C) Ingredients in Nirvana
Alfalfa Meal
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a quickly growing, highly stress-tolerant plant that is grown worldwide. Its nutritional value has seen it used as far back as the Bronze Age. Being able to promote the formation of milk makes it an especially good livestock feed. Its benefits to plants are even more exciting.
Derived from a plant itself, alfalfa meal contains many of the minerals and building blocks required for plant growth. We chose alfalfa specifically because it is also the best source of a growth-stimulating molecule called triacontanol (TRIA). TRIA is an “aliphatic” lipid, meaning that it is a fat-type molecule (lipid) made from a very long chain of carbon atoms. It is also an alcohol because it has a “hydroxyl” (oxygen atom bound to a hydrogen atom) attached to one end. These characteristics give TRIA very special properties.
“Application of various long-chain aliphatic alcohol preparations and especially triacontanol (TRIA) results in remarkable stimulation of the growth and/or yield of a number of plant species. … This study clearly indicates that the molecular dynamics and/or fluidity of both protoplast and chloroplast membranes is markedly enhanced as a result of exogenous [external] application of TRIA.”
Plant Growth Regulation. 1997. 21: 145-152
TRIA is directly involved in increased crop yield. This arises from both its length and electric charge. The hydroxyl attached to one end is slightly polar, meaning that it carries a small electric charge. The remainder of TRIA does not carry an electric charge and is thus non-polar. Compounds that have both polar and non-polar regions are considered “amphipathic.”
Interestingly, TRIA’s dual polarity is shared by the molecules that make up cell membranes. Since many molecules are only polar or non-polar, they are effectively blocked by the amphipathic membrane molecules. TRIA easily transmits messages and molecules across membranes because it has properties of both a polar alcohol and non-polar lipid. This means that it can insert itself into the membrane and cause faster metabolism by letting more nutrients and messages into the cell. Metabolism is measured by observing the amount of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) absorbed (“fixed” by a plant. This effect is recorded in a study from the journal Plant Growth Regulation:
“TRIA-treatment of isolated pea mesophyll protoplasts caused a substantial increase (166%) in the net CO2 fixation rate after 60 min of TRIA application as compared to the control. …the effects were less pronounced [in leaf pieces] than in isolated protoplasts, the increase of photosynthetic CO2 fixation being 117% after 60 min of TRIA application.”
Plant Growth Regulation. 1997. 21: 145-152
CO2 fixation is part of photosynthesis, the pathway plants use to harness light energy and build molecules to grow. Triacontanol more than a doubles a plant’s rate of photosynthesis! Research suggests this is because TRIA directly increases the activity of enzymes involved in photosynthesis and growth, such as RUBISCO, PEPCase, ATPase, NADH-oxidase, and malate dehydrogenase.
RUBISCO is the most abundant protein on earth and is directly responsible for the fixation of CO2 gas inside plant cells. “Carbon fixation” occurs by incorporating CO2 gas from the air into a larger, solid molecule - “fixing” it inside the cell. Some plants also fix CO2 using PEPCase, but this enzyme works in a different part of the cell and performs well in the presence of oxygen, while RUBISCO does not.
ATPases break down ATP (the molecule that stores energy in cells) which releases energy for use by the cell. NADH-oxidase and malate dehydrogenase are also important to energy flow in the cell. NADH-oxidase regenerates NAD from NADH. NAD is similar to ATP in that it also provides energy for cellular reactions. These molecules are used for different types of reactions and are both very essential. Malate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that uses energy from NAD to convert the sugar malate to another sugar called oxaloacetate. This is one step in the “citric acid cycle,” a very important pathway that breaks down all types of molecules to make energy and building blocks for other cell products.
With TRIA stimulating all of these enzymes, cells produce more energy and building supplies. TRIA also helps relay messages and brings more supplies into the cell so your crops maximize their growth potential. If photosynthesis slows down because CO2 is not being fixed properly by RUBISCO or PEPCase, less energy and fewer materials are produced and the plant becomes stunted. Nirvana is guaranteed to prevent this unfortunate event, ensuring full-strength photosynthesis.
