Deciphering putative biostimulant properties of a seaweed extract made from Gracilaria gracilis in tomato plants

The agriculture sector is facing several challenges worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to find new strategies to accomplish safe, healthy and sustainable food production for present and future generations. With this in mind, plant biostimulants have been widely explored as a potential alternative, since they can contribute not only to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers but also to increase crop production. They can be made from a variety of natural sources, including seaweeds and plant-growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). Regarding the
application of seaweed extracts, it poses several concerns at different levels.