Biostimulant activity of humic-like substances from agro-industrial waste on Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda

The use of microalgae in a number of sectors, including biodiesel, feed and food production, is proving to be of great interest. An evaluation was made of the possible biostimulant effects on Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda of humic-like substances (HLs) extracted from agro-industrial wastes. These included digestate from the waste of an agro-livestock farm (D-HL), oil extraction residues from rape (B-HL, Brassica napus L.) and tomato residues (T-HL). The microalgal growth medium (BG11) was supplemented with HLs to evaluate their effect on biomass yield as well as carbohydrate, chlorophylls a and b, lipid and fatty acid contents. Our results showed that the HLs used in the test are effective biostimulants of C. vulgaris and S. quadricauda. The biostimulant effect seems to depend on the type of extract used for cultivating the microalgae, the concentration and the species treated. Among the extracts applied to the growth medium, D-HL and T-HL seem to have a significant effect on microalgal biomass and lipid production. Although B-HL showed no significant effect on the biomass and lipid content of C. vulgaris and S. quadricauda, its presence in the growth medium increased the saturated:unsaturated fatty acid ratio (SFA/UFA) and stimulated the sugar metabolism of the microalgae by increasing their carbohydrate and chlorophyll content.