Kelp extract soil treatment for improved crop yield, resilience, and quality
Research-backed biostimulant solution using kelp-derived alginates to enhance terrestrial crop performance. Field-validated on broccoli, with proposed advanced phenotyping studies to refine application parameters and demonstrate benefits in reduced chemical and inorganic fertiliser requirements.
Overview
This research programme investigates the use of kelp extracts as soil-applied biostimulants to improve yields, plant resilience, and fruit quality in terrestrial crops. The work centres on kelp cell wall polysaccharides, particularly alginates, as the primary bioactive components driving crop response. The goal is to generate the evidence-based data the agricultural industry needs to define application parameters and demonstrate under which soil and fertility conditions kelp products deliver measurable benefits, supporting reduced reliance on chemicals and inorganic fertilisers.
Technical specifications
- Core technology: Soil-applied kelp extracts, with isolated kelp-derived alginate fractions, used as biostimulant treatments for row crops.
- Validated crop: Broccoli, grown under commercial field conditions with individual plant treatments.
- Key finding (Experiment 1): Paired t-tests showed a statistically significant growth response (P<.05) to kelp treatment when phosphate was applied at an adequate rate of 33 kg/ha, but no significant response at low or maximum phosphate rates, indicating soil fertility receptivity is critical.
- Key finding (Experiment 2): A 9 x 4 randomised block experiment recorded significant responses (P<.05) to both whole kelp extract and kelp-derived alginate, confirming alginates as a major contributor to crop response.
- Proposed next-stage validation: Use of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility for non-destructive imaging and continuous monitoring of plant development under controlled kelp and phosphate interaction treatments, plus post-harvest analysis of three classes of phytochemicals associated with broccoli nutritional quality.
Technology readiness level
The technology is at an early-to-mid stage of development. Initial proof-of-concept has been demonstrated through two field experiments on broccoli under commercial conditions in 2020, with statistically significant yield responses recorded under defined phosphate conditions. Further validation is planned using controlled-environment phenotyping to isolate treatment effects and quantify nutritional quality outcomes, positioning the work toward more robust, evidence-based application guidelines for industry adoption.
About The University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide was a comprehensive public research university in South Australia, with a city‑centre campus and specialised sites linking teaching, research and translation. Co‑location within Adelaide BioMed City placed teams beside the Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI, enabling clinical trials, while AIML at Lot Fourteen linked researchers to an innovation district. At the Waite Research Precinct, co‑located partners and infrastructure such as the Plant Accelerator supported industry‑engaged R&D. Research was backed by national funding, including the Australian Research Council and NHMRC. On January 5, 2026 it merged with the University of South Australia to form Adelaide University; these assets now operate within the new institution with dedicated tech transfer support.
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