b'tion of biostimulants, not aterm biostimulant and makeby chemical and enzymaticspecific receptors involved in legal definition. The 2018 Farmbiostimulant claims. protein hydrolysis from agro- defense gene activation. Bill identifies biostimulants as: industrial by-products. DirectInorganic compounds.a substance or micro- Biostimulant Substanceseffects on plants includeChemical elements that organism that, when appliedand Microorganisms modulation of N uptake andpromote plant growth and to seeds, plants, or the rhizo- With no legal or regulatoryassimilation and the regula- may be essential to particular sphere, stimulates naturaldefinition of plant biostimu- tion of enzymes involved intaxa but are not required by processes to enhance orlants, listing and categorizingN assimilation. Nevertheless,all plants are called beneficial benefit nutrient uptake, nutri- the substances and micro- there is a growing safety con- elements. The five main ben-ent efficiency, tolerance toorganisms involved is some- cern of using protein hydro- eficial elements are aluminium, abiotic stress, or crop qualitywhat indefinite. Nonetheless,lysates derived from animalcobalt, sodium, selinium and and yield. there are some categoriesby-products in the food chain.silicon are present in soils and The Farm Bill is written tothat are widely recognizedSeaweed extracts andin plants as different inor-acknowledge that biostimu- by scientists, regulators, andbotanicals. The use of freshganic salts. These beneficial lants are a new productstakeholders in both Europeseaweeds as a source offunctions can be constitu-category. This gives the U.S.and the United States. Patrickorganic matter and fertilizertive, like the strengthening Department of Agriculturedu Jardin at the Universit deis as ancient as agriculture,of cell walls by silica depos-(USDA) and the EnvironmentalLiege in Belgium, describesbut the biostimulant effectsits, or expressed in defined Protection Agency (EPA) athe main categories ofof these sources have beenenvironmental conditions. year to come back to Congressbiostimulant products used inrecorded only recently. ThisMany reported effects of with a plan on how to regulateagriculture and horticulture.has prompted the commer- beneficial elements promote these new products.Humic and fulvic acids.cial use of seaweed extractsplant growth, the quality of By the end of 2019, weHumic substances are naturaland purified compounds,plant products, and tolerance hope to bring a recommenda- constituents of soil organicwhich include polysaccharidesto abiotic stress. Although tion to Congress on how tomatter that result from the(laminarin, alginates and car- the modes of action are not define biostimulants and thendecomposition of plant,rageenans) and its breakdownyet fully established, these how to regulate and marketanimal and microbial residues.products. Seaweed extractsinorganic compounds influ-them, Jones says. Ultimately,Humic substances also derivehave been reported to provideence osmotic, pH and redox we would like to have a globalfrom the metabolic activityanti-stress effects are alsohomeostasis, hormone signal-legal definition. of soil microbes using thesereported. Botanical sub- ing, and enzymes involved in Jones says that the 2018substrates. Most biostimu- stances extracted from plantsstress response. Their func-Farm Bill description is a hugelant effects of these acidshave used in plant protectiontion as biostimulant of plant step forward for the biostimu- refer to the amelioration ofproducts although much less isgrowth, acting on nutrition lant industry.root nutrition. The variabilityknown regarding their biostim- efficiency and abiotic stress "The term biostimulantin efficacy arises from theulant activities than on theirtolerance are distinct from has been around since thesource material, the cropspesticidal properties so far. their fungicidal action.late 1990s, but depending onenvironmental conditions, andChitosan and otherBeneficial fungi. Plants who is talking, it can meanthe dose and manner of appli- biopolymers. Chitosan isand fungi have co-evolved very different things, he says.cation. Humic and fulvic acidsa form of the biopolymersince the origin of terrestrial While efforts are moving for- are extracted from naturallychitin which is produced bothplants. An extended range of ward to define biostimulants,humified organic matter (e.g.,naturally and industrially. Therelationships has developed it still means that manufac- from peat or volcanic soils),physiological effects of chi- over evolutionary times. There turers and marketers cannotcomposts, vermicomposts ortosan in plants are the resultsis an increasing interest for the use the term to describe ormineral deposits.of its capacity to bind a wideuse of mycorrhiza to promote market their products. OurProtein hydrolysates andrange of cellular components,sustainable agriculture, con-goal is for manufacturersother N-containing com- including DNA, plasma mem- sidering the widely accepted to have one label for all 50pounds. Amino-acid andbrane, and cell wall constitu- benefits of the symbioses to states where they can use thepeptide mixtures are obtainedents. Chitosan also binds tonutrition efficiency, water bal-SEPTEMBER 2019SEEDWORLD.COM /29'