{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T22:56:29Z","timestamp":1777935389931,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,17]],"date-time":"2022-12-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1671235200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT\u2013Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2013Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["EAPA_451\/2016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EAPA_451\/2016"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2013Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"]}]},{"name":"European Regional Development Fund","award":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"]}]},{"name":"European Regional Development Fund","award":["EAPA_451\/2016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EAPA_451\/2016"]}]},{"name":"European Regional Development Fund","award":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04292\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["EAPA_451\/2016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EAPA_451\/2016"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0069\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Phycology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Estuarine eutrophication due to the nutrient run-off from the agricultural fields encourages the establishment of several opportunistic seaweeds. These fast-growing seaweeds, considered an untapped resource, with a circular economy approach, can be employed as soil plant fertilizer. In agriculture, there is a global trend toward shifting from chemical-based conventional farming to sustainable agriculture. In this context, this study aimed to understand the biostimulant potential of the aqueous extracts from seaweeds harvested in Mondego estuary located on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, namely Ulva lactuca (Sea lettuce), Fucus ceranoides (Estuary Wrack) and Gracilaria gracilis (Slender Wart Weed), in kale (Brassica oleracea L.) seed germination and seedling development. The results showed that Gracilaria\u00a0gracilis extract enhanced kale seed germination, presenting a higher seedlings weight (0.076 \u00b1 0.004 g) and length (15.48 \u00b1 0.59 cm), when compared with seedlings obtained in distilled water used as a control (weight = 0.059 \u00b1 0.002 g; length = 13.10 \u00b1 0.54 cm). Fucus ceranoides showed the lowest influence on seedling development (weight = 0.062 \u00b1 0.002 g; length = 12.97 \u00b1 0.59 cm). However, these results demonstrated that seaweed aqueous extracts can indeed enhance seed germination and seedling development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/phycology2040023","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,19]],"date-time":"2022-12-19T09:31:01Z","timestamp":1671442261000},"page":"419-428","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["An experimental Study Investigating the Effects on Brassica oleracea: Estuarine Seaweeds as Biostimulants in Seedling Development?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Madalena","family":"Mendes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5509-1067","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diana","family":"Pacheco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5244-221X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Cotas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2208-2946","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kiril","family":"Bahcevandziev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agriculture School, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Coimbra Agriculture School, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6819-0619","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonel","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-662-06164-0_1","article-title":"Species Origin and Economic Importance of Brassica","volume":"Volume 54","author":"Rakow","year":"2004","journal-title":"Brassica. 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