Seaweed solutions to crop health problems

Comprehending the biochemistry behind seaweed extracts and why they are usually active in plants will be assisting to underpin the advancement of novel products directed at stimulating crop progress and protection as well as soil health, by simply Olmix, based in Brittany, France.

Dr Maria Matard-Mann, analysis project manager on the business states a group of compounds present in ocean weed, but not present in terrain plants, are sulphated polysaccharides. “When spreading these on crops the plant would not recognise sulphated molecules in addition to considers them as aggressors. ”

This has the particular effect of stimulating typically the plant’s natural defences, which can prime it to be able to respond better to illness and environmental (abiotic) anxiety for example drought, in line with the business.

Founded in 1995, Olmix primarily focused on search for elements and clay goods for human and animal health in addition to nutrition. It subsequently extended into seaweed products and manufactured its first foray in to plant care in 2006. Its first seaweed-based biostimulants were launched in 2015. Amongst various acquisitions to augment their plant care portfolio in addition to market reach was Nottinghamshire-based Micromix, in June 2018. Olmix employs 800 employees and has a proceeds of €166m (£145. 85m).

Brittany coast
Seaweed utilized in its products is gathered around the Brittany coast in addition to processed in Brehan. Regarding the 700 species found in the area, environmentally friendly and red are mainly employed by the company, together with green looking after have even more of a biopesticide impact and red, biostimulant attributes, it says.

Didier Blin, product manager, plant care at Olmix explained how a company had adopted an Integrated Plant Care Management idea aimed at enabling plant life to face up to attacks from infestations and diseases, improving grow nutrition and bettering dirt quality.
“We are not simply another seaweed dealer. Olmix will be the only company that supplies a holistic view of plant management. Integrated Grow Care Management is based on a range of biosolutions which have a optimistic influence on all the particular physiological factors that influence yield potential: capacity biotic and abiotic stress situations, ability to capture value from nutrients and soil quality, ” he stated.

The company works together with research institutes and universities across Europe, including the particular University of Nottingham.
Micromix sales manager Chris Wager, who is planning BRITISH trials of biostimulants this autumn says: “This may be the first time in agriculture our company is saying let’s appearance at the interaction between trace factors and biostimulants in a way of which understands the particular molecules carry out. ”