Global Agriculture Is Facing Increasing Drought Pressure
In recent years, climate change has intensified drought conditions across many agricultural regions worldwide. According to data from international organizations, drylands now account for more than 40% of the Earth's land area, while over 77% of global land has experienced increasing aridity over the past three decades.
Studies indicate that nearly 80% of agricultural yield losses are directly or indirectly associated with drought stress. Beyond reducing crop productivity, drought can also lead to soil degradation, lower nutrient-use efficiency, and increased production costs. It is estimated that more than 75% of the global population may face water shortages by 2050.
To address these growing challenges, SEAWIN has focused on developing a range of drought-resistance and water-retention solutions based on marine bioactive substances and biostimulant technologies, helping growers improve crop performance under water-limited conditions.
Biostimulants Are Becoming Important Tools for Drought Management
Unlike traditional approaches that rely heavily on irrigation infrastructure, biostimulants aim to enhance the plant's own ability to withstand environmental stress.
Drought affects crops in multiple ways, including restricted root development, reduced nutrient uptake, lower photosynthetic activity, and accelerated leaf aging. As a result, improving water-use efficiency and stress tolerance has become a major focus of modern agriculture.
Research has shown that biostimulants such as seaweed extracts, seaweed polysaccharides, and beneficial microorganisms can can help crops better withstand drought conditions by promoting root growth, improving water absorption, enhancing soil water retention, and supporting normal physiological activity under stress.
To further address drought-related challenges, SEAWIN has continuously invested in the development of marine-derived bioactive compounds and biosynthesized functional factors. Among these innovations is APAA, a patented biostimulant that combines seaweed polysaccharides with γ-PGA (polyglutamic acid). By improving the soil microenvironment and increasing water-use efficiency, APAA helps crops maintain normal growth under drought and high-temperature conditions.
Today, APAA has become an important component of SEAWIN's drought-management technology platform.
Field Trials Demonstrate Drought-Mitigation Benefits
To support dryland agriculture, through extensive comparative field evaluations, SEAWIN identified the most suitable products, application timing, and dosage rates for dryland grain crops, and establishing a targeted drought-management program based on biostimulant technologies. The technology offers advantages such as environmental sustainability, ease of application, broad crop adaptability, and cost-effectiveness, helping crops better withstand drought stress and maintain stable growth under water-limited conditions.
In wheat trials, treated plots showed stronger plant growth, darker green leaves, and larger functional leaf areas compared with conventional management practices. Final grain yield increased by 20.09%, demonstrating strong potential for improving drought resilience and yield stability.
Figure 1. Effects of SEAWIN's drought-management program on crop growth and yield components under dryland conditions
These results suggest that the combined action of biostimulants and functional bioactive factors can effectively alleviate drought stress while improving the efficiency of water utilization.
Water-Use Efficiency Will Become a Key Indicator for Future Agriculture
As climate change continues to impact agricultural production, improving water-use efficiency and crop resilience is becoming a global priority.
Leveraging its abundant seaweed resources, four manufacturing facilities, and continuous R&D investment, SEAWIN will continue to develop innovative biostimulant solutions that help growers address drought, heat stress, and other environmental challenges, contributing to a more sustainable future for agriculture.
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