As you read this, your crops are already facing different types of biotic and abiotic stress; this is not an exaggeration, it's biology. The difference between a successful harvest and a failed one is not always in the fertilizer or the weather, but in something deeper: the plant's ability to defend itself.
There is a molecule studied for its ability to activate these defenses from within: chitosan, now integrated into advanced biostimulant formulations like AMEN JUICE™, designed to preventatively support the plant from early stages of cultivation.
Where Chitosan Comes From
Chitosan is not a recent molecule. Its history began in 1811, when French scientist Henri Braconnot isolated chitin from fungi. In 1859, C. Rouget discovered that this material, when treated with alkaline solutions, transformed into a new compound. Finally, in 1894, chemist Hoppe-Seiler formally described the deacetylation process, giving rise to chitosan.
What is important is its natural origin. Chitosan is part of the structure of crustaceans like shrimp and crabs, and also of fungi. Modern research has studied that this molecule can activate defense responses in plants and improve their tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, which is the basis of its current use in scientifically backed biostimulant formulations.
What Chitosan Does in Plant Physiology
Chitosan does not act as a synthetic fungicide: it does not directly attack fungi. Its studied role in scientific literature is different and has to do with the plant itself: when chitosan comes into contact with plant cells, the plant recognizes it as a signal and activates its own defense mechanisms.
According to research from Burapha University in Thailand and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Thailand [1], this signal can stimulate the production of the plant's own molecules such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), nitric oxide (NO), and abscisic acid (ABA), associated with its natural defensive responses.
In parallel, the literature describes that the plant can increase the synthesis of phytoalexins, PR proteins, and lignin, strengthening its own cell walls. This response is described as systemic: it is not limited to the point of contact, but extends to the plant as a whole.
What the Scientific Literature Reports
Various laboratory studies have evaluated the role of chitosan in activating plant defense responses under controlled conditions, including trials with pathogens such as Alternaria alternata and Rhizoctonia solani [2]. These results correspond to specific experimental conditions and are not directly extrapolable to the performance of a commercial crop in the field, which depends on the variety, management, climate, and pest or disease pressure on each farm.
Additional studies in Applied Science and Engineering Progress [1] have explored the effect of chitosan on abiotic stress tolerance: treated plants showed better water management under drought and better nutrient uptake, as well as improvements in germination and growth under saline conditions, in crops such as rice, wheat, and legumes.
Together, this evidence helps explain why formulations that incorporate chitosan, such as AMEN JUICE™, are aimed at supporting overall crop health and resilience as part of a management program, without implying a guaranteed effect or one equivalent to chemical pest or disease control.
When Application is Recommended
Literature and field experience agree that chitosan works best preventatively, before stress conditions arise, and not as a response to an already established problem.
Recommended Management:
- Begin applications before periods of higher risk (e.g., before the rainy season).
- Repeat according to the frequency indicated in the technical data sheet to maintain the effect over time.
- Adjust frequency after stress events (drought, excessive rain, salinity), in consultation with your agronomist.
- Maintain the program as a constant supplement, not as an isolated application.
Why It Is Relevant Today
In the face of increasingly unpredictable weather and pathogens that adapt over time, many growers are incorporating strategies that strengthen plant physiology as part of their integrated management program, along with phytosanitary practices defined by their agronomist.
In Summary
The stability of a harvest depends on multiple factors, and timely activation of the plant's natural defenses is one of them. Chitosan, present in formulations like AMEN JUICE™, is one tool within a science-based management program, not a substitute for agronomic judgment or the farm's phytosanitary program.
AMEN JUICE™ BECS is not a fertilizer. It is not a pesticide. It does not replace the farm's phytosanitary program.
Do you want to evaluate if AMEN JUICE™ fits into your management program? Request a consultation with our technical team.
References
[1] Roytrakul, S. et al. (2022). "Application of Chitosan in Plant Defense Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses." Applied Science and Engineering Progress, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 1-16. DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2020.12.007
[2] Abdel-Razik, A.B., Hammad, I.A., & Tawfik, E. (2017). "Transformation of Thionin Genes Using Chitosan Nanoparticle into Potato Plant to Be Resistant to Fungal Infection." IOSR Journal of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Vol. 3, Issue 3, pp. 1-13.
This article is for informational purposes and is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature.
