Sunflower Bark Extract as a Biostimulant Suppresses Reactive Oxygen Species in Salt-Stressed Arabidopsis.

A survey of plant-based wastes identified sunflower (Helianthus annuus) bark extract (SBE), produced via twin-screw extrusion, as a potential biostimulant. The addition of SBE to Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings cultured in vitro showed a dose-dependent response, with high concentrations causing severe growth inhibition. However, when priming seeds with SBE, a small but significant increase in leaf area was observed at a dose of 0.5 g of lyophilized powder per liter. This optimal concentration of SBE in the culturing medium alleviated the growth inhibition caused by 100 mM NaCl. The recovery in shoot growth was accompanied by a pronounced increase in photosynthetic pigment levels and a stabilization of osmotic homeostasis. SBE-primed leaf discs also showed a similar protective effect. SBE mitigated salt stress by reducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) by about 30% and developing more expanded true leaves. This reduction in ROS levels was due to the presence of antioxidative agents in SBE and by activating ROS-eliminating enzymes. Polyphenols, carbohydrates, proteins, and other bioactive compounds detected in SBE may have contributed to the cellular redox homeostasis in salt-stressed plants, thus promoting early leaf development by relieving shoot apical meristem arrest. Sunflower stalks from which SBE is prepared can therefore potentially be valorized as a source to produce biostimulants for improving salt stress tolerance in crops.

Belgian endive-derived biostimulants promote shoot and root growth in vitro.

Recovering biostimulant compounds from by-products of crops is a promising strategy to add value, enhance sustainability, and increase the environmental safety of the agricultural production chain. Here, we report consistent root and shoot growth-stimulating bioactivity present in water-based extracts from Belgian endive forced roots (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) over two consecutive harvest years. The shoot and the primary root of in vitro cultivated Arabidopsis thaliana treated with Belgian endive extract were about 30% increased in size compared to plants grown under control conditions. The ornamental species Plectranthus esculentus also showed enhanced in vitro shoot and root growth, suggesting bioactivity on a broad range of species. Fractionation of the Belgian endive extracts into aqueous and organic subfractions coupled with bioactivity measurements showed that the principal root and shoot growth-promoting ingredients are primarily water-soluble. NMR-based characterization of the bioactive aqueous fractions revealed the presence of predominantly sugars and organic acids. Malate and sugars were abundant and common to all water fractions, suggesting these molecules contributed to the growth stimulation phenotype. The findings indicate that Belgian endive roots are a source for the development of organic waste-derived biostimulants with potential for application in tissue culture and putatively for soil-grown crop production.