Laminaria Algae and Glutamic Acid Composition for Nitrogen Metabolism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current agricultural practices face challenges in optimizing nitrogen assimilation and use by plants, leading to inefficient fertilizer use and environmental pollution, with existing methods failing to maximize crop yield and quality without increasing fertilizer quantities.

Innovation Solution

A composition combining algae of the genus Laminaria and glutamic acid or its derivatives, applied in specific ratios, stimulates nitrogen metabolism by enhancing assimilation and translocation of nitrogen within plants, thereby improving crop yield and quality without increasing fertilizer amounts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If nitrogen fertilizers are intensively used to increase crop yield, then productivity increases, but environmental pollution worsens due to groundwater contamination, acid rain, and aquatic ecosystem destruction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrop yieldVSAvoidenvironmental pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a biostimulant composition containing algae extract and glutamic acid as an intermediary substance that mediates between the plant and nitrogen fertilizer. This composition enhances the plant's ability to assimilate and utilize nitrogen, allowing reduced fertilizer application while maintaining yield. The biostimulant acts as a bridge that improves nitrogen use efficiency, thereby reducing the harmful environmental effects of intensive fertilizer use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physiological parameters of the plant by applying a biostimulant composition that modifies nitrogen metabolism. The algae extract and glutamic acid alter the plant's metabolic state, enhancing nitrate reduction, amino acid synthesis, and nitrogen translocation. This parameter change in the plant's physiological state allows more efficient use of nitrogen, reducing the need for high fertilizer doses and their associated environmental harms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If nitrogen fertilizer quantity is increased to improve crop quality, then productivity increases, but loss of substance increases due to nitrate leaching and runoff

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrop qualityVSAvoidnitrate leaching
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The biostimulant composition serves as an intermediary that improves the plant's nitrogen assimilation capacity. By enhancing the plant's metabolic enzymes and transport mechanisms, the composition ensures that more of the applied nitrogen is taken up and retained by the plant, reducing nitrate leaching and runoff while maintaining crop quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The biostimulant composition enables the plant to serve itself more efficiently in nitrogen utilization. By stimulating the plant's own metabolic pathways for nitrogen assimilation and distribution, the system reduces dependency on high external nitrogen inputs and minimizes nitrogen loss to the environment through leaching and runoff.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If conventional biostimulant compositions are used to enhance nitrogen assimilation, then nitrogen use efficiency improves, but the level of stimulation is insufficient to maximize crop yield without increasing fertilizer amounts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenitrogen assimilation efficiencyVSAvoidcrop yield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two effective components - algae extract (providing natural biostimulants, amino acids, and growth factors) and glutamic acid (a key nitrogen metabolism intermediate) - into a single composition. This combination creates a synergistic effect that strongly stimulates nitrogen assimilation, nitrate reduction, and amino acid synthesis, enabling maximum crop yield achievement without increasing fertilizer amounts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The biostimulant composition is a composite material combining extracts from Laminaria algae with synthetic or natural glutamic acid. This composite formulation integrates the benefits of natural seaweed extracts (rich in cytokinins, auxins, and amino acids) with the specific metabolic role of glutamic acid in nitrogen assimilation, creating a potent stimulant that maximizes nitrogen use efficiency and crop yield.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3066925B1Agricultural composition for stimulating the nitrogen metabolism of plants, comprising a seaweed extract of the laminaria genus and glutamic acid, corresponding methods and uses
Publication Date: 2018.06.20 BIOSTIM INC
  • EP3066925B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3066925B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to a composition for agricultural use, in concentrated or diluted form, to stimulate the nitrogen metabolism of cultivated plants; corresponding methods and uses. Said compositions comprise (1) a compound selected from the group comprising glutamic acid, one of its hydrates, one of its enantiomers, one of its salts, and combinations thereof; and (2) an alga of the genus Laminaria; said algae of the genus Laminaria and said compound being present respectively in a mass ratio of between 4.5:1 and 67.5:1.