No abstract

A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of Aquasap, a commercially manufactured biostimulant from seaweed Kappapphycus alvarezii on some hills and foothills banana varieties namely Robusta (AAA), Njali poovan (AB), Red banana (AAA) and Nendran (AAB) by applying at 5% through foliar spray at the 3rd, 5th and 7th month of plantation. Both quantitative and quality data of fruits were analyzed along with vegetative growth of the plants. The seaweed biostimulant was found very effective on increasing the weight and nutritional contents of all four banana varieties tested. The highest yield was found in Robusta with 56.58% over control followed by Njali poovan, Red banana and Nendran with 19.08%, 39.35% and 11.46%, respectively. Yield of fruits per hectare of four varieties treated were 76.96, 19.23, 29.68 and 23.37 metric ton (mt), respectively. Fruits of treated plants also showed less moisture level as compared to control with 240.61%, 62.30%, 61.68% and 37.18% more carbohydrate, 283.71%, 94.07%, 62.87% and 38.93% higher proteins and 153.02%, 47.37%, 58.73% and 31.48% higher minerals respectively as compare to control plants. Therefore, the simple practice of application of eco-friendly seaweed based biostimulant would benefit small and marginal farmers of banana.

The effect of bio-stimulant AQUASAP manufactured from seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta) farmed in Indian water on the yield and oil content of peanut and sunflower was studied under field condition. The AQUASAP at 5% foliar application promoted the vegetative growth, yield and oil content in both peanut and sunflower significantly. Compared to control the yield of seed in peanut increased by 31.69% with 14.27% more oil content similarly on sunflower the increase in seed yield and oil content were 51.50 and 15.77% respectively. Therefore, the bio-stimulant AQUASAP can be applied on oil crops like peanut and sunflower to improve the yield and quality of crop and therefore, it has huge potential to contribute to organic agriculture in future.