Pod Shatter Explained: Protecting Your Yield from Loss

In agriculture, crop losses can stem from a variety of factors, including pests, diseases, environmental stresses, and problems intrinsic to plant physiology. One such intrinsic issue, particularly concerning in oilseed crops and legumes, is the phenomenon of pod shatter. This natural event allows plants to disperse their seeds once they are ripe; however, it comes with a substantial drawback—significant losses in yield. When pods open prematurely, seeds fall to the ground, thereby reducing harvestable yield and, ultimately, a grower’s revenue. Through continuous scientific endeavour, new methods are emerging to tackle this challenge in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.

One groundbreaking solution is SEALICIT®, a biostimulant derived from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum. Produced by Brandon Bioscience, this novel extract is designed to mitigate the adverse effects of pod shatter while simultaneously supporting the development of healthy, resilient plants. Below, we delve into the science behind pod shatter, its consequences for farmers, and how a biostimulant from seaweed can offer a promising avenue for reducing losses, improving yields, and ensuring a more consistent harvest.

1. What is Pod Shatter?

Pod shatter refers to the natural process by which seed-containing pods, such as those found in crops like oilseed rape (OSR) and soybean, split open and release their seeds once they are sufficiently mature. In the wild, this is vital for seed dispersal and ensures the propagation of the species. However, under agricultural conditions, uncontrolled shattering often leads to:

1. Premature Seed Loss: Seeds may be ejected onto the ground before farmers are ready to harvest.
2. Reduced Economic Returns: Fewer seeds gathered at harvest translate directly to smaller yields and reduced profits.
3. Volunteer Growth: Seeds that fall to the soil prematurely can germinate and become competitive ‘volunteers’ the following season, complicating field management and crop rotation.

Although certain varieties of crops (for example, some types of winter oilseed rape) are more resistant to shattering, the losses can still be significant—commonly 15-25% of an oilseed rape crop in the United Kingdom alone. Over the years, crop breeders have selectively bred for shatter resistance, but it remains a complex trait with multiple genes responsible for controlling pod formation, opening, and strength.

2. The Economic Impact on Growers

Every farmer is aware that more inputs—be it fertiliser, time, or labour—do not necessarily guarantee higher revenue if a large portion of the crop is lost at harvest. In the case of pod-bearing plants, pod shatter introduces an added layer of risk:

• Harvest Timing Pressures: Growers often face difficult decisions on when to harvest. Harvesting too early may compromise overall seed maturity and yield quality, whereas waiting longer could result in a greater probability of premature pod opening.
• Variety Selection: While there are shatter-resistant (SR) varieties, these may sometimes lack other desirable traits, such as disease resistance or yield potential, forcing farmers to compromise.
• Financial Losses: In crops like oilseed rape and soybean, significant pod shatter can amount to thousands of pounds in lost revenue, depending on both the severity of shatter and market prices for the seeds.

For farmers, any practical technique to reduce this uncertainty and prevent losses is invaluable. Scientific and technological advancements, including the development of biostimulants, are becoming increasingly crucial in helping growers maintain or even increase yields under challenging conditions.

3. Understanding Biostimulants and Their Role

Biostimulants occupy a unique position in the realm of agricultural inputs. Different from traditional fertilisers that directly supply nutrients, and distinct from pesticides that primarily protect against pests or diseases, biostimulants promote plant growth and resilience by influencing the plant’s physiological processes. They often include substances such as:

• Seaweed Extracts
• Beneficial Microbes
• Humic Acids
• Protein Hydrolysates

Their mechanisms of action can vary, encompassing enhanced nutrient uptake, improved stress tolerance, boosted root development, or, crucially, changes in gene expression that strengthen crop resilience against environmental or physiological stress factors. A biostimulant developed to mitigate pod shatter attempts to target the genetic and biochemical pathways that govern pod formation and dehiscence (i.e., the controlled splitting of pods).

4. Introducing SEALICIT®

SEALICIT® is a developed product from Brandon Bioscience derived from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum. Harvested in pristine waters, Ascophyllum nodosum is a brown seaweed noted for its rich bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, antioxidants, and signalling molecules. These molecules are known to:

1. Support Plant Growth: They enhance root development and nutrient uptake.
2. Modulate Stress Responses: They help plants cope with abiotic stresses, such as drought or heat, as well as physiological stresses like pod shatter.
3. Regulate Gene Expression: Research has shown that Ascophyllum nodosum extracts can alter the expression of key genes involved in plant growth and fruit development.

