Mitigating salinity stress in Moringa oleifera through seaweed-derived biostimulants.
Alwaleed EA, Alzain MN, Loutfy N
Biostimulants
If you've ever tried growing moringa in a pot with tap water that leaves white crusty rings, you've seen salt stress firsthand — and this research shows a seaweed spray could be the fix.
Moringa is a fast-growing tree prized for its nutritious leaves, but salty soil makes it struggle — leaves yellow, growth slows, and the plant produces less. Researchers tried spraying the leaves with extracts made from two types of seaweed, and the plants bounced back noticeably, staying greener and growing better even in very salty conditions. One seaweed (Turbinaria ornata) worked better than the other, suggesting that not all seaweed sprays are equal, and choosing the right one matters.
Key Findings
Salt stress up to 300 mM significantly reduced Moringa growth, chlorophyll levels, and soluble sugars while increasing phenolic content.
Foliar sprays of both Turbinaria ornata and Actinotrichia fragilis seaweed extracts improved growth and physiology under salt stress, with T. ornata showing greater effectiveness.
Seaweed-based biofertilizers offer a sustainable alternative to chemical inputs for maintaining crop productivity in salt-affected soils.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Spraying Moringa trees with extracts from two types of seaweed helped them survive high salt levels in soil, keeping them healthier and more productive than untreated plants. The seaweed from Turbinaria ornata worked especially well, pointing to a low-cost, eco-friendly way to grow food crops in salty soils.
Abstract Preview
Climate change, food scarcity, salt stress, and a rapidly growing population are just a few of the significant global challenges. In arid and semi-arid regions worldwide, salt stress is a significa...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Targeted knockout of a host peroxisomal peptidase confers field resistance to...
The corn in your grocery store and the staple food keeping millions of East African families fed is under serious threat from a viral disease that can wipe o...
Moringa is the sole genus in the plant family Moringaceae. It contains 13 species, which occur in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia and that range in size from tiny herbs to massive trees. Moringa species grow quickly in many types of environments.