Biostimulants from algae biomass uncovered : phytohormones determinationand plant growth stimulation

Cepec, Eva (avtor), Griessler Bulc, Tjaša (avtor), Šunta, Urška (avtor), Istenič, Darja (avtor)

Microalgae are increasingly recognized as a valuable source of bioactive compounds, including phytohormones, which play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development. This study investigates the potential use of microalgae biomass as natural biostimulant for sustainable agriculture, where focus on boosting crop resilience and productivity is needed. While most previous studies of the microalgae phytohormones production have been limited to laboratory-scale experiments using expensive synthetic growth media, this research advances the field by utilizing pilot-scale systems for algae biomass cultivation in real municipal wastewater (WW), which represents an alternative, cost-effective growth medium. Microalgae cultures were grown under controlled laboratory conditions and in a pilot high-rate algae pond (HRAP), and specific phytohormones in selected microalgae cultures were quantified. Biomass samples were prepared using various methods (fresh utilisation, freezing, drying), with lyophilization being identified as more effective for preserving biostimulative activity, compared to frozen and thawed biomass, which was found to be less suitable. Preliminary tests, performed with commercial phytotoxkit liquid samples, confirmed biostimulatory effects of algae biomass on roots growth of white mustard (Sinapis alba). Phytohormone profiling, conducted using LC-MS/MS, revealed up to 30-fold higher levels of auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in pilot-scale cultures compared to laboratory-grown biomass. These findings highlight the potential for scaling up microalgal cultivation to produce phytohormone-enriched biomass. Understanding how different growth conditions influence phytohormone production in microalgae is essential for developing large-scale application guidelines. Variability in biomass composition due to fluctuating wastewater characteristics necessitates further research, as well as the development of optimized application strategies to enhance biostimulatory efficacy.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: high-rate algae pond, microalgae cultivation, phytohormones screening, plant growth promoters
• Vrsta gradiva: Znanstveno delo
• Tipologija: 1.08 - Objavljeni znanstveni prispevek na konferenci
• Organizacija: ZF - Zdravstvena fakulteta ; FGG - Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 33-42
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-168400
• UDK: 502.131.1
• DOI: 10.55295/PSL.12.2025.II3
• COBISS.SI-ID: 231783939
• Datum objave v RUL: 11.04.2025

Gradivo je del monografije

• Naslov: Socratic Lectures : 12th international symposium, Ljubljana, January 11, 2025
• Uredniki: Veronika Kralj-Iglič, Anna Romolo, Yelena Istileulova
• Kraj izida: Ljubljana
• Založnik: University of Ljubljana Press
• Leto izida: 2025
• ISBN: 978-961-297-551-7
• COBISS.SI-ID: 228834307

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P3-0388-2022
• Naslov: Mehanizmi varovanja zdravja

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: J2-4427-2022
• Naslov: Algne tehnologije za zelene produkte - ALGreen