Impact of Sargassum polycystum and Spirulina platensis Extracts on Growth, Development and Morphological Characteristics of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense) Seedlings
Impact of Sargassum polycystum and Spirulina platensis Extracts on Growth, Development and Morphological Characteristics of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense) Seedlings
Md. Tajol Faeiz Md. Tajudin, Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker*, Nurul Elyni Mat Shaari and Nor Hasima Mahmod
ABSTRACT
Utilising algal extracts as biostimulants presents a sustainable approach to enhancing plant growth and development. This study investigates the biostimulatory effects of Spirulina platensis and Sargassum polycystum extracts on the growth, development and morphological traits of wax apple seedlings. One month after transplanting, seedlings were foliar sprayed once per week for eight weeks with algal extracts at concentrations of 0% (control), 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%, as well as a combined treatment of 5.0% (1:1) from both extracts. T6 (10.0% S. polycystum extract) exhibited the greatest fresh and dry weight increase by 55.93% and 51.76%, respectively. In contrast, moisture content was highest in the T3 (10.0% S. platensis extract) treatment (19.99%). T3 also showed the highest increase of plant height (19.17%), leaf height (266.67%), leaf number (379.28%), and stem diameter (142.79%) compared to control. At the same time, the combined treatment, T7 (5.0% S. polycystum + S. platensis extract), resulted in the largest leaf area, with a 31.66% enhancement. Additionally, the bud and flower formation was observed faster in T3 (30.33 and 19.00 days) and T6 treatments (32.33 and 20 days) while achieving the highest bud and flower numbers. Growth analysis revealed substantial effects of algal extracts on wax apple absolute growth rate (AGR), with T3 achieving a 472.79%, 428.01%, 230.69%, and 328.57% increase, respectively, in AGR of leaf number, leaf area, leaf weight, and plant height. T3 and T6 also recorded the highest relative growth rate (RGR) (0.080 and 0.074 g g⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively). At the same time, specific leaf weight (SLW) improved to 0.016–0.017 g cm-2 under higher concentrations while reducing the specific leaf area (SLA). These results highlight the significant ability of S. platensis and S. polycystum extracts as eco-friendly biostimulants for improving the growth, development, and morphological characteristics of wax apple seedlings, offering a promising solution for improving crop productivity while supporting environmental sustainability in agriculture.
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