Article
Agronomy
Marios Maroulis, Sevasti Matsia, Georgios Lazopoulos, Oana Cristina Parvulescu, Violeta Alexandra Ion, Oana-Crina Bujor, Joshua Cabell, Anne-Kristin Loes, Athanasios Salifoglou
Summary: Brown algae and fish waste contain high-value compounds that can benefit plant growth. This study investigated these materials using ecofriendly technologies and analyzed their physicochemical and biological properties. The results showed that they contain important nutrients and organic compounds that can act as plant biostimulants. This suggests that using marine organism residues as fertilizers can enhance crop growth and have biostimulant effects.
Article
Plant Sciences
Liam Jay Samuels, Mathabatha Evodia Setati, Erna Hailey Blancquaert
Summary: Seaweed extracts are widely used in grape production, improving plant growth and agricultural productivity while being environmentally friendly.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gugulethu Makhaye, Adeyemi O. Aremu, Abe Shegro Gerrano, Samson Tesfay, Christian P. Du Plooy, Stephen O. Amoo
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of biostimulant biopriming on seed germination of Abelmoschus esculentus genotypes, showing significant improvements in germination percentage and rate with biostimulant application. The interaction between biostimulant treatment and genotype played a crucial role in influencing the germination parameters. Overall, biostimulants, especially Kelpak((R)), showed potential stimulatory effects on seed germination, dependent on the specific genotype.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Estefania V. R. Campos, Anderson do E. S. Pereira, Ivan Aleksieienko, Giovanna C. do Carmo, Gholamreza Gohari, Catherine Santaella, Leonardo F. Fraceto, Halley C. Oliveira
Summary: Over the past decades, the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration and global average temperature has intensified abiotic stress factors, threatening forests, ecosystems, and crop production. Biostimulants have emerged as an effective and sustainable solution to mitigate these negative effects, but their stability under environmental conditions remains a challenge. Micro and nano-based formulations containing biostimulant molecules and/or microorganisms offer advantages over conventional formulations and could address these challenges. This review focuses on the encapsulation of plant growth regulators and plant associative microorganisms as a strategy to enhance their application for plant protection against abiotic stresses.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mohammed El Mehdi El Boukhari, Mustapha Barakate, BadrEddine Drissi, Youness Bouhia, Karim Lyamlouli
Summary: Prolonged drought periods lead to biochemical alterations in plants, resulting in reduced plant growth and crop productivity. Seaweed extracts are effective in alleviating drought stress and deserves more attention in mitigating the negative impact on Faba bean under arid conditions.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Milica Acimovic, Olja Sovljanski, Lato Pezo, Vanja Travicic, Ana Tomic, Valtcho D. Zheljazkov, Gordana Cetkovic, Jaroslava Svarc-Gajic, Tanja Brezo-Borjan, Ivana Sofrenic
Summary: Winter savory is a plant with wide-ranging activities and applications. Different extracts obtained through various extraction methods showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Among them, essential oil and subcritical water displayed the highest antimicrobial activity, while extracts obtained through ultrasound-assisted and microwave-assisted extraction did not show antimicrobial activity. The use of green extraction methods can provide ecologically and economically better solutions for future applications.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
K. Baltrusch, N. Florez-Fernandez, M. Illera, M. D. Torres, M. E. Lopez-Mosquera, H. Dominguez
Summary: Seaweed derived biostimulants are gaining attention as an important tool in sustainable agriculture. This research explores the biostimulant potential of the solubles obtained from Sargassum muticum biomass through green extraction technologies. Different drying techniques were compared and low stress drying techniques showed better conservation of bioactive compounds and biostimulant potential.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zeenat Rupawalla, Lindsay Shaw, Ian L. Ross, Susanne Schmidt, Ben Hankamer, Juliane Wolf
