Spring barley crop trials with Scottish Agronomy (2024).
In 2024 Scottish Agronomy were commissioned to run controlled, replicated crop trials on spring barley using our liquid extracts as a foliar spray, to determine if any (or all) promote plant growth and could be developed further as biostimulants. Our liquid kelp extracts were also analysed for minerals, bioactive compounds, as well as antioxidant capacity.
The Scottish Agronomy crops trial centre is based in Fife and is one of the largest in Scotland (see https://scottishagronomy.co.uk/services/field-trials/). We submitted six variations of our liquid kelp extracts for the controlled the replicated crop trials. These trials were part of a ‘screening’ process to identify which of our kelp extracts were worth developing further as biostimulants.
The kelp extracts were applied as a foliar spray at three different concentrations (2.5L/ha, 5L/ha, 10L/ha) to test ‘low’, ‘medium’ and ‘high’ doses, and sprayed onto plants on three separate occasions in May (with approximately 3 weeks intervals between each application). There were four control plots (no seaweed extract), and four replicate plots per seaweed treatment. The spring barley was drilled on 22/04/2024 and harvested on the 29/08/204, and yields were recorded per plot. The seaweed extracts were applied on the 20th May (1st application), 1st June (2nd application) and 21st June 2024 (3rd application).
All kelp extracts resulted in an increase in barley yield, with most treatments resulting in a statistically significant increase in yields (at 95% confidence) compared to the control. This is a very positive finding, especially given the climate challenges that farmers faced in 2024 (very wet), and provides compelling evidence that our liquid kelp extracts could be developed for biostimulants markets. When we visited the farm trial site in August 2024, it was also clear that spring barley plots sprayed with kelp extracts were greener than control plots, suggesting that the kelp delays senescence and increases the ripening period, which subsequently increases yields. The best performing extract increased barley yields by an average of 8%, resulting in 0.6 tons more barley per hectare.
In addition to these trials on spring barley in 2024, our cold-pressed kelp extract was also tested in dry conditions in 2023 in Scotland (spring barley), Bangladesh (onions) and India (tomatoes, potatoes and chilli). These trials all gave positive outcomes and significant yield increases. This supports evidence that KelpCrofters extracts are particularly effective at helping plants cope with drought stress. It is therefore likely that UK crop trials during a ‘dry year’ would deliver more significant results than we observed in 2024 (wet year).
Going forwards we aim to commission further controlled crop trails in Scotland and the UK more widely, and we also welcome farmers to trial our biostimulant on their crops.