AfriKelp Technical Plant Hormones-AGROMOSTA-2014

AfriKelp Technical Plant Hormones
AfriKelp ®
How does it work?
Active Principle
Seaweed Concentrates (SWC) contain
Macro- and Micro-Nutrients,

Vitamins
Amino acids
Polyamines
Polysaccharides
Betaines
Plant Hormones
…
Plant Hormones work like signals

(more is not better!)
Plant hormones work only in combination with

other Plant Hormones (Hormonal Balance)
Auxin (IAA) is the most important Plant Hormone
Standardization of (free) Auxin content is

key for consistent predictable results!
Plant Hormones work as signals
Dosage too high > Negative Effect
Dosage too low or

incorrect Timing > No Effect
Correct Dosage
Correct Timing > Best Effect
More is not better!

Plant Hormones
Plant Hormones (PH) are “a group of naturally occurring, organic

substances which influence all physiological processes at
extremely low concentrations far below those where either
nutrients or vitamins would affect these processes”.
Plant hormones (PH) play the essential role in controlling the way
in which plants grow and develop. They regulate the speed of
the growth of the individual parts and integrate these parts to
produce the final form of the plant.
Plant Hormones (PH), especially auxin, exist in 2 forms:

- Active (free) > Immediate action
- Inactive (conjugated (bound)) > storage, elimination
Plant hormones do not (never) act alone

but always in conjunction or in
opposition to each other so that the
final condition of growth or
development represents the net effect
of a
“Hormonal Balance!”
Auxin
Action in
the Roots
Auxin Improvement of number of fruits

Action in Increase of fruit size
Fruits
The Plant Hormone Cycle during plant growth (Stoller, 2009)

Auxin / Cytokinin
Ratio Effect
Auxin (and Cytokinin) effect in AfriKelp®
Ecklonia maxima is
extremely high in
Auxins but very low in
Cytokinins
and
therefore has one of the
highest Auxin /
Cytokinin ratios of all
existing plants.
Mode of Action
0 days 7-10 days

AfriKelp® Action on Roots (Cassava Cuttings)
Root number (%) Shoot number (%)

300% 285% 250%
250%
200% 193%
200% 162%
182%
150%
153%
124%
150%
100%
100%
100%
100%
50%
50%
0% 0%
H20/30 mins 2%/10 mins 10%/10 mins 10%/30 mins H20/30 mins 2%/10 mins 10%/10 mins 10%/30 mins
AfriKelp® Action on Roots (Potatoes)

AfriKelp® Action on Fruits (Oranges)
Who CRI Fruits per Tree

Where Letaba 500
Study Design Field Study, randomized block design + 66%
450
Variety Midnights
When 2014 400
350
Treatments + 15% + 14%
300
Products Dosages + 7%
Control 250
AfriKelp® before flowering 4 l / ha
200
AfriKelp® during flowering 4 l / ha
Control AfriKelp® before AfriKelp® during AfriKelp® AfriKelp®
AfriKelp® at fruitset 4 l / ha flowering flowering at fruitset at 25 mm fruit size
AfriKelp® at 25 mm fruit size 4 l / ha
No. Fruits in 72 mm Category
150
Conclusion:
140
All Afrikelp© treatments increased the number of fruits per tree
130
considerably.
120
+ 34%
The best result was achieved with the treatment of 4 L AK/ha 110
sprayed before flowering. Even though this treatment moved + 20%
100
the number of fruits to the bigger categories, it still produced + 11%
+ 7%
34% more fruits in the preferred marketable size category of 72 90
mm fruit size due to the enormous increase of the total number 80
of fruits per tree by 66%. 70
60
Control Before Flowering After Flowering Fruit Set 25 mm Fruit Size
Reference: Data on file
AfriKelp® Action on Berries (Table Grapes)
AfriKelp Control

AfriKelp® Action on Berries (Table Grapes)
AfriKelp Control
Effects
1) An early application of AfriKelp® during the vegetative phase will increase

the number of roots and improve shoot growth.
2) An early application of AfriKelp® during flowering and early fruit set will
increase the number of flowers turning into fruits.
3) A later application directed at the fruits will increase berry and fruit size.
Consistency
Plant hormones always need to be applied at the right time

in the right dose!
A product with plant hormones must always contain the same

amount of free and total auxins to ensure predictability of results.
Due to the high natural fluctuation of the auxin levels in Ecklonia

maxima a batch analysis and standardization accordingly is required.
Natural Fluctuation of Auxin in Ecklonia maxima

Testing and Standardisation
- AfriKelp® :
GC MS analysis of each batch
(versus bio-assay) at
independent lab in Germany
- Standardisation of Auxin
content in each batch based
on correct Auxin (IAA) analysis
in the concentrate!!!
Quality Control
Summary
- Plant Hormones control every physiological activity of the

plant. They work as signals at defined dosages and times.
- Auxin (IAA) is the most important plant hormone and is

involved in almost all hormone actions.
- AfriKelp® - an Ecklonia maxima liquid extract - contains an

unusually high amount of auxin and low amount of cytokinins
- Only AfriKelp® is standardized for its auxin content for

predictable consistent results.
AfriKelp®
That’s how it works!
AfriKelp®
That’s how it works!
Auxin
Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the main auxin in most plants
IAA is synthesized from tryptophan or indole primarily in leaf

primordia and young leaves and in developing seeds.
(Key) effects:
• Cell enlargement
• Root initiation
• Tropistic responses (gravity and light)
• Apical dominance
• Fruit setting and growth
• Delay of fruit ripening
• Promotion of flowering
Auxin Biosynthesis in the Leaves

