Yale University New Haven Connecticut 06511

School of Forestry and

Environmental Studies

The Effect of a Vitamin-Humic-Algal Biostimulant (ROOTS)

on ‘Yield of Green Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv.

“Provider’) Under Fertilizer Reduction.

Ricardo 0. Russo and Graeme P. Berlyn

Yale University, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, New Haven, CT 06511

INTRODUCTION

In previous experiments with beans it has been observed that 
biostimulants have a beneficial effects on yield and plant growth (Russo and 
Berlyn, 1991). The possible beneficial effects are equal yield with reductions in 
fertilizer levels.

A wide class of materials has been found to be effective in stimulating 
plant growth even when used in relatively small amounts (Aitken et al., 1964; 
Senn and Kingman, 1973; Senn, 1987; Kinnersley et. al., 1989, Berlyn and Russo, 
1990). The particular biostimulant, tested in this study is known as “Roots” (Lisa 
Products Corporation, 25 Science Park, New Haven, CT 06511), and is a 
proprietary mixture of humic acids, marine algae extracts, thiamine, and a non- 
hormonal reductant plant metabolite.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this organic

biostimulant (OB) on the pod production of greenbeans when fertilizer levels are 
reduced 25 and 50%.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Trovider’ (Agway Inc., Syracuse, NY) 
were sown and germinated in 2.8 liter pots, one seedling per pot, and grown in 
three groups of 34 plants each. The following treatments were applied: 1) 
Control, 100% fertilization 2) ROOTS® 1 1% plus 75% of the fertilizer applied in 
the control, and c) ROOTS® 1% plus 50% of the fertilizer applied in the control. 
In all cases 2 applications were made to each plant (three days after emergency,