Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract effects in maize crop

Abstract

Interest in natural products that increase the productive efficiency of plants together with low environmental impact is growing in agriculture. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of leaf spraying of a natural biostimulant extracted from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum on maize crop. Two experiments were set up under field conditions in the 2013/2014 crop season. The treatments: 1) control, without application of the product; 2) 300 mL ha-1 of the commercial product in the V8 stage; 3) 600 mL ha-1 of the commercial product in the V8 stage; 4) 300 mL ha-1 of the commercial product in the R1 stage; 5) 300 mL ha-1 of the commercial product in the V8 stage and repeated in the R1 stage; and 6) 600 mL ha-1 of the commercial product in the V8 stage and repeated in the R1 stage. A randomized block experimental design with four replications was used. The evaluations were: plant height 20 days after the first application for the treatments that received the product in the V8 stage, final plant height, ear height, prolificacy, and grain yield. There was no significant effect from the seaweed extract for any of the characteristics assessed.