Brandon Bioscience’s earlier work explored how SEALICIT® affects oilseed rape (OSR) to reduce pod shattering, offering the crop a more uniform harvest window and minimising yield loss. More recent studies are confirming that SEALICIT® confers similar benefits in soybean, demonstrating its versatility across multiple pod-bearing crops.

5. The Science Behind SEALICIT®’s Mode of Action

5.1 Genetic Pathways Influenced

Crops prone to shattering contain genes that facilitate the splitting of the pod wall. Key genes identified in Arabidopsis and extended into crop research include:

• IND (INDEHISCENCE): Central to the formation and subsequent rupture of the ‘dehiscence zone’, the specific area where pods split.
• FUL (FRUITFUL): Influences fruit or pod growth, helping to regulate the formation of the tissues.
• RPL (REPLUMLESS): Governs replum development, an area of the pod crucial to pod structure.

In oilseed rape, IND activity is a prime culprit in facilitating pod opening. By downregulating or modulating its expression, the formation of the dehiscence zone is curtailed, thus reducing the risk or severity of shatter. SEALICIT®’s bioactive compounds help “re-tune” these signalling pathways, thereby increasing the crop’s innate resistance to premature pod opening.

5.2 Biochemical and Structural Changes

Another crucial effect is the increase in total lignin content in the pod walls. Lignin is a complex polymer that fortifies plant tissues against physical stresses. By boosting lignin levels, pods become sturdier and less likely to crack under mechanical force, such as wind, rain, or even harvest-time vibrations.

Simultaneously, SEALICIT® appears to aid in replum expansion (the central seam of the pod) and modifies the cells at the valve margins, the edges that form the pod’s outer walls. Together, these changes ensure improved structural integrity, making pods less susceptible to damage in the critical phase leading up to harvest.

6. SEALICIT®’s Impact on Oilseed Rape (OSR)

Winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is a key oilseed crop in many temperate regions, including the UK. Nevertheless, it is famously susceptible to pod shatter, with yields often reduced if weather conditions turn unfavourable during harvesting. In large-scale trials, including those carried out by Brandon Bioscience:

• SEALICIT® treatment led to significantly less pod shatter compared to untreated controls.
• Application timing and dosages were adjusted depending on the variety of WOSR, with the highest shatter-susceptible genotypes benefiting the most.
• Researchers measured a 1–9% to 18% increase in seed yield for SR (shatter-resistant) varieties, and significantly higher yields for SS (shatter-susceptible) varieties when SEALICIT® was applied at optimal dosages.

The resulting consistent yields and smoother harvest windows offer farmers the benefits of lowered seed loss and reduced volunteer growth the following season. This additional advantage can profoundly impact long-term soil health and farm profitability.

7. Extending SEALICIT®’s Benefits to Soybean

With soybeans forming a cornerstone of global agriculture—used in human food, animal feed, and oil production—protecting against pod shatter has become essential. Not only are soybeans themselves crucial for protein production, but rising global demand has sometimes led to unsustainable expansion of agricultural land. Helping farmers maximise yields on existing croplands through improved shatter resistance is one way to mitigate the necessity for further land conversion.

7.1 Gene Expression Adjustments in Soybean

Recent field trials in Canada and Brazil illustrate that SEALICIT® exerts a significant influence on soybean crops, particularly shatter-susceptible (SS) varieties. Two critical pod dehiscence genes—PDH1.1 and SHAT1-5—were the focus:

• PDH1.1: Highly expressed during lignin deposition and known to intensify the dehiscing force.
• SHAT1-5: Enhances pod wall binding strength and promotes thickening of the fibre cap cells in pod sutures.

Upon treatment with SEALICIT®, SS varieties displayed reduced PDH1.1 expression and increased SHAT1-5 expression, demonstrating an increase in pod shatter resistance. This not only safeguarded the seeds from untimely release but also provided a noticeable boost in yield citeturn0file0.

7.2 Yield Improvement and Dose Dependency

Interestingly, the dose-dependent nature of SEALICIT® became evident during the trials. While SR (shatter-resistant) soybean varieties did not display a strong increase in shatter resistance when treated, they still exhibited yield gains ranging from 1–9% to as high as 18%, reflecting improved overall plant health and seed size.

For SS (shatter-susceptible) varieties, the effect on pod shatter resistance was more pronounced, and with the correct dose, these varieties showed a significant recovery of yield loss that would have otherwise occurred through seed dispersal to the ground. As a result, using SEALICIT® is not merely about preventing yield loss in the immediate sense but is also about optimising seed production to boost the farmer’s bottom line.

