Seaweed Extract: Innovation for Organic Agriculture

Due to the development of human societies, food security has become a priority. Technological advancements and introduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have provided sufficient quantities of food in recent decades, but food quality is questioned. Fertilizers from natural sources might be a practical solution. Coastal farmers in various countries have been applying seaweed for crop growth and development for many years. Nowadays, with technological development, some species of seaweed such as Ascophyllum nodosum are cultivated and processed as seaweed extract alone or mixed with other fertilizers to be used by farmers. Although seaweed extract contains small amounts of mineral nutrients, it has been applied widely as a growth stimulator for improving and accelerating crop growth and development and eliminating environmental stresses.