Name:
Use of marine algae for biofertilizer and biostimuating products for organic agriculture

Developed by:
SouthAgro
Italy

Country(ies) involved:
Italy

General idea:
Use of marine macroalgae for the production of biostimulants and biofertilizers for organic agriculture (for professional use and for hobby purposes); development of a system of propagation and cultivation of marine algae for their transformation and use in organic agriculture

Description:
South Agro is a start-up located in Taranto (Apulia, Italy) and it develops, produces and commercializes biostimulants and biofertilizers for organic agriculture starting from marine algae. These products allow plants to enhance their defenses to climatic stress and to fight diseases in a sustainable way. Products by South Agro are both intended for professional use and for hobby purposes. Some of the latests tests conducted by SouthAgro regard important agricultural productions such as San Marzano Wines vineyards and Metaponto tomatoes, as well as garden plants including geraniums, buganvillea and roses. The products realized by SouthAgro are interesting also within the global climate change context, in which sudden and unpredictable heat or cold waves allow plant diseases to occur more easily and plant pathogen to quickly spread across different regions, since the application of their biostimulants prevents the use of chemicals while stimulating plant defensive processes and leads to high-quality food products. Macro-algae used by SouthAgro are indeed rich in phytohitormones, polysaccharides, sterols, mineral and micronutrients.
Moreover, in a circular economy and sustainability perspective, the startup is also developing its own system of propagation and cultivation of marine algae (phytoremediating and CO2-absorbing organisms) for their transformation and use in organic agriculture.

TRL:
9. Actual system proven in operational environment

Sources:
A webpage illustrating the startup, the scientific background of their production, and the products and purposes realized https://southagro.com/