Development of Sprayable Sodium Alginate-Seaweed Agricultural Mulches with Nutritional Benefits for Substrates and Plants

MERINO, DANILA; SALCEDO, MARÍA F.; MANSILLA, ANDREA Y.; CASALONGUÉ, CLAUDIA A.; ALVAREZ, VERA A.

Waste and Biomass Valorization

SPRINGER NATURE SWITZERLAND

Año: 2021

1877-2641

Sprayable agricultural mulch suspensions were prepared from the combination ofsodium alginate (Alg) and three different concentrations of the seaweed Undariapinnatifida (A) microparticles: 0.5, 1, and 2 wt.%. Growth parameters were measured intomato plants cultivated under each type of mulches, including polyethylene (PE) as acontrol treatment. The aerial fresh and dry weights (FW and DW, respectively),chlorophyll (Chl) content, green canopy cover, and the anthocyanin content weredetermined in tomato plants at the end of the bioassays. The soil temperature andmoisture were measured during the experiment. Besides, the impact of the differentmulch treatments on soil microorganisms was assayed by measuring the relativeabundance of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. Results indicated that thepercentage of A in the mulch formulation was crucial to confer it with biostimulantproperties. Alg with 1 wt.% of A provided a significant increment in FW and DW and theChl level of tomato plants, demonstrating that the developed formulations represent auseful material for horticulture production.