Seaweed Meal
Nirvana’s special seaweed extract blend is derived from the algae Ascophyllum nodosum and a special blend of kelp extracts that include auxins to directly increase flower size. The liquid extract we have prepared from these fast growing and highly stress-resistant plants also contains cytokinin, betaines, and background nutrients designed to increase the rate and resilience of growth in every plant. Cytokinin also delays leaf death.
“A wide range of beneficial effects have been reported from the use of liquid seaweed extracts, including increased crop yields, resistance of plants to frost, increased uptake of inorganic constituents from the soil, more resistance to stress conditions, and reductions in storage losses of fruit.”
Marine Natural Products Chemistry. 1977. pp:337-344
As acknowledged in Marine Natural Products Chemistry, the benefits of seaweed extract are plentiful. The auxins and cytokinin in Nirvana’s seaweed meal are natural “plant steroids” that stimulate cell division, enlargement, root initiation, and flowering. In fact “the auxin resistant 1 mutant (axr1) has smaller leaves, inflorescence stems and floral organs caused by a decrease in cell number (University of California, 2006). This means that plants that can’t use auxin are smaller overall than those that can. Proof that auxin helps make bigger buds and flowers is recorded in Plant Physiology:
“Auxin applied after translocation of the flowering hormone from the leaf has been consummated promotes flowering by increasing rate of flower bud development. This effect is independent of the leaf, and appears to be exerted directly on the bud. The fact that auxin promotes floral development, as described in this paper, may aid in the interpretation of some experiments of other investigators which show a promotive effect of auxin upon flowering.”
Plant Physiology. 1955. 30(4): 327-334
The benefits of auxin on flower size have been known and studied since 1955. This paper also suggests that auxin focuses on the bud alone. It does not waste effort on leaves.
One of the reasons we included Ascophyllum extract is because of its rich supply of a class of molecules called betaines. Betaines are highly soluble molecules that protect cells when stresses occur. They are also known as “osmoprotectants.” During osmotic stress (changes in salt concentration), water molecules pour in and out of cells suddenly. These water molecules can break apart or distort proteins, making them no longer functional. Osmoprotectants such as betaines ‘coat’ the protein surfaces inside cells to protect them from the effects of water movement. (Plant Physiology. 1999. 120: 945-949)
“The protective properties of betaines were first recognized in experiments in which they were supplied to bacteria whose growth was inhibited by high salt concentrations. In media containing 0.6M NaCl, the bacteria grow very slowly unless supplied with one of these compounds.”
Plant Physiology. 1999. 120: 945-949
As demonstrated in Plant Physiology, bacteria are prevented from growing when they are in a stressful environment caused by salt. Supplying betaines solved this problem and they were able to grow properly again. This is true in plants as well, proof that crops must be supplemented with betaines to achieve maximum yield.
Auxins, cytokinins, and betaines allow a farmer to “pump-up” his crops, making them grow stronger, faster, and longer while protecting them from any unforeseen stresses that may occur during the growing season. A prime example of this effect at its best is in the Ascophyllum nodosum algae itself, the fastest growing and most stress-resistant plant in the world.
Krill Meal
Krill are tiny aquatic organisms that are one of the ocean’s staple foods. A primary component of their protective outer shell (exoskeleton) is a molecule known as chitin. It is also a major part of insect exoskeletons and the cell walls of fungi, two major classes of plant pests.
Like humans, plants have immune systems. However, as many humans know, immune systems are not naturally indestructible – but they can be improved. Applying Nirvana’s chitin to your gardens is one way of doing this in plants.
Chitin helps bring about a “systemic resistance” to insects and fungi when applied to the leaves of your crops. “Systemic” means that it occurs throughout the entire plant. This is similar to a vaccination, where a small, safe piece of a dangerous organism helps a host prepare and defend itself against future exposure to the complete pathogen.
