The Power of Flavonoid-Based Biostimulants

A key benefit of plant biostimulants is their ability to enhance multiple metabolic pathways and functions in crop plants, particularly when the plants are experiencing abiotic stress and sub-optimal growth.

Biostimulants typically include materials such as humic acids, seaweed extracts, protein hydrolysates and silicon. Atypically, Maxstim biostimulants are complex formulations based on natural chemicals known as flavonoids.

Flavonoids are products of plant secondary metabolism and participate in multiple processes. They control major features of the plant by regulating protein activity, influencing hormone balance and directing growth. Many plant flavonoids exhibit antioxidant activity, protecting plant tissues from damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) or oxidative distress. Other flavonoids act as allelo-chemicals, participating in plant defense against fungal and bacterial infection, and damage from insects and nematodes.

Over 4,000 different plant flavonoid molecules have been identified and many have the potential to be highly active plant biostimulants.

Flavonoids diagram

One of the first functions of plants to suffer when subjected to stress (e.g. drought and heat) is photosynthesis, the process by which plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to create sugar and oxygen. It has been shown that drought stress can reduce leaf water content and degrades chlorophyll leading to lower levels of photosynthesis.

Research

Research has demonstrated that Maxstim’s flavonoid biostimulants can help maintain chlorophyll levels and sustain photosynthesis.

There is always a practical requirement with these newly developed products to easily fit into the existing working practices and treatment regimes used by Greenkeepers and Groundsmen. Great care has been taken in the design phase to ensure these formulations are tank mixable with most other compounds, allowing ease of use in delivering silicon to the plants.

Through easy assimilation into pre-existing treatment regimes and demonstrable effective results, Maxstim’s Cynosa, our specialist silicon product, is perfectly placed to tackle these disease-related issues.