Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens

Natural plant- and algae-based extracts used in crop cultivation offer numerous advantages, including the potential to positively affect plant growth, exhibit hormonal activity, increase stress resistance, improve crop quality as environmentally benign alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals and hel...

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Main Authors: Barbara Drygaś, Ewa Szpunar-Krok, Joanna Kreczko, Tomasz Piechowiak, Czesław Puchalski, Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/9/961
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author Barbara Drygaś
Ewa Szpunar-Krok
Joanna Kreczko
Tomasz Piechowiak
Czesław Puchalski
Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek
author_facet Barbara Drygaś
Ewa Szpunar-Krok
Joanna Kreczko
Tomasz Piechowiak
Czesław Puchalski
Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek
author_sort Barbara Drygaś
collection DOAJ
description Natural plant- and algae-based extracts used in crop cultivation offer numerous advantages, including the potential to positively affect plant growth, exhibit hormonal activity, increase stress resistance, improve crop quality as environmentally benign alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals and help combat oxidative stress. The presented experiments aimed to compare the effectiveness of extracts from brown algae such as <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i>, as well as the plant <i>Sideritis scardica</i>, on the germination and initial growth of red kale (<i>Brassica napus</i> var. Pabularia) microgreens. Microgreens treated with aqueous extracts of <i>A. nodosum</i>, <i>F. vesiculosus</i>, as well as the control group, had the highest growth, whereas the lowest growth was observed in plants treated with water–ethanol extracts at the highest tested concentration (10%). The 10% water–ethanol extracts of brown algae reduced plant biomass, while aqueous extracts increased it. Applying water extracts of algae at concentrations (10, 1, 0.1%), as well as the water extract of <i>S. scardica</i> (10, 1%), led to an increase in the total phenolic content in the tested experimental groups. A significant influence on increasing total flavonoid content was noted for water extracts of <i>F. vesiculosus</i> at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 10%. An opposite effect was observed for the water–ethanol extracts, where the lowest TFC was found in plants grown on mats soaked with 0.1% <i>F. vesiculosus</i> and 1% <i>A. nodosum</i>. All water–ethanol extracts tended to reduce the antioxidant activity of the tested red kale microgreens. In microgreens treated with water extracts of <i>F. vesiculosus</i> at concentrations of 1% and 10%, an increase in antioxidant activity was observed. Examining the impact of plant and algae extracts on kale germination and growth may provide valuable information on ways to improve the quality and health-promoting properties of kale microgreens.
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spelling doaj-art-0a9a4f7c21f743b9a96b23f0f39fd0d72025-08-20T02:24:46ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-04-0115996110.3390/agriculture15090961Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale MicrogreensBarbara Drygaś0Ewa Szpunar-Krok1Joanna Kreczko2Tomasz Piechowiak3Czesław Puchalski4Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek5Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4 St., 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Crop Production, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza 4 St., 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandUtrica Technologies Sp. z o.o., ul. Stanisława Lema 4A/1, 80-126 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Chemistry and Food Toxicology, University of Rzeszow, 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4 St., 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Crop Production, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza 4 St., 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandNatural plant- and algae-based extracts used in crop cultivation offer numerous advantages, including the potential to positively affect plant growth, exhibit hormonal activity, increase stress resistance, improve crop quality as environmentally benign alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals and help combat oxidative stress. The presented experiments aimed to compare the effectiveness of extracts from brown algae such as <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i>, as well as the plant <i>Sideritis scardica</i>, on the germination and initial growth of red kale (<i>Brassica napus</i> var. Pabularia) microgreens. Microgreens treated with aqueous extracts of <i>A. nodosum</i>, <i>F. vesiculosus</i>, as well as the control group, had the highest growth, whereas the lowest growth was observed in plants treated with water–ethanol extracts at the highest tested concentration (10%). The 10% water–ethanol extracts of brown algae reduced plant biomass, while aqueous extracts increased it. Applying water extracts of algae at concentrations (10, 1, 0.1%), as well as the water extract of <i>S. scardica</i> (10, 1%), led to an increase in the total phenolic content in the tested experimental groups. A significant influence on increasing total flavonoid content was noted for water extracts of <i>F. vesiculosus</i> at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 10%. An opposite effect was observed for the water–ethanol extracts, where the lowest TFC was found in plants grown on mats soaked with 0.1% <i>F. vesiculosus</i> and 1% <i>A. nodosum</i>. All water–ethanol extracts tended to reduce the antioxidant activity of the tested red kale microgreens. In microgreens treated with water extracts of <i>F. vesiculosus</i> at concentrations of 1% and 10%, an increase in antioxidant activity was observed. Examining the impact of plant and algae extracts on kale germination and growth may provide valuable information on ways to improve the quality and health-promoting properties of kale microgreens.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/9/961microgreens<i>Brassica napus</i> var. Pabulariaextractsbiostimulantsgerminationantioxidant activity
spellingShingle Barbara Drygaś
Ewa Szpunar-Krok
Joanna Kreczko
Tomasz Piechowiak
Czesław Puchalski
Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek
Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
Agriculture
microgreens
<i>Brassica napus</i> var. Pabularia
extracts
biostimulants
germination
antioxidant activity
title Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
title_full Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
title_fullStr Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
title_full_unstemmed Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
title_short Effect of <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i>, <i>Sideritis scardica</i> and <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> Extracts on Germination, Initial Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Red Russian Kale Microgreens
title_sort effect of i ascophyllum nodosum i i sideritis scardica i and i fucus vesiculosus i extracts on germination initial growth and antioxidant potential of red russian kale microgreens
topic microgreens
<i>Brassica napus</i> var. Pabularia
extracts
biostimulants
germination
antioxidant activity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/9/961
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