MARE investigators discovered potential in sargassum

Sargassum extract, a fusion of different brown seaweeds current in Portugal, is a potential biofungicide to use in agriculture. Better than a nodosum Ascophyllum algae, that has been traditional used for it. 

Therefore, according to a study developed by Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (MARE), this project, called NASPA, with these biological products would be a good alternative to synthetic pesticides in agriculture. This can reduce the use of pesticides by 50% and decrease the emission of greenhouse emission from the agricultural sector. Funded with more than two million euros (2.245.500,00 €) from the European Union, through the INTERREG Program, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra (FCTUC), with Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra (ESAC) has joined 17 partners from Spain, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom.