South African Journal of Botany· 2026Q2
Waste-derived biofertilizers differentially affect antioxidant activity and biochemical composition of Sargassum polycystum (Phaeophyta)
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Cassava peel biofertilizer (CPB) significantly increased fucoxanthin, pigments, phenolics, amino acids, and protein in cultivated *Sargassum polycystum*, while reducing antioxidant activity (lower ABTS/DPPH IC50 values) compared to other waste-derived fertilizers and controls.
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Key points
- Cassava peel biofertilizer (CPB) treatment led to the highest concentrations of fucoxanthin, photosynthetic pigments, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and protein in *Sargassum polycystum*.
- CPB-treated *Sargassum polycystum* exhibited the lowest ABTS and DPPH IC50 values, indicating higher antioxidant activity.
- Control samples, without biofertilizer, had higher concentrations of lipids and fatty acids.
- Fertilizer treatments showed significant differences in measured biochemical endpoints.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Waste-derived organic fertilizers may provide a resource-recovery approach for modifying the biochemical quality of cultivated seaweeds. This study evaluated the effects of vermicompost biofertilizer, compost biofertilizer, and cassava peel biofertilizer (CPB) on the biochemical composition and functional metabolites of Sargassum polycystum . Seaweeds were cultivated under weekly fertilizer application and evaluated for pigments, fucoxanthin, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, proximate composition, amino acids, and fatty acids. Fertilizer treatments were associated with significant differences in the measured biochemical endpoints. At the single equal-mass concentration tested, CPB-treated samples contained the highest concentrations of fucoxanthin, photosynthetic pigments, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and protein and exhibited the lowest ABTS and DPPH IC₅₀ values. In contrast, control samples contained higher lipid and fatty acid concentrations. Because nutrient loading was not standardized, fertilizer characterization was limited to total NPK, and growth performance was not evaluated, these findings represent an initial comparison of endpoint biochemical responses rather than evidence of fertilizer superiority or improved cultivation performance. Further dose–response studies incorporating nutrient-matched treatments, growth measurements, and more comprehensive environmental and fertilizer characterization are required.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. South African Journal of Botany, 2026 · DOI ↗
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