The Benefits of Seaplant Extract

Seaplant Extract is a major component throughout our product line because no other natural material has been proven to provide as many plant benefits.

Seaplant Extract is the foundation of our biostimulant line—PanaSeá Plus® and CPR®—and it is a key ingredient in our NutriRational® True Foliars™ and SeaQuential® Micronutrient line of products as well. Granular seaplant meal is one of the key constituents of our root zone amendments Sand-Aid® and GroWin®, and it is also a component in our SeaBlend® fertilizers.

Our proprietary Seaplant Extract contains naturally occurring hormones (cytokinins and auxins) plus 17 naturally occurring plant-based amino acids as well as vitamins and all the major and minor nutrients and trace elements known to be essential for turfgrass health and growth. Furthermore, our Seaplant Extract has been shown by independent research to provide all of the following benefits on turf:

• Increases plant physiological fitness
• Increases plant photosynthetic capacity
• Increases chlorophyll content
• Increases plant antioxidant levels
• Increases cell wall strength
• Increases stress tolerance
• Increases resistance to diseases
• Increases drought tolerance
• Increases root mass and length

In the July-August 2000 issue of the Virginia Turfgrass Journal, Dr. Richard Schmidt and Dr. Erik Ervin summarized their findings after years of research with seaplant extract. They also referenced research by others and summarized the various conclusions. They noted that not all seaplant extracts are created equal — they vary by source and extracting process—and Virginia Tech’s research was based on what they consider to be superior seaplant extract, i.e., material extracted from waters off Nova Scotia and prepared by alkaline hydrolysis. This description of superior quality seaplant extract fits our materials used in PanaSea Plus, CPR, and our NutriRational True Foliars.

Their conclusions on the efficacy of seaplant extract were:

1. Under favorable, non-stressful conditions, molecular oxygen accepts electrons during metabolic processes, producing water as a by-product. Under unfavorable, stressful conditions, this oxygen-accepting electron process can be overwhelmed, resulting in the production of a number of toxic oxygen species (such as peroxide) known as free radicals. These free radicals lead to loss of photosynthetic efficiency, cell death, and eventually plant death.
2. Ordinarily, plants can produce anti-oxidants to react with free radicals to produce nontoxic end products such as water. However, under high-stress conditions, greater levels of the hormone “ethylene” are produced. This triggers leaf senescence to proceed and conserve energy in plantgrowing points (turfgrass crowns). Photosynthesis halts, and higher levels of ethylene coincide with reductions in the growth hormones cytokinins and auxins.
3. Researchers believe that pre-treatment with seaplant extract may change the hormonal balance to favor cytokinins and auxins over ethylene so that the antioxidant production can continue under stress. “In effect, the turf may be ‘triggered’ into continuing to grow and protect itself during periods of stress when it normally would begin to shut down.” This beneficial effect has been quantified in research at Virginia Tech on turf under stress from drought, salinity, heat, dollar spot, high UV light intensity, and nematodes. Research at Kansas State University also confirmed seaplant extract’s apparent ability to prevent the decline in antioxidant productiion when soil temperatures are high thereby allowing the turf to continue to protect itself during prolonged periods of heat stress.
4. Turfgrass plants treated with seaplant extract produce and retain more moisture, and they can even extract more from droughty soils than non-treated turf. Furthermore:
   a. Biostimulants can increase translocation of pre-and post-emergent herbicides
   b. Biostimulants and triazole fungicides work together synergistically
   c. The addition of biostimulants with PrimoMAXX may encourage the development of roots during stress periods
   d. Iron fertilization could be beneficial under stress conditions, so it makes sense to combine chelated iron with biostimulants
   e. Biostimulants should be used in conjunction with proper mineral fertilization and “spoon feeding”.

Please see www.OceanOrganics.com for more information.