{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]],"date-time":"2026-05-09T00:08:19Z","timestamp":1778285299681,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,30]],"date-time":"2024-01-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706572800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Horticulturae"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Seaweed polysaccharides can act as substitutes for synthetic compounds present in commercial stimulants and fertilizers used in agriculture to improve crop yields and vigor. In this study, three different polysaccharides (alginate, agar, and carrageenan) were extracted from one brown seaweed, Saccorhiza polyschides, and two red seaweeds, Gracilaria gracilis and Chondrus crispus, respectively, and applied to potted turnip greens (Brassica napus L.), with the intention to analyze their impact on plant growth, development, and metabolism. Turnip greens treated with polysaccharides, especially carrageenan of C. crispus, showed the best results in improving the crop productivity in terms of plant length and weight, number of leaves, nutrient and pigment content, and soil fertility compared with turnip greens from the negative control or those treated with a commercial leaf fertilizer. \u03bb-carrageenan extracted from the tetrasporophyte generation of C. crispus had the highest bioactivity and positive effect on turnip greens among all treatments. \u03bb-carrageenan has been shown to improve plant growth; increase the plant\u2019s biomass (plant leaves: CC(T) (40.80 \u00b1 5.11 g) compared to the positive control (15.91 \u00b1 15.15 g)) and root system; enhance photosynthetic activity; increase the uptake of soil nutrients; and protect plants against abiotic and biotic stresses, stimulating the production of secondary metabolites and managing its defense pathways. Seaweed-extracted polysaccharides have the potential to be used in sustainable agriculture.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/horticulturae10020130","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,30]],"date-time":"2024-01-30T07:49:47Z","timestamp":1706600987000},"page":"130","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Seaweed Polysaccharides as Potential Biostimulants in Turnip Greens Production"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-0496-9554","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariana","family":"Mamede","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CFE\u2014Centre for Functional Ecology: Science for People & Planet, Marine Resources, Conservation and Technology\u2014Marine Algae Lab, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5244-221X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Cotas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CFE\u2014Centre for Functional Ecology: Science for People & Planet, Marine Resources, Conservation and Technology\u2014Marine Algae Lab, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"IATV\u2014Instituto do Ambiente Tecnologia e Vida, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6819-0619","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonel","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CFE\u2014Centre for Functional Ecology: Science for People & Planet, Marine Resources, Conservation and Technology\u2014Marine Algae Lab, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"IATV\u2014Instituto do Ambiente Tecnologia e Vida, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2208-2946","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kiril","family":"Bahcevandziev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Coimbra Agriculture School, Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"386","DOI":"10.1007\/s00344-009-9103-x","article-title":"Seaweed Extracts as Biostimulants of Plant Growth and Development","volume":"28","author":"Khan","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. 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