Successful control of the nematode Meloidogyne arenaria using chitin was reported in a series of papers (Mian et al. 1982; Godoy et al. 1983; Culbreath et al. 1986). ... These observations suggest that the decomposition of chitin for 3 weeks or longer prior to planting will result a build-up of chitinolytic microorganisms which may parasitize the chitin- containing eggs of plant-parasitic nematodes.
Biology and Fertility of Soils. 1996. 22(3): 221-226
Chitin helps protect plants in other ways as well. It works with the beneficial microbes in your soil to bring them to your crop’s defense, preventing and destroying unwanted intruders before they can even find a chance to attack.
Chitin brings about a systemic resistance by stimulating the production of “chitinase” enzymes and store them in the spaces between cells. These enzymes break down chitin and let the plant digest and destroy invading insects and fungi. Chitin is just one of many immune-boosting compound contained in Nirvana.
Bat Guano
Guano is the organic waste produced by bats. As insects are the major food source for bats, it is not surprising that their guano is loaded with this immunizing molecule. Working in the same way as chitin found in our krill meal, the chitin derived from guano acts to initiate a plant-wide immune response to chitin-containing pathogens such as insects and fungi. This prepares your crops to defend themselves.
Guano is also a quality source of amino acids, nucleic acids, proteins and minerals. In addition, it contains a wide range of molecules that stabilize and preserve the remaining nutrients in Nirvana.
Azomite
A pink clay mined from ancient volcanic deposits found in some parts of North America, Azomite stands for “A-to-Z-Of-Minerals-Including-Trace-Elements.” It is a complete, natural source of minerals and micronutrients to ensure proper nutritional support for your plants.
Yeast Extract
Yeast is used in many nutritional supplements, both human and plant, because it is an ample source of all 22 essential L-amino acids as well as proteins, minerals, and B vitamins. Specifically, yeast is praised as a source of the essential vitamins B1 and B6.
B1 is an important component of cellular biosynthesis reactions. It helps cells build things. B6 is needed to form amino acid and carbohydrates. It is also a powerful defence to the build up of toxic molecules caused by UV light, drought, and pollution. These toxic molecules can damage cells by destroying proteins, which would slow growth. Plants that have B6 deficiencies are smaller, yellowed, more sensitive to stress, and do not produce energy well. The yeast extract in Nirvana provides vitamin B6 to protect your cells from these toxins so they can grow bigger and better than you may have thought possible.
Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Soy protein is another source of the 22 essential L-amino acids required to build cellular proteins. It also supplies carbohydrates, lipids and small proteins for easy synthesis of more complex molecules.
We emphasize that our soybean protein is digested using enzymes, not acid, because this process is known to ensure that the essential amino acids cysteine and tryptophan are not degraded and that all amino acids are made soluble in the active L form. Only L-amino acids are biologically active. In contrast, the common acid-hydrolysis process employed by some competitors destroys tryptophan and cysteine and converts many amino acids into their inactive D form.
Yucca Extract
Yucca extract is one of two natural surfactants included in Nirvana. Surfactants are agents that reduce the surface tension of a liquid and increase their “staying power.” This means that a very small amount of Nirvana will go a longway because surfactants help smaller volumes spread further, reach even the smallest of spaces, and stay there. In addition, Yucca extract has both polar and non-polar regions, similar to TRIA. This allows it to increase membrane permeability and help all types of nutrients enter the cell more easily.
Chilean Soap Bark Extract
Chilean soap bark (Quillaja saponaria) extract is the second natural surfactant in Nirvana. Like Yucca, it also increases nutrient mobility and membrane permeability, which allows each growth-promoting molecule to get to where it is most needed and be quickly absorbed. Chilean soap bark has also been found to promote plant resistance to certain pathogens and prevent viral infection in animal cells.
