Utilization of Protein Hydrolysates from Animal Waste for the Production of Biostimulants in Wheat Cultivation ( <i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the combined use of plant growth stimulants, including protein hydrolysates derived from animal waste and an azoxystrobin fungicide, during the cultivation of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Three formulations were tested: collagen hydrolysate with sodium salicylate (1), collagen hydrolysate with titanium ascorbate (4a), and collagen and keratin hydrolysates with sodium salicylate (8). The collagen and keratin hydrolyzed extracts were obtained from tannery waste, specifically chromium leather waste, an important component of the leather industry’s circular economy. The experiments carried out in grow boxes demonstrated that the application of the new products in combination with fungicides resulted in an increased seedling length (9.6%, 10%, and 15.9% for preparations No. 1, 4a, and 8, respectively) and seedling fresh weight (8.5%, 7.9%, and 9% for preparations No. 1, 4a, and 8, respectively) compared to the control group without biostimulants. The use of preparation No. 8 also led to an increase in the nutrient and amino acids content of the plants. The prospective utilisation of protein biostimulants in crop production, encompassing those comprising salicylic acid and titanium ascorbate, has the potential to confer social, ecological and environmental benefits.