Implementación de un plan de manejo con bioestimulantes de microalgas para la producción de hortalizas

Vegetable production is a very important economic activity in the province of Cartago, representing 55% of the vegetable-growing area in Costa Rica. Horticulture contributes to domestic production and the generation of direct and indirect jobs. This sector is responsible for the food security of many households in our country. However, in recent years, it has been affected by the reduction of agricultural areas, climate change, and population growth.

At the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, the Microalgae Laboratory has developed research to support this sector, generating a product that meets some of the needs of horticulture. One of these is to have technologies that allow them to increase production sustainably, conserve the soil, improve the efficiency of nutrient absorption by plants, and reduce CO2 emissions

Microalgae biostimulants stimulate biological processes that improve nutrient availability and optimize absorption, increase tolerance to abiotic stress, and improve product productivity and quality. Furthermore, by their nature, microalgae have the ability to fix CO2 produced by soil respiration and the action of bacteria on organic matter. The CO2 captured by microalgae is transformed into sugars and phytohormones that are used by plants during production stages. Microalgae bioinputs have been evaluated in crops such as zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, melon, pineapple, coffee, onion, chili, pitaya, and lettuce, and excellent results have been determined with the application of microalgae. Research has made it possible to determine the doses, frequencies, and times of application of the biostimulants, as well as their compatibility with other inputs.

This proposal seeks, through seminars and demonstration plots, to transfer the developed knowledge of the benefits of microalgae to the sector

Horticultural production. As a result of this proposal, a management plan will be generated for some crops of interest to horticulturists using microalgae

Implementar de un plan de manejo con bioestimulantes de microalgas para la producción de hortalizas

Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología: Biotecnología Ambiental