“We demonstrate that microgram amounts of extract, while exhibiting no cell cytotoxicity or direct virucidal activity, prevent each of the six viruses tested from infecting their host cells. In addition, the presence of residual amounts of extract continue to block viral infection and render cells resistant to infection for at least 16 hours after the removal of the extract from the cell culture media.”
Journal of General Virology. 2007. 88: 275-285
However, not all surfactants are created equal. Beware of competing products that may use cheap “detergent” or “ionic” type surfactants. These can be toxic to the environment, the beneficial microbes that help your plants grow, and even your plants themselves.
Humic Acid
Humic acid extracted from high quality leonardite assists the entry of all of Nirvana’s nutrients into the plant cells. Humic acids, or humates, are large organic molecules that carry many negative charges. This causes them to wrap around the positive charges found on minerals and vitamins for example. In this humate-coated form, the nutrients in Nirvana are carried into your plant’s roots or leaves and through each cell’s membrane. Advanced Nutrients’ formulation of humates makes Nirvana suited for foliar application or as part of a soil treatment.
Fulvic Acid
Fulvic acid is another type of humate. Like humic acid, fulvic acid coats nutrients in order to help pull them into cells. This also stabilizes them, preventing deterioration. A second property of fulvic acid is that it “quarantines” some dangerous toxins. This means it surrounds and inactivates them to prevent harm to your plants.
D) How Does Nirvana Work?
Nirvana strengthens your plants by following three important principles:
- Stimulate
- Protect
- Feed
Nirvana stimulates your garden’s base metabolism by using growth-stimulating compounds from Ascophyllum nodosum, sea kelp, and alfalfa. Ascophyllum and kelp contain auxin that “promotes flowering by increasing rate of flower bud development (Plant Physiology 30: 1955).” Alfalfa meal includes triacontanol, a lipid-alcohol that stimulates photosynthesis and citric acid cycle enzymes such as RUBISCO and malate dehydrogenase. These essential pathways are involved in energy production and growth. An example of the effect of triacontanol on tomatoes is documented in the journal Planta.
“Tomato (C3-plants) and maize (C4-plants) were grown in a nutrient solution to which triacontanol was added twice a week. After about 4 weeks the triacontanol treatment caused a significant increase in the dry weight of the tomato plants. Leaf area and dry weight measurements of tomato leaves at different stages of development showed that the largest increase in growth was obtained when triacontanol treatment was initiated before bud formation.”
Planta. 1981. 152(1):44-49
This study shows that triacontanol increases the weight and size of tomato plants, just like it will increase the weight and size of your crops. It is also important to note that the best results were achieved when triacontanol treatment started before buds formed. To ensure you get the best results you can from your garden, we recommend using Nirvana all season long.
However, plants can’t grow if they are under attack. Nirvana protects your garden by immunizing it against insects and fungi so these pests won’t be able to slow growth no matter how hard they try. This is achieved by regularly exposing your plants to chitin, a molecule present in the shells and cell walls of these pests. Regular exposure triggers the expression of pathogenesis-related proteins, including chitinases or glucanases, which lead to increased resistance of the whole plant against later pathogen attacks. This means that over time your plants will mount an immune response of their own that will protect them from any future attacks by chitin-containing pathogens.
Besides pests, there are a number of natural barriers to growth in the environment – stresses such as high salt concentration, low pH or UV damage. Sometimes these are hard to detect but by the time they are discovered the damage has already been done.
“One way many plants and other organisms cope with osmotic stress is to synthesize and accumulate compounds termed osmoprotectants. ... Their protective effects also extend to temperature extremes and other stresses.”
Metabolic Engineering. 2002. 4(1): 49-56
Nirvana also protects your crops from problems you may not even see by including the osmoprotectants known as betaines from Ascophyllum nodosum and B vitamins from yeast. These molecules prevent damage caused by osmotic stress and toxins.
