Quille et al., (2022) Agronomy 12:463
The Effect of an Engineered Biostimulant Derived from Ascophyllum nodosum on Grass Yield under a Reduced Nitrogen Regime in an Agronomic Setting.
Summary
Nitrogen is a crucial macronutrient essential for optimal plant growth. However, the manufacturing costs associated with nitrogen have been increasing lately, and concerns regarding its environmental impact are gaining momentum. The European Green Deal was formulated to address these issues and combat climate change. One of its primary objectives is to alleviate environmental degradation, including soil acidification, water quality deterioration, and air pollution. A significant emphasis within this initiative is placed on curbing nutrient loss from agriculture, and to achieve this, the Nitrate Action Plan was introduced. This plan advocates for a 20% reduction in nitrogen input within the agricultural sector to mitigate the adverse effects that nitrogen leaching causes the environment.
Brandon Bioscience has developed a new biostimulant, PSIยฎ362 Precision technology, an extract from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum. Our researchers investigated the impact that using granular N-containing fertilizer, co-applied with the biostimulant PSIยฎ362, had on Nutrient Use Efficiency, when applied to grass managed under different production systems.
The objective of this study was threefold: first, to decrease nitrogen fertilizer input by 20%; second, to enhance Nutrient Use Efficiency while reducing nitrogen input; and third, to preserve yield and quality under reduced conditions by employing CAN PSIยฎ362 coated fertilizer.
A significant increase in grass yield (29%) was found with PSIยฎ362 addition at a 75% N rate over the 75% N control (8478 kg of dry matter (DM) haโ1 vs. 6772 kg of DM haโ1) over two years of trials under a simulated grazing platform of six rotations. The NUE increased to 96.6% for the PSIยฎ362 โ treated grass compared to 82.8% for controls.
The results from silage trials conducted demonstrated that there were no negative effects on dry matter (DM) yield, despite a substantial reduction in fertilizer input. In particular, the use of PSIยฎ362 resulted in a remarkable 33% improvement in Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) compared to the 75% nitrogen (N) control, and a notable 17% improvement compared to the 100% N control.
During the pasture trials, it was observed that there was no significant difference in Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) between the 100% nitrogen (N) treatment and the 75% N combined with CAN PSIยฎ362 treatment. However, when comparing the two, there was a noteworthy 12% increase in Crude Protein (CP) with the 75% N + CAN PSIยฎ362 treatment compared to the 100% N treatment. Additionally, the 75% N + CAN PSIยฎ362 treatment exhibited an 8% increase in Daily Grass Growth (DGG) compared to the 100% N treatment.
Overall, the study shows that the utilization of our biostimulant technology, PSIยฎ362, allows for a reduction of 20% in nitrogen fertilizer application without compromising crop yield, quality, and overall agricultural productivity across diverse production systems.
If you would like to know more about our research and our range of biostimulants, speak to us directly