Summary: Greenhouse horticulture is projected to reach a market size of approximately USD 30 billion by 2023. The use of controlled climate systems can significantly increase crop yields compared to traditional field production due to improved water and nutrient efficiency. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are important for enhancing germination, plant development, and overall production efficiency, particularly for high-value crops in controlled environments. This study developed a novel in-vivo germination and plant growth assay using spinach as a test crop to identify microalgae strains that naturally produce PGRs. Four fast growing microalgae strains from Chlorococcum, Micractinium, Scenedesmus, and Chlorella genera were screened for their potential as reliable and cost-effective sources of PGRs. The results showed that algae extracts significantly improved seed germination, cotyledon emergence, and seedling biomass compared to water and seaweed extract controls. The quantification of various PGRs confirmed the production of relevant hormones by the four uncharacterized microalgal strains. This research suggests that PGR-producing microalgae can be a natural and cost-effective alternative to synthetic agrochemicals for boosting plant propagation.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Haoying Chen, Jinsong Zeng, Bin Wang, Zheng Cheng, Jun Xu, Wenhua Gao, Kefu Chen
Summary: This study investigated the different physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of Bletilla striata polysaccharides obtained through various extraction methods. Among these polysaccharides, alkali-assisted extraction showed better radical scavenging activities, while hot water extraction exhibited superior hydroxyl radical scavenging activities.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pietro Magnabosco, Antonio Masi, Ravi Shukla, Vipul Bansal, Paolo Carletti
Summary: This review combines nanotechnology and biostimulant technology to highlight the potential role of nanotechnologies in advancing the impact of plant biostimulants for sustainable production of high-quality food. By integrating these two fields, a promising sustainable solution to food insecurity can be achieved for the near future.
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sahana N. Banakar, M. K. PrasannaKumar, H. B. Mahesh, P. Buela Parivallal, M. E. Puneeth, Chirag Gautam, D. Pramesh, T. N. Shiva Kumara, T. R. Girish, Sailaja Nori, Shrikumar Surya Narayan
Summary: Red seaweed-derived biostimulants promote plant health and protect against abiotic stress conditions. This study investigates the efficacy of red seaweed biostimulants on rice under fungicidal stress and describes the underlying mechanism.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Banakar N. Sahana, M. K. PrasannaKumar, H. B. Mahesh, P. Buela Parivallal, M. E. Puneeth, Chirag Gautam, T. R. Girish, Sailaja Nori, Shrikumar Suryanarayan
Summary: Seaweed extracts can enhance rice plant resistance against fungal pathogens by increasing defense-related enzyme levels, altering defense gene transcription levels, and reducing disease severity, ultimately inducing resistance to blast fungus.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jessica Roque, Angela Brito, Mariana Rocha, Joao Pissarra, Telma Nunes, Marcia Bessa, Jorge Vieira, Cristina P. Vieira, Paula Melo, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: This study aimed to isolate and characterize cyanobacteria/microalgae from Portuguese soils and evaluate their potential as plant biostimulants, as well as understand their mechanisms of action. The results showed that these microorganisms have biostimulant potential, promoting plant growth and improving physiological productivity under hydroponic conditions, without causing stress. This study is important for understanding the biodiversity of cyanobacteria and microalgae and their potential as biostimulants.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Elvira Navarro-Lopez, Juan Jose Gallardo-Rodriguez, Maria del Carmen Ceron-Garcia, Inmaculada Gallego-Lopez, Francisco Gabriel Acien-Fernandez, Emilio Molina-Grima
Summary: The effect of different parameters on the extraction of biostimulant molecules from microalgal biomass was investigated, and the optimal conditions for using organic green solvents (acetone or ethanol) were determined for maximum germination index.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Farzad Rasouli, Yousef Nasiri, Mohammad Bagher Hassanpouraghdam, Mohammad Asadi, Taher Qaderi, Amini Trifa, Maciej Strzemski, Slawomir Dresler, Malgorzata Szczepanek
Summary: The effects of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) inoculation, seaweed extract (SWE) foliar application, and their co-applications on fennel plants were evaluated. The results showed that the simultaneous application of AMF and 3 g L-1 of SWE resulted in the highest root colonization percentage, as well as the highest plant height, leaf number, leaf dry weight, biomass, thousand seed weight, total soluble proteins and total soluble carbohydrates content, antioxidant activity, and essential oil content. Additionally, the co-application of AMF and SWE increased the contents of photosynthetic pigments and nutrient elements in the shoots and roots.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Kuldeep Dhama, Khan Sharun, Mudasir B. Gugjoo, Ruchi Tiwari, Mahmoud Alagawany, Mohd. Iqbal Yatoo, Pallavi Thakur, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal, Wanpen Chaicumpa, Izabela Michalak, Shaaban S. Elnesr, Mayada R. Farag
Summary: Ocimum basilicum, also known as sweet basil, is a herb with multiple beneficial health effects and medicinal values. It has the potential for treating various ailments and diseases in both humans and animals.
FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Samir Mahgoub, Mahmoud Alagawany, Maha Nader, Safaa M. Omar, Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack, Ayman Swelum, Shaaban S. Elnesr, Asmaa F. Khafaga, Ayman E. Taha, Mayada R. Farag, Ruchi Tiwari, Gopi Marappan, Ashraf S. El-Sayed, Shailesh K. Patel, Mamta Pathak, Izabela Michalak, Etab S. Al-Ghamdi, Kuldeep Dhama
Summary: Bioactive peptides are protein fragments formed by amino acids that have beneficial effects on human bodies and can be obtained from various sources. They can act as food preservatives with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, and improve the treatment of diseases.
FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katarzyna Mikula, Maciej Konieczka, Rafal Taf, Dawid Skrzypczak, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Konstantinos Moustakas, Marek Kulazynski, Katarzyna Chojnacka, Anna Witek-Krowiak
Summary: The studies demonstrate that solid tannery waste, such as shavings, can be utilized as high-protein materials for producing fertilizers in line with the concept of circular economy. Response surface methodology is used to determine the optimal process parameters for maximizing hydrolysis efficiency. The research also reveals variations in chromium concentrations and amino acid profiles under different hydrolysis conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mateusz Samoraj, Agnieszka Dmytryk, Lukasz Tuhy, Anna Zdunek, Piotr Rusek, Konstantinos Moustakas, Katarzyna Chojnacka
Summary: The residues of alfalfa and goldenrod, after supercritical CO2 extraction, show a high capacity for carrying micronutrients and producing energy. They meet the EU regulation requirements for fertilizers and can be used as solid biofuel or combustion promoters.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jerzy Szczygie, Katarzyna Chojnacka, Dawid Skrzypczak, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Konstantinos Moustakas, Marek Kulazynski
Summary: The study focuses on the thermodynamic analysis of CH4 reforming with different oxidants in the DRM and TRM technological variants. Through deterministic methods, the researchers found suitable process conditions to minimize carbon deposition and improve hydrogen efficiency.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Katarzyna Chojnacka, Dawid Skrzypczak, Daniel Szopa, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Konstantinos Moustakas, Anna Witek-Krowiak
Summary: In the current serious raw material crisis, the bioeconomy is particularly significant. Biological wastewater treatment plants can serve as renewable biological nitrogen mines to solve the problem of nitrogen fertilizer availability. Sewage sludge can be used as a local renewable resource for sustainable production of organic-mineral fertilizers with a low carbon footprint. Nitrogen retention and greenhouse gas emissions should be taken into account in sewage sludge management.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Natalia Niedzbala, Katarzyna Dziergowska, Maja Welna, Anna Szymczycha-Madeja, Jacek Checmanowski, Nathalie Bourgougnon, Izabela Michalak
Summary: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using seaweed extract and proved to be effective in removing Cr(III) ions from wastewater. The study compared the biosorption properties of the seaweed itself and the post-extraction residue. ZnO NPs showed the highest sorption capacity (137 mg/g) among all the sorbents tested, indicating their potential as a sorbent for metal ion removal. The use of renewable seaweed biomass for nanoparticle biosynthesis highlights the sustainability of this approach in environmental protection.
