The use of microalgae compounds in the improvement of agricultural practices

Abstract

The increase in worldwide population observed within the last decades has contributed to an accrued demand for food supplies, which might solely be attained through an improvement in agricultural productivities. Moreover, agricultural practices should become more sustainable, because the overuse of chemically-based fertilisers, pesticides and growth stimulants will cause serious environmental problems (Gonçalves, 2021). One new approach for the development and extremely effective agriculture is the use of biological compounds like the extract of microalgae biomass. Currently, microalgae are attracting the interest of agrochemical industries and farmers, because of their biostimulant (MBS) and biofertiliser (MBF) properties (Ronga et al., 2019). Until recently, microalgae were mostly investigated as a practical approach for the production of lipids and for environmental purposes, like the mitigation of greenhouse gas (CO2) emitted by industrial processes, and for effluent treatments (Oancea et al.,2013; Gonçalves,2021). On the opposite hand, investigations of microalgal product appropriate for crop productions stay largely unexploited. In the light of this point, this study highlights a number of the present researches and future development priorities and examining the factors supporting the employment of MBS and MBF for managing crop productions and abiotic stresses.

The increase in worldwide population observed within the last decades has contributed to an accrued demand for food supplies, which might solely be attained through an improvement in agricultural productivities. Moreover, agricultural practices should become more sustainable, because the overuse of chemically-based fertilisers, pesticides and growth stimulants will cause serious environmental problems (Gonçalves, 2021). One new approach for the development and extremely effective agriculture is the use of biological compounds like the extract of microalgae biomass. Currently, microalgae are attracting the interest of agrochemical industries and farmers, because of their biostimulant (MBS) and biofertiliser (MBF) properties (Ronga et al., 2019). Until recently, microalgae were mostly investigated as a practical approach for the production of lipids and for environmental purposes, like the mitigation of greenhouse gas (CO2) emitted by industrial processes, and for effluent treatments (Oancea et al.,2013; Gonçalves,2021). On the opposite hand, investigations of microalgal product appropriate for crop productions stay largely unexploited. In the light of this point, this study highlights a number of the present researches and future development priorities and examining the factors supporting the employment of MBS and MBF for managing crop productions and abiotic stresses.