Skip to content

Biostimulants for chilli (amino-acid and seaweed-based)

Foliar biostimulants based on protein-hydrolysate amino acids and seaweed extracts are used in chilli to push vegetative vigour, branching and reproductive set during the transition from vegetative growth to flowering. The category is regulated in India under the FCO 2021 Plant Biostimulant Order, which brought biostimulants under the Fertiliser Control Order and required registration with the Central Insecticides Board.

Composition

Two principal sub-categories are used on chilli:

  • Amino-acid biostimulants: enzymatic protein hydrolysates of plant or animal origin, supplying free L-amino acids, oligopeptides and ancillary nutrients. Representative products include Syngenta Isabion and Maxilizer.
  • Seaweed-extract biostimulants: alkaline extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum or Kappaphycus alvarezii, supplying mannitol, alginates, betaines, and trace plant hormones (auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin). The dominant Indian products are licensed from CSIR-CSMCRI's Kappaphycus technology, including IFFCO Sagarika and PI Biovita.

Mode of action

Amino-acid biostimulants deliver readily assimilable nitrogen-containing building blocks that bypass the energy cost of nitrate reduction and amino-acid synthesis, and act as chelators and stress mitigants. Seaweed extracts modulate endogenous hormone balance and elicit antioxidant and osmotic-stress responses. Neither category provides nutrition in the conventional NPK sense; they are classed as biostimulants under the European Biostimulants Industry Council (EBIC) framework and its Indian counterpart.

Target use and dose

In chilli, foliar sprays are typically applied at 250-500 ml/acre during the vegetative-to-flowering transition and repeated at 10-15 day intervals through fruit set. Application timing aims to coincide with maximum sink demand. They are commonly tank-mixed with micronutrients but should be checked for compatibility.

Safety and regulatory status

All products must be FCO-registered as plant biostimulants under the 2021 order. Approved products carry a CIB&RC registration number on the label. They are non-toxic at field rates and have no fixed pre-harvest interval.

See also: Seaweed Extract, Humic Acid, Fulvic Acid, Gibberellic Acid Ga3, Cotton Biostimulant Flower Retention.

References

  1. Sagarika Seaweed Biostimulant. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO).
  2. IFFCO Sagarika Seaweed Extract 28% Biostimulant. BharatAgri product profile.