Use of Sea Weed Extracts as Plant Growth Regulators for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Sea weed extracts are the inexpensive source of naturally occurring plant growth regulators which have greater potential as biostimulants in agriculture. The endogenous plant growth regulators present in the sea weed extracts and concentrates is thought to be involved in the promoting plant growth and yield. Different plant phytohormones and growth regulators present in sea weed extracts are known to enhance the yield and yield attributes of crops, when applied exogenously. Seaweed liquid fertilizers are useful for achieving higher agricultural production, because the extract contains growth promoting hormones like Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Gibberellins, Abscisic acid, Ethylene, Betaine and Polyamines other than the trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotics and micronutrients. This paper reviews the literature supporting evidence for the occurrence of plant growth regulators in sea weed extracts and seaweed concetrates and their use for sustainable agriculture and horticulture.