Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract
ZENITH ALGAESUN
A brown seaweed that survives freezing, drying and full immersion twice a day builds an unusual store of protective compounds. ALGAESUN puts that extract into a fully soluble powder for foliar, drip and hydroponic use.
Why this particular seaweed
Ascophyllum nodosum grows on the rocky shores of the North Atlantic, where it is submerged in cold salt water at high tide and left exposed to sun, wind and frost at low tide. Surviving that cycle requires a chemistry that a sheltered plant never has to develop.
Built for extremes
The species tolerates conditions from roughly −25 °C in winter to +40 °C in summer, and the compounds behind that tolerance are what the extract delivers.
Alginates and mannitol
Alginic acid and mannitol are characteristic constituents of brown seaweed. They contribute to soil conditioning and to the availability of nutrients at the root surface.
Potassium included
Alkaline hydrolysis with potassium hydroxide leaves around 20 % K2O in the finished powder, so each application also supplies a directly available nutrient.
Wild harvested
Raw material is cut fresh and moved quickly from shore to plant. Batches that do not meet the freshness standard on arrival are diverted to soil-amendment use rather than into the extract.
From shore to soluble powder
Extraction decides what survives into the finished product. ALGAESUN is made by alkaline hydrolysis, which opens the cell structure and releases the soluble fraction, followed by clarification that takes the indigestible cell-wall material back out.
- Harvest and inspectionFreshly cut Ascophyllum is transported from the shore and checked for freshness before it is accepted.
- Alkaline extractionThe biomass is combined with water and potassium hydroxide, liberating the active soluble fraction.
- ClarificationInsoluble cell-wall debris is removed in multiple stages, leaving a clean base extract.
- Concentration and dryingThe extract is concentrated, stabilised and dried to a fully soluble powder under automated process control.
What it does in the crop
Seaweed extracts are biostimulants: they do not feed the plant in the way a fertilizer does, but influence how it grows and how it copes with stress.
Stress tolerance
Extracts of this species have been associated in published research with better performance under drought, salinity and temperature stress, linked to changes in hormone balance and antioxidant enzyme activity.
Roots and establishment
Reported effects on root architecture support establishment after transplanting and help the crop reach water and nutrients already present in the soil.
Flowering and fruit quality
Trials across crops including tomato, strawberry, grape and brassicas report effects on fruit set, ripening and quality characteristics.
These statements describe published research on Ascophyllum nodosum extracts as a class. Responses vary with crop, growing conditions, rate and timing, and ZENITH TECH product-specific trials are in progress.
Specification
| Organic matter | 45–50 % |
| Potassium (K2O) | 20 % |
| Alginic acid | 10–12 % |
| Mannitol | 4.6 % |
| Total nitrogen (N) | 1.75 % |
| Dry matter | 95 % |
| Moisture | 5.85 % |
| Appearance | Fine soluble powder, dark brown |
| Raw material | 100 % Ascophyllum nodosum |
| Process | Alkaline hydrolysis (KOH) |
| Solubility in water | 400 g/L |
| pH (1:10 extract) | 8–10 |
| Packaging | 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg |
| Shelf life | 24 months unopened |
Natural raw material varies slightly between batches. Each batch is released against the declared specification.
How to apply it
| Method | Rate | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Foliar spray | 50–100 g per 100 L water (0.05–0.1 %) | 2–4 applications per season at key growth stages |
| Fertigation and drip | 1–3 kg/ha per application | Establishment, flowering and fruit development |
| Hydroponics and soilless | 20–40 g per 1,000 L nutrient solution | Monitor EC and pH after addition |
| Seed or transplant dip | 0.05–0.1 % solution | Brief immersion before planting |
Crops
Vegetables, fruit trees and vines, berries, field and grain crops, oil crops, turf and ornamentals.
Mind the pH
The extract is alkaline, pH 8–10 at 1:10. Do not mix with strongly acidic partners or with products unstable at high pH, and jar-test before combining anything.
Timing
Apply in early morning or late afternoon. Biostimulants work best applied before stress arrives rather than as a rescue treatment after damage is visible.
Rates are provisional guidance pending completion of our field calibration. Confirm the rate for your crop, growth stage and water quality against the product label and local advice before use.
Questions we are asked
Is ALGAESUN a fertilizer or a biostimulant?
Primarily a biostimulant. It does supply potassium, nitrogen and organic matter, but its purpose is to influence how the crop grows and handles stress rather than to meet its nutrient demand. It complements a fertilizer programme; it does not replace one.
Why alkaline extraction rather than cold pressing?
Alkaline hydrolysis opens the cell structure and releases a larger soluble fraction, and the potassium hydroxide used also contributes the potassium content. The trade-off is an alkaline finished product, which is why tank-mix pH matters.
Can it be used in organic production?
Seaweed extracts are widely accepted inputs in organic systems, but acceptance depends on your certifier, the extraction method and the country. Ask us for the current documentation for your market before planning an organic programme around it.
How much variation is there between batches?
Some, because the raw material is wild seaweed rather than a synthesised compound. Harvest season and location shift the composition slightly. Every batch is released against the declared specification, and certificates of analysis are available.
How should it be stored?
Cool and dry in the sealed original container, out of direct sunlight. The powder is hygroscopic, so reseal after use and prepare only as much solution as you will apply within 24 hours.
Technical documentation and samples
Product datasheet, technical data sheet and certificates of analysis are available on request, along with trial samples for distributors and agronomic partners.
Email our technical team Download the data sheets
ZENITH TECH GmbH · Industriestr. 1, 31180 Giesen, Germany ·
Zenith@zenith-tech.de
Information provided here reflects our current knowledge and describes the product for
possible applications. It does not release the user from their own testing and does not
constitute a binding assurance of properties. Permitted claims and regulatory status
differ by country.