In April 2025, Kelpinor initiated its first research trial to obtain CE certification for KelpAGRI-Asco, our flagship biostimulant made from cold-milled aqueous acidic extraction of Ascophyllum nodosum, sustainably harvested from the clear coastal waters of Gildeskål, Norway.

🛡️ What is CE Certification?‍

CE (Conformité Européenne) certification is an official mark that shows a product meets the European Union’s health, safety, and environmental protection standards. For agricultural products like biostimulants, it ensures that the product is scientifically validated, safe for users and the environment, and proven to perform as intended. Once certified, products can be legally sold across the European Economic Area (EEA) without additional national approvals.

The goal of this project was twofold: to acquire third-party validation for KelpAGRI-Asco through CE certification, and to enable its distribution across Europe, helping farmers transition toward more sustainable agriculture.

The Challenge: Growing Crop Under Low Light

One major challenge for growers—especially in northern climates and indoor farming systems like greenhouses or vertical farms—is limited or costly light. Reduced light slows plant growth and lowers yields.

Our working hypothesis was that plants treated with KelpAGRI-Asco under low light conditions would perform significantly better than untreated plants, and potentially reach growth levels comparable to those grown under optimal light. In other words, we predicted that the biostimulant would help mitigate light stress and promote healthy growth.

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Experimental Design

To test this hypothesis, we designed three parallel experiments using lettuce(Lactuca sativa), with controlled growth conditions. Each experiment included three treatment groups:

• O (Optimum) – Plants grown under ideal light conditions.
• T (Treated) – Plants grown under low light but treated with KelpAGRI-Asco.
• NT (Non-Treated) – Plants grown under the same low light conditions, without any treatment.

Each treatment group contained four biological replicates (trays), and each tray initially held twelve plants (technical replicates). During the vegetative growth phase, the number of plants per tray was reduced to six to optimize space and maintain healthy growth conditions.

Light conditions were carefully regulated:

• O Group: 100–200 µmol/m²/s in the early growth phase, increasing to 200–400 µmol/m²/s during vegetative growth.
• T and NT Groups: 40–60 µmol/m²/s early on, rising to 90–150 µmol/m²/s in the later stage.

Environmental parameters—including light intensity, temperature, and humidity—were closely monitored and standardized across all trials to ensure scientific rigor.

Data Collection and Measurements

Data collection was a daily affair. High-resolution images of each plant were captured to assess:

• Leaf area development through image analysis.
• Chlorophyll content, using the Excess Green Index (ExG), a non-invasive method for estimating plant health.
• Root and leaf dimensions, captured during transplantation(from seedling trays to larger system trays) and after final harvest.‍
• Final leaf biomass, measured after harvest to quantify yield.

Results and Implications

The trial met all CE certification requirements, showing signifcant differences in different growth parameters between:

• O vs. NT – confirming the effects of light stress
• T vs. NT – demonstrating that KelpAGRI-Asco reduces stress impact

Real-World Benefits

These findings suggest that KelpAGRI-Asco can:

• Boost yields in low-sunlight environments, like many Norwegian farms
• Reduce energy costs in greenhouses and vertical farms by maintaining growth under lower light levels

This is more than just a certification experiment—it’s a step forward for sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient farming across Europe.