8. Sustainability and the Bigger Picture

Beyond the immediate agronomic benefits, SEALICIT® embodies a sustainable approach to modern agriculture. Here’s why:

1. Natural Origins: Derived from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, it harnesses naturally occurring compounds rather than relying on synthetic chemicals.
2. Reduced Environmental Footprint: Minimising pod shatter curtails volunteer growth, which in turn can reduce the need for additional herbicide applications in subsequent seasons.
3. Optimised Land Use: By recovering yield that would otherwise be lost, SEALICIT® helps farmers produce more on existing farmland, potentially easing the push to expand agricultural areas, an important factor in biodiversity conservation.

Moreover, the shift towards biostimulants aligns with increasingly eco-conscious markets and regulatory moves to encourage greener agricultural practices. As consumer demand for sustainably produced crops grows, solutions like SEALICIT® represent a positive synergy between environmental stewardship and farmer profitability.

9. Best Practices for Incorporating SEALICIT® into Your Crop Management

1. Choose the Right Application Time
In oilseed rape, SEALICIT® is often applied during the flowering stage when pods are starting to form, ensuring the product can influence the developing tissues that govern shatter resistance. For soybean, timing may similarly revolve around key growth stages tied to pod set.

2. Optimise Dosages
Trial data demonstrates that dosage rates can vary in their effectiveness based on crop variety and local conditions. It may be beneficial to begin with recommended base rates, then adjust based on small-scale field results or local agronomist advice to achieve the ideal cost-benefit outcome.

3. Monitor Pod Development
Regular field scouting allows you to observe and document any changes in pod integrity, gauge whether the application has had a notable impact, and ascertain if repeated treatments or additional strategies are required.

4. Integrate with Other Agronomic Practices
SEALICIT®’s effectiveness can be further enhanced by combining it with strong agronomic practices: correct fertilisation, disease management, and soil health improvement. By approaching the crop from multiple angles, you optimise the environment for robust pods and healthy plants.

10. The Future of Pod Shatter Management

With the continued growth of global agriculture and intensifying demand for high-yield, high-quality crops, strategies to safeguard yields become even more vital. Genetic engineering and selective breeding have long been the mainstay approaches for enhancing pod integrity. However, challenges such as:

• Breeding Trade-offs: Focusing on one trait (like shatter resistance) can inadvertently lead to drawbacks in disease resistance or yield potential.
• Environmental Variability: Different climatic and soil conditions require flexible solutions rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

11. A Forward-Looking Solution

Pod shatter has long been the bane of farmers cultivating pod-bearing crops, from winter oilseed rape in the UK to soybeans in North and South America. Its economic repercussions and the added complexity it brings to farm management have encouraged scientific exploration into robust and sustainable mitigation strategies. SEALICIT®, the Ascophyllum nodosum extract from Brandon Bioscience, exemplifies the promising outcomes that can arise when nature’s solutions are paired with modern science.

Its mode of action—ranging from modulation of shatter-related gene expression to the enhancement of pod structural integrity—positions it as both an innovative and an eco-friendly way to bolster yields. For shatter-susceptible (SS) crops, it offers a means to drastically reduce premature seed loss. For shatter-resistant (SR) varieties, it helps close the gap further by optimising seed production and maintaining pod health. In both cases, the net result is a more stable harvest with minimal wastage, contributing directly to farmer profitability and long-term sustainability.

As the global community places growing emphasis on responsible land use, environmental stewardship, and the reduction of synthetic chemical inputs, biostimulants will continue to gain traction. By reducing the risk of pod shatter, SEALICIT® represents a meaningful stride towards a future in which agricultural productivity and ecological responsibility go hand in hand.

Key Takeaways

• Pod Shatter Problem: Leads to significant yield losses and volunteer plant growth, especially in crops like oilseed rape and soybean.
• SEALICIT®’s Mechanism: Derived from Ascophyllum nodosum, it modulates gene expression related to pod dehiscence, increases lignin content, and modifies pod structures to reduce cracking.
• Soybean Trials: Demonstrated improved shatter resistance in shatter-susceptible varieties (by influencing PDH1.1 and SHAT1-5 genes) and yield boosts even in shatter-resistant varieties.
• Sustainability: Offers a more environmentally sound approach, potentially reducing the need for further land conversion and minimising chemical interventions against volunteer growth.
• Practical Application: Tailor dosage and timing to your specific crop variety and local conditions for maximum benefit.

For more information on SEALICIT® and how to integrate it into your crop management programme, visit Brandon Bioscience. SEALICIT® is available in Europe through our partners Nufarm GmbH. Harness the power of Ascophyllum nodosum and take a proactive step toward consistent, robust yields that will protect your investment and help your farm thrive in the face of modern agricultural challenges.