Nutrient Management Tool” (SKE-NMT), is in its early stages and is led by Algapelago Marine Ltd in collaboration with project partners The James Hutton Institute, Atlantic Mariculture Ltd and the UK Agri-Tech Centre.

The study is setting out to adopt a biological approach to the need for more efficient nutrient management in agriculture. The approach places emphasis on microbial and fungal communities in the breakdown, cycling and retention of nutrients in soil. The researchers hope it will lead to reduced dependence on chemical fertilisers.

Through application of seaweed biostimulants under reduced mineral fertiliser application, this project aims to confirm new nutrient management options through stimulating plant responses and promoting healthy soil biology.

Seaweed supplements (due to their uniquely rich profile of fibres, micronutrients and bioactive components) enhance the growth of specific microbiota in soil, which leads to a cascade of biological functions with beneficial impacts for productivity, resistance to abiotic stress and resistance to pathogens.

This approach is relevant across a wide range of crop types including broadacre, horticulture and top fruit. As such, use of seaweed biostimulants meet multiple biotic and abiotic challenges to transition to more sustainable and resilient farming systems.

This, the researchers say, will unlock further research opportunities to explore larger-scale field trials to confirm the ability of kelp biostimulants to improve Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE).