Salinity – A Growing Threat to Global Agriculture
Farmers are navigating increasing climate uncertainty, fluctuating rainfall patterns, and growing regulatory and consumer pressure to operate more sustainably. Among these mounting challenges, one problem continues to erode productivity, salinity stress.
Soil salinity, often caused by prolonged irrigation with saline water, is a persistent and widespread issue. Over 20% of the world’s irrigated land is affected by salinity, a figure that continues to rise. In many arid and semi-arid regions, poor-quality water sources and inefficient drainage accelerate the accumulation of salts such as sodium and chloride in the soil. As salt levels increase, crops struggle to absorb water and nutrients, leading to reduced growth, diminished fruit quality, and yield loss.
Farmers are responding with everything from improved drainage to salt-tolerant varieties, yet many solutions fall short, especially when managing high-value crops like tomatoes, grapes, and peppers. In this context, Brandon Bioscience, a marine biotechnology company based in Ireland, has developed a powerful toolset to help crops withstand salinity stress through the use of precision biostimulants. With strong scientific backing, field-tested formulations, and targeted action, Brandon is helping farmers safeguard productivity despite the rise in salinity.
Understanding the Impact of Salinity Stress
When irrigated with water high in salts, plants face two major physiological challenges. Firstly, osmotic stress makes it more difficult for roots to absorb water from the soil. Secondly, ionic toxicity, caused by the accumulation of sodium and chloride, damages cells, disrupts nutrient balance, and inhibits growth processes such as photosynthesis and flowering.
The long-term effects include leaf yellowing, stunted roots, poor fruit development, and overall yield decline. In many cases, even switching to better water sources doesn’t immediately reverse the damage, as salts often remain locked in the root zone.
The solution lies not just in improving water quality but in strengthening the plant’s own capacity to withstand salinity. That’s where biostimulants come into play.
Brandon Bioscience’s Answer: Precision-Engineered Biostimulants
Unlike fertilisers, biostimulants do not directly feed the plant. Instead, they activate internal mechanisms that improve nutrient uptake, increase stress tolerance, and support more robust growth. Brandon Bioscience has become a recognised leader in this space, developing biostimulants derived from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, rich in polysaccharides, amino acids, and bioactive compounds.
Their standout solution for managing salinity stress is BLOCSAL®, developed using their proprietary PSI® 475 Precision Technology. BLOCSAL® combines Ascophyllum nodosum extract with protein hydrolysates to deliver a precise and reliable response to saline conditions.
Unlike generic seaweed products, BLOCSAL® is designed for multi-level action, from physiological improvements like water retention and root growth to molecular responses such as stress gene activation.
How BLOCSAL® Supports Crops Under Saline Conditions
BLOCSAL® addresses salinity stress through a range of scientifically validated mechanisms:
1. Enhancing Osmotic Balance
Under salt stress, plants lose their ability to retain water. BLOCSAL® encourages the accumulation of protective compounds like proline and soluble sugars, which help cells retain moisture and maintain turgor pressure.
2. Regulating Ion Uptake
Sodium ions, when absorbed in excess, are toxic to plant tissues. BLOCSAL® promotes potassium uptake and reduces the translocation of sodium from roots to leaves. This helps the plant maintain a healthy K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, essential for cell function and metabolic processes.
3. Strengthening Root Systems
Improved root growth allows crops to access water and nutrients more efficiently. Trials have shown that BLOCSAL® increases both root biomass and root depth, contributing to better resource acquisition.
4. Activating Salinity Tolerance Genes
At the genetic level, BLOCSAL® triggers the expression of key stress-response genes, including SOS1, NHX1, and HKT1. These genes regulate sodium transport, store excess salts in vacuoles, and protect young plant tissues from damage.
5. Sustaining Photosynthesis and Recovery
In treated crops, chlorophyll and carotenoid levels are better maintained under stress, supporting photosynthetic efficiency and energy production. This results in faster post-stress recovery and stronger yields.
Field-Proven Results Across Key Crops
In field trials on tomatoes irrigated with high-salinity water, BLOCSAL® consistently outperformed untreated controls. Treated plants showed:
- A 48% increase in yield under severe salinity conditions
- Improved fruit quality, including higher °Brix values and firmer texture
- Enhanced root biomass and faster recovery post-stress
- Significantly lower sodium content in leaf tissue
Similar outcomes were observed in trials with peppers and grapes, including earlier flowering, more uniform fruit set, and improved marketable yields. These benefits were consistent across varying salinity levels and growing environments.
Importantly, the product worked not only under stress but also improved plant performance in non-stressed conditions, providing growers with consistent value throughout the season.
PSI® Technology: The Backbone of Brandon’s Innovation
All Brandon Bioscience biostimulants are developed using their proprietary Plant Signal Induction (PSI®) platform. This precision technology ensures each product is validated at three levels: chemical composition, biological activity, and agronomic performance.
PSI® technology identifies bioactive molecules that trigger specific plant responses, allowing Brandon to fine-tune their products to solve real-world agricultural challenges. BLOCSAL®, powered by PSI® 475, is a prime example of how targeted science translates into measurable yield gains in the field.
Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship
Beyond improving yields, BLOCSAL® offers major environmental benefits. Salinity stress often leads growers to increase fertiliser and water use, which can result in nutrient leaching, soil degradation, and elevated production costs.
By improving a plant’s internal efficiency, BLOCSAL® helps farmers:
- Reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers
- Minimise water usage and irrigation frequency
- Limit the environmental impact of nitrogen runoff
- Maintain profitability under stricter sustainability regulations
The product is certified for use in organic systems, meeting stringent standards for environmentally responsible farming. It also supports global goals tied to sustainable intensification and climate resilience.
Easy Integration for Growers
BLOCSAL® has been designed with flexibility in mind. It can be applied as a foliar spray or via fertigation systems. Typical rates are 1.0–1.5 litres per hectare, depending on crop type and severity of salinity stress.
It is compatible with common crop protection and fertiliser products, allowing it to be included in existing crop management programmes without additional application passes. Its high concentration also means fewer litres used, saving on transport and storage costs.
Whether used preventatively before stress occurs or reactively during stress events, BLOCSAL® delivers value.
Grower Feedback and Market Adoption
Growers across our markets have embraced BLOCSAL® as a dependable part of their agronomic strategies. Many report healthier crops with stronger roots, better fruit setting, and more uniform growth across their fields, even under difficult conditions.
Distributors and agricultural advisers praise the product’s consistency, compatibility, and return on investment. The ongoing support from Brandon Bioscience’s technical team ensures growers get the most out of every application.
Helping Farmers Face Salinity with Confidence
Salinity stress is here to stay. As climate pressures grow and fresh water becomes scarcer, farmers need solutions that work, now and into the future. Brandon Bioscience is providing those solutions through science, innovation, and a commitment to sustainable agriculture.
With BLOCSAL® and PSI® technology, growers are no longer at the mercy of saline soils or poor-quality irrigation water. Instead, they have a trusted partner that empowers their crops to thrive, no matter the conditions.
For growers looking to protect yield, improve crop quality, and ensure long-term resilience, Brandon Bioscience offers a proven, data-backed solution to salinity stress.
Speak to our experts today and learn how Brandon Bioscience’s precision biostimulants can help you manage salinity and protect your crop performance.
