10136429Assessing Sugar Kelp extracts as a nutrient management tool (SKE-NMT)ActiveGrant for R&DInnovate UKThis project aims to enhance low-energy methodologies for producing cultivated kelp (Saccharina latissima) extracts, building on the advancements made by Algapelago and partners in the Farming Futures Low Energy Kelp (LEK) project (10087489). Working with partners Atlantic Mariculture, James Hutton Institute and UK Agri-tech Centre, our goal is to validate the efficacy of these extracts in improving plant nutrient use efficiency. Algapelago and Atlantic Mariculture are developing a novel low-energy extraction method to produce biostimulants from cultivated kelp through the Farming Futures LEK project. Demand for seaweed-derived biostimulants is expected to grow significantly as European and UK policy goals aim to reduce nutrient leaching and improve soil health, requiring a shift from chemical to biological inputs. As wild harvested biomass is restricted by licence and at capacity in Europe, this growth in supply must be met with cultivated seaweed employing circular principles and reducing impact on productive kelp ecosystems. The project aim is to validate the ability of S. latissima seaweed extract to improve plant uptake of nitrates and phosphates.