“An important feature of osmoprotectants is that their beneficial effects are generally not species-specific, so that alien osmoprotectants can be [added] into plants and protect their new host.”
Metabolic Engineering. 2002. 4(1): 49-56
Osmoprotectants are present in all sorts of organisms, including many different types of plants but not all plants. An important quality of osmoprotectants is that they are effective for all types of plants, regardless of whether or not they are naturally produced by that plant.
Finally, with sickness, stress, and slow metabolism avoided, Nirvana makes your plants bigger and better by feeding them the materials they need to grow faster and make use of their new potential. By incorporating complex mixtures of whole plant foods such as alfalfa meal, seaweed meal (including Ascophyllum nodosum), and yeast and soy protein extracts, Nirvana provides a full complement of L-amino acids and basic nutrients to fill in any gaps left by your regular fertilization program. To ensure that these nutrients are used, Nirvana also includes humates and surfactants to aid in leaf and cell membrane penetration. Together, these four components will ensure healthy, stress-free, uninhibited growth.
E) How to Use Nirvana
Nirvana is intended for use as a regular foliar supplement or as part of a soil application. Optimal results are achieved from an application every four to seven days.
Foliar sprays have many benefits over soil applications. First, you can be sure that nearly all of the applied nutrients will be directly absorbed by the plant. Second, soil may waste nutrients through dispersion and leaching, meaning you may have to apply more. Third, you could be contributing to some types of chemical pollution if you over-fertilize and your soil is not contained. In addition, foliar uptake is not dependent on soil conditions, as root absorption decreases when soil is too salty or dry.
Nirvana is also appropriate for soil application as it contains all organic, non-toxic ingredients. It is also formulated with humic and fulvic acid. These help spread Nirvana’s nutrient solution through soil and increase its uptake by your crop’s roots.
During the initial three weeks of blooming, Nirvana will supplement the last “push” of floral growth directly, but we recommend using Nirvana during the entire vegetative period as well, carrying on until the third week of bloom. Optimal product concentrations vary depending on the stage of your crop, as summarized in the chart below:
Plant Stage | mL Nirvana per Liter Water | Seed | 1.25 | Cutting | 3.75-5 | Transplant | 3.75 | Vegetative Phase | 2.5-3.75 | Transitional Phase | 3-3.75 | Reproductive Phase | 3.75-5 |
Please note that the minerals in Nirvana do not replace the amounts of these macronutrients in your base nutrient program; they simply supplement the demand brought on by increased growth and fill in any gaps left by your regular fertilization.
F) Glossary of Terms
Aliphatic: Organic molecules made of long carbon chains instead of rings are considered “aliphatic.” Triacontanol is an aliphatic molecule in Nirvana. This property allows it to make cell membranes more permeable to nutrients.
Amphipathic: A molecule having both polar (electrically charged) and non-polar (electrically neutral) regions. The amphipathic nature of the triacontanol in Nirvana helps it transmit chemical messages across cell membranes quickly.
ATPase: An enzyme that releases the stored energy in ATP. It is up-regulated by the triacontanol in Nirvana.
Auxins: Plant hormones that stimulate cell division, enlargement, root initiation and flowering. Nirvana provides auxins through kelp extract.
Chitin: A complex carbohydrate that gives strength to the outer shell of insects and the cell walls of fungi. Nirvana includes chitin to immunize your plants against these pests.
Citric Acid Cycle: A metabolic pathway involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into usable energy and precursors for many compounds. Nirvana stimulates many enzymes in this pathway.
Carbon fixation: The incorporation of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas into solid molecules such as sugars. It is part of photosynthesis and is carried out by the enzymes RUBISCO and sometimes PEPCase. Nirvana stimulates these enzymes.
Cytokinins: Plant hormones that promote cell division and differentiation. They also delay leaf death. Nirvana provides cytokinins through kelp extract.