Review
Cell Biology
Javad Sharifi-Rad, Veronique Seidel, Michalak Izabela, Margalida Monserrat-Mequida, Antoni Sureda, Valeska Ormazabal, Felipe A. Zuniga, Shivaprasad Shetty Mangalpady, Raffaele Pezzani, Alibek Ydyrys, Gulmira Tussupbekova, Miquel Martorell, Daniela Calina, William C. Cho
Summary: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its development is linked to oxidative stress. The transcription factor Nrf2 plays a vital role in protecting cells against oxidative stress in cancer growth, progression, and therapy resistance. Therefore, innovative inhibitors targeting Nrf2 are being investigated. This comprehensive review explores the potential of phenolic compounds, found in traditional plant-based remedies, as effective anticancer agents by inhibiting Nrf2. The clinical applications of naturally-occurring bioactive compounds as Nrf2 inhibitors, specifically polyphenols, are also discussed.
CELL COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALING
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anne-Sophie Burlot, Yolanda Freile-Pelegrin, Nathalie Bourgougnon, Hugo Pliego-Cortes, Romain Boulho, Ana Penuela, Olivia Spain, Manon Choulot, Stephanie Bondu, Nolwenn Terme, Thomas Latire, Gilles Bedoux, Izabela Michalak, Daniel Robledo, Eric Deslandes
Summary: Solieria spp. is a type of red macroalgae that can be found in various marine and estuarine habitats. It is widely used in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries due to its carrageenan content. Solieria spp. also has potential applications in Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture, extraction processes, purification processes, and biorefineries. This review focuses on the biology, ecophysiology, biochemical composition, and applications of Solieria spp., mainly focusing on the species Solieria chordalis and Solieria filiformis.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karolina Krautforst, Anna Szymczycha-Madeja, Maja Welna, Izabela Michalak
Summary: This study presented a comprehensive approach to the management of brown seaweed-Fucus vesiculosus. An algal extract, produced using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), served as a biostimulant for plant growth. The concentration of the extract with the greatest influence on radish biometric parameters was determined in germination tests. The seaweed itself and the post-extraction residue were used as soil additives, stimulating plant growth. Pot tests on sorghum showed positive effects on plant weight, length, and chlorophyll content compared to the control group. Preliminary studies on the bioremediation of soil contaminated with Zn(II) ions using the soil additives were also conducted.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katarzyna Godlewska, Pawel Pacyga, Agnieszka Najda, Izabela Michalak
Summary: The aim of this publication is to propose rapid screening methods for the identification of biologically active compounds in aqueous solutions. Plant extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction were analyzed for the content of these compounds. Initial characterization using fast and inexpensive methods allows for avoiding time-consuming analyses with advanced research equipment. Additionally, the antioxidant activity and quantitative analysis of plant hormones were performed.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sylwia Lewandowska, Katarzyna Dziergowska, Renata Galek, Izabela Michalak
Summary: The effect of extract obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE) from Cladophora glomerata on the germination and early growth of three narrow-leaved lupin varieties was investigated. Results showed that the concentration of the extract significantly influenced the growth of seedlings, with the 20% extract demonstrating better stimulation effect on all lupin cultivars.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Luz Adriana Diaz, Jorge Dias Carlier, Izabela Michalak, Maria Clara Costa
Summary: The biosorption parameters of carob kibbles were optimized to remove boron from aqueous solutions. The results showed that carob kibbles had a high capacity for boron removal at high initial pH values, and this capacity was influenced by boron initial concentration, biosorbent content, and particle size. Temperature had no effect on the boron removal efficiency of the biomass. This study suggests that carob kibble agro-waste can be effectively used as a biosorbent for boron removal in wastewater treatment.
Article
Polymer Science
Magdalena B. Labowska, Maria Skrodzka, Hanna Sicinska, Izabela Michalak, Jerzy Detyna
Summary: This manuscript presents a kinetic analysis of water evaporation from sodium alginate-based hydrogels under different environmental conditions. The results suggest that lower temperatures and higher humidity contribute to better water retention in the hydrogel structure.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Dawid Skrzypczak, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Rafal Taf, Konstantinos Moustakas, Katarzyna Chojnacka
Summary: The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has led to the development of novel ecofriendly fertilizers based on cellulose. Cellulose-based fertilizers improve soil structure, water retention, and nutrient accessibility. Laboratory and greenhouse evaluations demonstrate that these fertilizers can increase crop productivity, nutrient accessibility, and soil health.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)