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About Our Seaweed
Seaweed (kelp) has been used for centuries as a rich source
of organic plant nutrition. Seaweed contains numerous minerals and every
essential trace element,simple and complex carbohydrates and a number
of plant growth hormones.
Fair Dinkum Seaweed Extract is made from seaweed (kelp)
collected from theWest Coast of Tasmania. The kelp grows in some of
the cleanest seawater in theworld. The kelp is processed to release
the nutrients and provide a solution that issuitable, when diluted,
for foliar spraying, fertigation or direct soil application. Our process
is carefully controlled and designed to maximise the amount of nutrients
and plant growth regulators. The process does not involve long periods
of fermentation or high pressures, both of which have the potential
to break down valuable plant growth regulators (plant hormones).
Seaweeds do not have the rigid plant structure of land
plants. This is becausethe cellulose of land plants is replaced by alginates.
Alginates are broken down much more easily than cellulose. When seaweed
decomposes the alginate is broken down.
In the Fair Dinkum Seaweed Extract the extraction process
replaces the slowerdecomposition process. This makes the nutrients in
the seaweed available without the time lag of the natural decomposition
process.
Extensive research, both in Australia and overseas has
shown that seaweed canenhance root development and uptake of nutrients
locked up in the soil, enhancegermination, imparts a degree of drought
and frost resistance and generally improveplant health. Research in
Australia has shown that such effects can be obtained from Australian
Bull kelp extracts. All the seaweed used in Fair Dinkum Seaweed Extract
is Durvillea potatorum (commonly referred to as bull kelp).
The Science Behind Fair Dinkum Seaweed Extract
Research on the effects of seaweed and seaweed extracts
on crops has been undertaken in Universities, Research Institutions
and commercial laboratories in many
countries. Scientists have reported many effects studied under controlled
conditions and growers and farmers have reported similar effects under
commercial conditions.
Extracts made from Australian Bull Kelp have been extensively investigated
and are believed to be some or the best available anywhere in the world.
The three most widely observed effects are:-
A. Increased root development
B. Increased resistance to environmental stress
C. Increased availability of soil nutrients
These in turn lead to higher yields and better quality
that in turn leads to better profitability
Extensive research has shown that seaweed extracts can cause a significant
increase
in root development, particularly if applied in the early stage of plant
development. The
increase of root development resulting from the application of Fair
Dinkum Seaweed Extract has been investigated for a number of crops.
It has been found that significant increase in root development can
be obtained from two or more applications of Fair Dinkum Seaweed Extract
in wheat, barley, peas, and beans.
Seaweed extracts have been found to enhance plant hardiness and resistance
toadverse environmental conditions. Spraying sensitive crops such as
citrus, capsicum and tomatoes with seaweed extract reduced damage from
early frost. In drought conditions plants sprayed with seaweed extract
have a better survival rate than unsprayed plants. In saline soils seaweed
extracts significantly increases plant vigour. In marginal land the
correct use of seaweed extract can make the difference between a profitable
return and a loss.
All plants require trace elements in addition to the macronutrients
NPK (nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium) sunlight and moisture to grow. Fair Dinkum
Seaweed Extract provides a wide range of trace elements in a natural
form and can compensate for small micronutrient deficiencies in the
soil. However, it also contributes to greater microbial activity in
the soil, thus increasing the total nutrient availability. It is believed
that this increase is achieved by three mechanisms. Firstly Fair Dinkum
Seaweed Extract increases root development so there is a greater volume
of soil from which nutrients can be obtained. Secondly, Fair Dinkum
Seaweed Extract contains natural organic chelating agents that react
with some of the locked-up trace elements in the soil making them soluble
and available for uptake by the plant. Thirdly, Fair Dinkum Seaweed
Extract provides some food to microbes in the space around the roots
(the rhizosphere) and the increase in microbial activity causes nutrients
in the soil to be made available to the plants.
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