Wood Vinegar: an eco-friendly and sustainable solution for plant health from Circular Economy

Pesticides and fertilizers are widely used worldwide to protect plants’ health and to support their growth and development. However, these chemicals could negatively affect the environment, for their toxicity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, policies aiming at a “Green” and Circular Economy are increasingly introduced by many governments worldwide. The objective is to use by-products, waste and residues as secondary raw materials to generate high-value and useful products. In this frame, Wood Vinegar (WV) could be a feasible alternative to traditional pesticides and fertilizers, and it is perfectly integrated in the context of Circular Economy. Indeed, it is a by-product of woody-biomass pyrolysis, and it is composed of 80-90% of water, and 10-20% of organic compounds, mainly acetic acid, phenols and ester. According to its richness in acetic acid and tannins, it has been often reported as an exceptional booster of plant defences, as well as of root system development, strengthening the plant and making nutrient assimilation more efficient. However, scientific evidences about the biological mechanisms involved in its bioactivities are still lacking. Here, data are reported about its effects as a biostimulant, especially on seed germination and on root development by using Nicotiana tabacum and other important food crops (e.g. tomato, lettuce or bean) as model plants. In addition, gene expression analyses were conducted to successfully reveal the defence pathways triggered in WV-treated plants, supporting its activity as biostimulant and defence inducer. Lastly, its antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria has been also assessed.