Biostimulatory Role of Seaweed Extract and Potassium Silicate in Enhancing Yield and Quality Traits of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Camarosa under Semi-Arid Punjab Conditions
Jul 2026· Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology· Vol 29, pp. 547-560· 0 citations
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during 2025-26 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Punjab, to evaluate the effects of foliar-applied seaweed extract and potassium silicate on the growth, flowering, yield and fruit quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Camarosa. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with eight treatments and three replications. Treatments included water spray, seaweed extract at 10, 20 and 50 g per 3 L, potassium silicate at 20 g per 3 L, and their combinations. Four foliar sprays were applied at 20-day intervals beginning 20 days after planting. The combined application of seaweed extract at 50 g with potassium silicate at 20 g per 3 L produced the strongest overall response among the treatments. It recorded maximum plant height (25.16 cm), plant spread in the N-S (30.01 cm) and E-W (31.01 cm) directions, number of leaves per plant (25.00), leaf area (73.57 cm²), number of flowers per plant (26.73), total sugars (7.86%), reducing sugars (4.85%), total phenols (69.10 mg 100 g⁻¹), ascorbic acid (54.35 mg 100 g⁻¹) and yield per plant (452.38 g), with the lowest titratable acidity (0.633%). The results indicate that combined foliar application of seaweed extract and potassium silicate may improve growth, yield-related traits and fruit quality of strawberry cv. Camarosa under comparable semi-arid field conditions.
Seaweed-derived biostimulants may complement conventional nutrient management in rice, but their performance requires evaluation under specific soil and agroclimatic conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2022–2023 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, to assess Sagarika seaweed extract in an Inceptisol. The experiment followed a randomised block design with 11 treatments and three replications. Treatments included an absolute control, the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF), reduced soil-applied urea, an NPK biofertiliser consortium, Sagarika granules, Sagarika liquid sprays, nano urea, and selected combinations of these inputs. Plant growth was recorded at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting, and yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index were measured. Treatment T7, comprising 100% RDF, Sagarika granules at 10 kg acre⁻¹, and two Sagarika liquid sprays at 5 mL L⁻¹, recorded the highest numerical grain yield (61.63 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (77.02 q ha⁻¹), and biological yield (138.66 q ha⁻¹). Several fertilised treatments were statistically comparable with T7 based on the reported critical difference. The highest harvest index was recorded under T10 (44.95%). The findings indicate that integrated Sagarika treatments were associated with favourable rice growth and yield under the conditions evaluated. Multi-season and multi-location studies incorporating economic, soil-health, nutrient-use-efficiency, and environmental measurements are required before wider recommendations are made.
R. Meena, R. Meena, A. Meena et al.· Archives of Current Research...· 0 citations
Background: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) productivity and fruit quality are strongly influenced by nutrient availability and crop-management practices. Humic acid and seaweed extract are plant biostimulants that may enhance vegetative growth, yield, and quality when applied at appropriate concentrations.
Aims: This study evaluated the individual and interactive effects of foliar-applied humic acid and seaweed extract on the growth, yield, fruit quality, and economic performance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Arka Samrat.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, during the Rabi season of 2025–26.
Methodology: The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomised block design with two factors: humic acid at four concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 6 mL/L) and seaweed extract at four concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 6 mL/L). The 16 treatment combinations were replicated three times, and the observed data were analysed using OPSTAT.
Results: Significant differences were observed among the treatments. Among the treatment combinations, humic acid at 4 mL/L combined with seaweed extract at 4 mL/L (M3T3) recorded the greatest plant height (312.62 cm), number of branches per plant (9.07), plant spread (65.92 cm), number of leaves per plant (69.13), number of clusters per plant (11.80), and number of flowers per cluster (9.01). It also recorded the fewest days to first flowering (27.69), 50% flowering (36.96), and first fruiting (41.95), together with the greatest number of fruits per cluster (8.24), average fruit weight (109.73 g), fruit yield per plant (6.40 kg), number of fruits per plant (58.35), total soluble solids (4.99 °Brix), ascorbic acid content (26.68 mg/100 g), and benefit–cost ratio (2.97).
Conclusion: The treatment combination of humic acid at 4 mL/L and seaweed extract at 4 mL/L (M3T3) produced the most favourable growth, yield, quality, and economic responses under the conditions of this experiment. However, these findings are indicative and require further experimentation across seasons and locations before broader recommendations can be made.
