L-Alanyl-L-cystine has various applications in agriculture, primarily as a plant growth regulator, soil improver, and enhancer of plant stress resistance. The specific roles are described as follows:
1. As a Plant Growth Regulator
Promoting Growth: L-Alanyl-L-cystine participates in plant metabolic processes, stimulating cell division and elongation, thereby promoting plant growth and development. For example, in tomato cultivation, foliar fertilizers containing L-Alanyl-L-cystine can result in thicker stems, more abundant leaves, and overall healthier growth.
Increasing Yield: It regulates plant physiological functions, promotes flower bud differentiation and fruit enlargement, ultimately increasing crop yield. When applied to apple trees, fertilizers containing this substance can improve fruit set rates, leading to larger fruits and significantly higher yields.
Improving Quality: L-Alanyl-L-cystine aids in the accumulation and transformation of nutrients within plants, enhancing the quality of agricultural products. For instance, in grape cultivation, the proper use of L-Alanyl-L-cystine can increase the sugar content of grapes, improve their taste, enhance their coloration, and boost their commercial value.
2. Improving Soil Environment
Promoting Microbial Activity: L-Alanyl-L-cystine serves as a nutrient source for beneficial soil microbes, promoting the growth and reproduction of microorganisms such as rhizobia and actinomycetes. These beneficial microbes help decompose organic matter in the soil, increase soil fertility, and improve soil structure, making it more loose and aerated, which benefits root growth and development.
Enhancing Soil Fertility and Water Retention: It can bind with certain mineral ions in the soil to form stable complexes, improving soil nutrient retention and reducing nutrient loss. Additionally, it increases the colloidal content in the soil, enhancing its water-holding capacity. This allows the soil to retain moisture better under drought conditions, making water more available to plants.
3. Enhancing Plant Stress Resistance
Drought Resistance: L-Alanyl-L-cystine helps regulate plant osmotic balance, allowing plants to maintain cell turgor and reduce water loss under drought conditions. For example, when applied to wheat grown in arid regions, drought-resistant agents containing L-Alanyl-L-cystine can mitigate the adverse effects of drought, enabling the plants to maintain good growth.
Salt Tolerance: It helps plants regulate ionic balance, reducing the toxic effects of salt ions on plant cells and improving plant adaptability to saline-alkali soils. For example, when applied to cotton grown in saline-alkali fields, fertilizers containing L-Alanyl-L-cystine enhance salt tolerance, improve plant growth conditions, and increase yield.
Disease Resistance: By participating in plant metabolism, L-Alanyl-L-cystine induces the production of disease-resistant substances, strengthening the plant’s immune system and enhancing resistance to pests and diseases. In cucumber cultivation, the use of biostimulants containing L-Alanyl-L-cystine can reduce the incidence of powdery mildew and downy mildew, thereby decreasing the need for pesticide applications.
