Mastering
Plant Nutrition
PGR Part II
macro and micro nutrients,
broad spectrum rare earth
elements, and most importantly,
plant growth regulators. Let’s
look at each category to learn
more.
chelating agent. This means it
grabs hold of trace elements and
releases them to the plant. One
of its most important functions
is to stimulate the production of
very fine root hairs.
By Jon Frank
Extraction
The key to solving the world’s
food supply is understanding
the mechanisms that regulate
the metabolism of plants. –T.L
Senn
First of all it is a liquid that is
100% soluble. That means the
ocean seaweed growing near the
land must be harvested and
liquefied. The best liquid extract
is always made from freshly
harvested seaweed that has not
been dehydrated.
Mannitol is a sticky sugar that
helps the spray solution stick to
the plant. By itself mannitol may
comprise up to 10% of liquid
seaweed. Laminarin is a plant
growth accelerator and a
stimulator of plant defense
echanisms.
The title of this article is,
admittedly, rather audacious. I
am not suggesting that we as a
company have a full
comprehension of plant
metabolism—we don’t. I will
say that one of the keys to
unlocking this knowledge will
come by studying and using one
of nature’s greatest plants:
Seaweed. An in-depth
understanding of the properties
of liquid seaweed is one of
natures greatest textbook in
plant physiology.
In this article I want to delve
into the properties of liquid
seaweed before finishing the
Marriage Made in Heaven series
next month.
Liquid seaweed is amazing! Its
spectrum of plant nutrients and
biostimulants is remarkably
complete. Seaweed contains;
amino acids, long chain sugars,
The science of seaweed
extraction is really more like the
art of good winemaking. The
goal is to unlock the nutrients
and PGR’s contained in the
seaweed plants and release them
into a water soluble liquid
without damaging their delicate
structure. The extraction method
plays a very large role in
determining the quality of the
end product.
Vitamins and Minerals
Though most liquid seaweed
manufacturers do not label
vitamin content it is known to
contain various vitamins such as
ascorbic acid, beta carotene, a
range of B vitamins, and even
vitamin E. Most plant
physiologists would expect these
to improve plant vigor and
resistance to stress.
Through rigorous trial and error
with various extraction methods
two types of liquid seaweed has
emerged. The first type
emphasizes the extraction of
higher levels of sugars,
minerals, and amino acids. This
formula helps the plants increase
vigor and stress resistance. The
second type emphasizes the
extraction of PGR’s. This
formula accentuates the
hormones that regulate plant
growth.
Liquid seaweed contains a
whole host of minerals. In fact
seaweed is so well endowed
with minerals it may be easier to
point out what it doesn’t have.
As far as I know, liquid seaweed
has only 3 glaring mineral
deficiencies; calcium,
phosphorous, and silicon. Trace
elements in liquid seaweed are
exceptionally efficient at
increasing plant metabolism.
The reason is very simple: the
metal elements have already
been joined with organic plant
sugars.
Plant Sugars
Enzymes and Amino Acids
A major portion of liquid
seaweed is composed of long
chain sugars. These include
alginic acid, mannitol, and
laminarin. Alginic acid is a
Liquid seaweed contains
approximately 1% amino acids.
When these are joined together
to form specific “work crews”
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they are called enzymes.
Enzymes improve metabolic
function while amino acids help
plants cope with stress and serve
as precursors to plant proteins.
components of liquid seaweed
you find one of natures’ greatest
contributions to your farming
success with special thanks to
the tireless effort of seaweed
manufacturers.
Plant Growth Regulators
PGR’s are the master hormones
regulating plant growth. Only a
small amount can create massive
response. Seaweed contains
auxins, indoles, cytokinins, and
gibberellins all in proper
proportion.
Auxins cause cellular
elongation, while cytokinins
help these cells to divide.
International Ag Labs sells a
premier liquid seaweed called
PGR that is designed to work
with AMAZE.
Indoles and gibberellins promote
plant growth. PGR’s are used to
increase produce sizing and
stimulate new shoots and roots
Liquid Seaweed Extract
When you add up all the
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