Tamanna Nehra, Dipayan Sarkar, U. Shukla et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
An experiment was conducted during 2025–2026 at the Central Orchard (Horticulture Research Farm), Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate foliar applications of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari. Eight-year-old, uniform trees of pomegranate cv. Kandhari were used for the study. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with eleven treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised foliar applications of plant growth regulators (GA₃ and NAA), micronutrients (ZnSO₄ and borax), and seaweed extract, applied individually and in different combinations. The first foliar spray was applied in September 2025. The results revealed that treatment T₁₀ (GA₃ at 100 ppm + NAA at 40 ppm + seaweed extract at 5 ml L⁻¹ + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) produced the maximum vegetative growth and was the most effective treatment. However, T₆ (NAA at 40 ppm + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) was found to be the most economically viable treatment. The study indicates that integrated foliar application of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract can significantly improve vegetative growth, total number of flowers, number of fruits per plant, and fruit weight (g) in pomegranate under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions.
Rajani Srivastava, Deepak Lall, Vijay Bahadur et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
The present investigation was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2024 and 2025 under a naturally ventilated polyhouse at the Vegetable Research Farm, CSKHPKV, Palampur, to evaluate the influence of plant growth regulators on capsicum productivity and economics. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with three replications, comprising 13 treatments involving foliar application of GA₃ and NAA at 50 and 75 ppm during different crop growth stages. The results revealed that NAA @ 75 ppm applied as four sprays at vegetative stage, flower initiation, and 30 and 60 days after flower initiation significantly improved pericarp thickness (5.94 mm), total soluble solids (6.9˚B), ascorbic acid content (126.17 mg/100g) and titratable acidity (0.206%) whereas, GA₃ applied @ 75 ppm with four sprays at the same stages recorded highest yield (22.81 q/250m2) and its attributes, making it the most economically rewarding treatment for commercial cultivation of capsicum variety ‘Indra’ under naturally ventilated polyhouse conditions of mid hills of Himachal Pradesh.
Shiwani Gupta, Neha Sharma, Sarthak Naik et al.· Himachal journal of agricult...· 0 citations
A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2022 and 2023 at Dr. BRC Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Mandor, Rajasthan, to evaluate the effect of biofertilisers and growth-promoting microorganisms on growth, yield, and profitability of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek, var. GM-4) under the mungbean–wheat cropping system. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with ten treatments and three replications. Treatments consisted of different combinations of the recommended dose of fertilisers and seed inoculation, soil application, or combined seed and soil application of Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilising bacteria (PSB). The results indicated that growth parameters, yield attributes, grain yield, biological yield, and economic returns were significantly influenced by the treatments. The greatest numerical plant heights at 30 DAS (46.8 cm) and 45 DAS (55.9 cm) were recorded under T₁₀, while T₅ recorded comparable values of 45.8 and 55.3 cm, respectively. The highest numbers of pods per plant (39.6) and seeds per pod (13.5), dry matter production (3.50 t ha⁻¹), and test weight (48.1 g) were observed under T₅, whereas the highest numerical chlorophyll content (4.00 mg g⁻¹) was recorded under T₁₀. The highest grain yield (pooled: 1458 kg ha⁻¹) and net return (₹98,855 ha⁻¹) were recorded with 100% RDF (T₅), whereas 75% RDF combined with seed and soil application of Rhizobium + PSB (T₁₀) produced a pooled grain yield of 1400 kg ha⁻¹ and a B:C ratio of 4.41, remaining statistically at par with T₅. Thus, integrated use of biofertilisers with 75% RDF can reduce fertiliser requirement without significant yield loss and improve profitability.
A. Verma, M. Mehriya, Ashish Vishnawat· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Plant biostimulants represent a promising alternative for improving production efficiency and fruit quality; however, limited information is available regarding their application to sweet granadilla (Passiflora ligularis Juss.). This study evaluated the effects of formulation and dose of two foliar biostimulants on sweet granadilla fruit development and quality under Andean conditions. Crop+Plus and Kelan Complex were applied at 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mL·L⁻¹ in a randomised complete block design with split plots. Ten fruits were selected from each experimental unit, and their polar and equatorial diameters were measured at 0, 24, and 50 days after the first application. Total soluble solids, individual fruit weight, and weight-based estimated yield were determined at harvest. Greater polar and equatorial diameters were observed when Crop+Plus was applied, with significant effects of time and their interaction. At 50 days, Crop+Plus at 2.0 mL·L⁻¹ produced the largest polar and equatorial diameters, reaching 7.70 and 7.43 cm, respectively. Total soluble solids were affected by formulation and dose, whereas fruit weight was mainly influenced by dose. The most favourable results were obtained with Crop+Plus at 2.0 mL·L⁻¹, which produced 20.90 °Brix, a mean fruit weight of 120.0 g, and an estimated yield of 6,720 kg·ha⁻¹. In conclusion, Crop+Plus exerted the most consistent effects on fruit growth and quality, and 2.0 mL·L⁻¹ was the most promising concentration within the range evaluated.
Angy Carpio-Rugel, J. Morgan, Grimaneza Moreno-Aldaz· Saastal· 0 citations