Auxin
Action in
the Roots
Auxin
Action in
the Roots
Auxin
Action in
the Fruits Activation of expansins
Gibberellins
A family of compounds (136 members). Most widely available is
GA3 (gibberellic acid), which is a fungal product. Most effective
for cell elongation in plants is GA1.
GAs are synthesized from glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate in

young tissues of the shoot and developing seed.
(Key) effects:
• Stem growth (hyperelongation of stems) > tall plants
• Induction of seed germination (instead of cold or light)
• Fruit setting and growth (with exogenous application)
Cytokinins
Cytokinins (CKs) are adenine derivates with the ability to induce cell
division in tissues in the presence of auxin.
CKs are synthesized in root tips and developing seeds.
(Key) effects:
• Cell division – in tissues after exogenous application in the
presence of auxin, endogenous in gall tumors on plants.
Present in actively dividing cells
• Growth of lateral buds
• Leaf extension by cell enlargement – adjustment of total leaf
area to growth of root system
• Delay of leaf senescence
• Enhancement of stomata opening (in some species)
Ethylene
Ethylene (C2H4) is synthesized from methionine in many tissues in
response to stress, and is the fruit ripening hormone. In
particular, it is synthesized in tissues undergoing ripening or
senescence.
(Key) effects:
• Fruit ripening
• Flower opening and senescence (as well as leaves)
• Leaf and fruit abscission
• Adventitious root stimulation
• Stimulation of defense responses to injury or disease
• Release from dormancy
Abscisic acid (ABA)

Abscisic acid is synthesized from glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate in
roots and mature leaves, particularly in response to water stress.
(Key) effects:
• Stomatal closure
• Inhibition of shoot growth
• Induction of storage protein synthesis in seeds
Other plant hormones

Brassinosteroids:
effects on cell division, cell elongation, inhibition of root growth and
development.
Jasmonates:
play important role in plant defense (against insects), inhibit growth
and seed germination
Salicylic acid (SA):

key role in resistance to pathogens, eventually inhibits ethylene and
reverses effects of ABA
Other plant hormones

Strigolactones:
inhibit outgrowth of axillary buds, control of shoot branching
Signal peptides:
involved in many plant processes (growth, defense, cell fate,..)
Florigen:
initiation of flowering
Factors that influence the effect of Plant

Hormones:
• Development stage
• Stress factors: Salt, Oxidation, Cold, Drought
• Gravity
• Light
• Other Hormones
• Feedback
Active Principles
However, as SWCs are diluted before application, these
nutrients are applied at low concentrations relative to the crops
requirements and cannot account for the improved growth
(Blunden 1977, Verkleij (1992)).
Owing to the low concentrations at which the SWCs are applied,

the active substances need to be effective at very low
concentrations (Crouch and van Staden 1993a).

AfriKelp Technical Plant Hormones-AGROMOSTA-2014

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AfriKelp Technical Plant Hormones-AGROMOSTA-2014

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Copyright:

Available Formats

AfriKelp Technical Plant Hormones

Macro- and Micro-Nutrients,

Plant Hormones work like signals

Plant hormones work only in combination with

Auxin (IAA) is the most important Plant Hormone

Standardization of (free) Auxin content is

Plant Hormones work as signals

Dosage too high > Negative Effect

Dosage too low or

More is not better!

Plant Hormones (PH) are “a group of naturally occurring, organic

Plant Hormones (PH), especially auxin, exist in 2 forms:

Plant hormones do not (never) act alone

Auxin Improvement of number of fruits

The Plant Hormone Cycle during plant growth (Stoller, 2009)

Auxin (and Cytokinin) effect in AfriKelp®

0 days 7-10 days

AfriKelp® Action on Roots (Cassava Cuttings)

Root number (%) Shoot number (%)

AfriKelp® Action on Roots (Potatoes)

AfriKelp® Action on Fruits (Oranges)

Who CRI Fruits per Tree

AfriKelp® Action on Berries (Table Grapes)

Reference: Data on file

AfriKelp® Action on Berries (Table Grapes)

1) An early application of AfriKelp® during the vegetative phase will increase

Plant hormones always need to be applied at the right time

A product with plant hormones must always contain the same

Due to the high natural fluctuation of the auxin levels in Ecklonia

Natural Fluctuation of Auxin in Ecklonia maxima

Testing and Standardisation

- Plant Hormones control every physiological activity of the

- Auxin (IAA) is the most important plant hormone and is

- AfriKelp® - an Ecklonia maxima liquid extract - contains an

- Only AfriKelp® is standardized for its auxin content for

IAA is synthesized from tryptophan or indole primarily in leaf

Auxin Biosynthesis in the Leaves

GAs are synthesized from glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate in

CKs are synthesized in root tips and developing seeds.

Abscisic acid (ABA)

Other plant hormones

Salicylic acid (SA):

Other plant hormones

Factors that influence the effect of Plant

Owing to the low concentrations at which the SWCs are applied,

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