What’s in the Kelp? A Closer Look at Our Alaria esculenta Biostimulant

Why Amino Acid Profile Matters for Plant Performance

Seaweed has been used in coastal agriculture for centuries - but understanding why it works is still an active area of science. At Kelpinor, that question drives our R&D.

A Closer Look at KelpAGRI-Alaria

Our most recent work has focused on Alaria esculenta, a cold-water kelp species cultivated as a raw material for our newest seaweed biostimulant - KelpAGRI-Alaria. Our recent lab analyses revealed substantially higher total amino acid levels in our Alaria-based kelp extract compared to several widely used kelp-based benchmark products.

Why Amino Acids Matter in Biostimulant Formulations

Amino acids in biostimulant formulations aren’t just nutrients - they function as signaling molecules involved in stress response, nitrogen metabolism, and growth regulation in plants. Higher levels of naturally occurring amino acids have been associated with improved plant stress tolerance, particularly under low-nutrient or environmental stress conditions.

Cold-Pressed Extraction: Preserving Bioactive Complexity

We attribute a large part of this to northern ocean conditions and our unique processing methods. Rather than using heat or harsh chemical extraction, we apply cold-pressed techniques designed to preserve the biochemical complexity of fresh kelp. The working principle is straightforward: the bioactivity of seaweed is rooted in its natural chemistry, and aggressive processing destroys exactly what makes it effective.

Multi-Species Approach: Alaria and Ascophyllum Working Together

Alaria esculenta is also chemically distinct from the Ascophyllum nodosum or Ecklonia maxima that underpins most commercial seaweed products — including our own CE certified KelpAGRI-Asco. Working across multiple species gives us a broader palette of bioactive compounds to work with as we develop targeted formulations for sustainable agriculture.

What's Next - Field Trials and Expanded Analysis

We’re currently expanding our analytical work to cover additional compound classes, and running pilot trials in both controlled environment and open-field systems to validate performance across growing conditions. More data coming as the season progresses!

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or ideas for collaboration.
Here is my personal email: paige.heavyside@kelpinor.no - or feel free to reach out to contact@kelpinor.no

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Looking forward to hearing from you,

- Paige, Head of R&D, Kelpinor