A team at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Plant Biology (IBMCP), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), has developed a quick and low-cost method to evaluate natural-origin products with potential as biostimulants. These products can help crops adapt to climate stress factors such as drought and salinity.
The researchers tested their biostimulant evaluation platform and confirmed that what worked in the lab also proved effective in lettuce, broccoli, and, most recently, tomato. Their findings were published in Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture.
Based on a combination of four natural extracts, an alga, white willow, licorice, and a yeast, the IBMCP group developed a product called Calbio. According to José Miguel Mulet, IBMCP researcher and coordinator of the project, "Calbio increases yields by 10% under normal conditions, but under salinity stress it prevents production losses, delivering 30% higher yields compared to untreated plants. Most importantly, we've replicated this across very different crops."
Because the product is derived from natural materials, its authorization process is simpler. "They are classified as biostimulants, so transferring these results to farmers will be much faster and easier," Mulet explained. "The product's efficacy has been proven and its molecular mechanism is understood, something that is not the case for many products currently on the market."
Testing and applications
Traditionally, companies had to rely directly on field trials, long, expensive, and without a guarantee of success. With this new system, different products can be screened in a short time and at a lower cost, narrowing down the most promising options. The platform can also be used combinatorially with different raw materials to design new products, as was the case with Calbio.
"So far, we've confirmed its effectiveness under normal growth conditions and salinity stress in crops such as broccoli, lettuce, and tomato," said IBMCP researcher Rosa Porcel. "We currently have trials underway to test it under drought and low-fertilization conditions. This could be a valuable tool to make agriculture more sustainable. Plus, being of natural origin, it can be used in both conventional and organic farming."
The bulk of the work was carried out at the IBMCP (CSIC–UPV) with participation from professor Lynne Yenush, in collaboration with Caldic Ibérica, a wholesaler of chemicals for the industrial, food, and pharmaceutical sectors. Professors Vicente Arbona and Miguel González-Guzmán of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló also contributed to the project.
Field trials took place at the Cajamar Foundation (Paiporta) and at the Sinyent farm operated by the Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) in Polinyà del Xúquer (Valencia). The research was part of the 2022 "Retos colaborativos" call from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Next Generation), supported by funds from Spain's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR).
Source: csic.es