Enzymatically hydrolyzed: Digested using enzymes instead of harsh acids. The soy proteins in Nirvana have been enzymatically hydrolyzed to ensure your plants are provided with intact, active amino acids.
Exogenous: Outside of the plant. For example, foliar sprays and soil treatments are exogenous applications.
Exoskeleton: The hard shell of an insect. Chitin is present in exoskeletons.
Humate: Large organic molecules that carry many negative charges and help protect and transport nutrients. The humic and fulvic acid in Nirvana are humates.
Hydroxyl: An alcohol group made of an oxygen atom bound to a hydrogen atom. Hydroxyl groups are polar. Triacontanol has a hydroxyl group, making it an alcohol.
Malate Dehydrogenase: An enzyme in the citric acid cycle that converts the sugar malate into the oxaloacetate using energy from NAD. It is up regulated by TRIA, a valuable lipid in Nirvana.
NAD: A form of stored energy inside the cell.
NADH-oxidase: An enzyme that regenerates NAD from NADH. Nirvana’s Triacontanol up-regulates this enzyme.
Osmoprotectants: Molecules that protect cell components from the effects of osmotic stress by binding to and stabilizing them. The betaines in Nirvana’s seaweed extract are osmoprotectants.
Osmotic stress: Changes in salt concentrations leading to increased pressure and water molecule movement. This can be very damaging to cells if not protected by the betaines in Nirvana.
Pathogen: An organism that can disease or damage another organism. Nirvana helps your plants protect themselves from the insect and fungal pathogens.
PEPCase: An enzyme that catalyzes carbon fixation in the citric acid cycle. It is up regulated by thtriacontanol in Nirvana.
Photosynthesis: The process by which plants absorb light energy and use it to synthesize organic compounds. TRIA in Nirvana up-regulates photosynthesis.
Polarity: A molecule with an electric charge is polar and interacts well with other polar molecules. The triacontanol in Nirvana has both polar and non-polar regions.
RUBISCO: The enzyme that catalyzes carbon fixation in the citric acid cycle. It is the most abundant protein on earth. Triacontanol in Nirvana up regulates this enzyme.
Surfactants: “Wetting” agents that help liquids spread completely over large surfaces -such as leaves - and stay there, ensuring direct, localized nutrition. Yucca and Chilean Soap Bark Extract, the surfactants in Nirvana, also make cell membranes more permeable so nutrients can be taken up more quickly.
Triacontanol (TRIA): An amphipathic lipid-alcohol provided in Nirvana’s alfalfa meal. It up regulates many enzymes related to the production of energy and cellular building blocks. TRIA also makes cell membranes more permeable to nutrients and helps transmit chemical messages across cell membranes more quickly.
G) Performance of Nirvana against Competitors
What Nirvana has that competitors lack is synergy and completeness. While competing products focus on one or only a few aspects of growth, Advanced Nutrients has created a single product that includes every aspect of enhancement from nutrient to uptake and use.
Below is a nutrient comparison between Advanced Nutrients’ Nirvana and the four top competing supplements.
| Advanced Nutrients' Nirvana | Pure Blend Pro Bloom | Liquid Karma | SuperNova Plant Nutrient | B'Cuzz Bloom | Alfalfa Meal (with TRIA) | v | | | | | Surfactants | v | | | | | Micronutrients | v | v | | | | Auxins | v | v | v | | | Guano | Bat | Seabird | Seabird | | | Humates | Humic and Fulvic Acid | Humic Acid | Humic Acid | | | Vitamins | v | v | v | v | | Amino Acids | 22 | some | 21 | some | some | AscophyllumExtract | v | v | v | v | v |
One of Nirvana’s most powerful ingredients, triacontanol (TRIA) up regulates metabolism AND increases nutrient uptake. So far NO other competitor has caught on! Only Advanced Nutrients provides high quality triacontanol for your entire garden.
Additionally, only a few competitors have bothered to include auxins. Auxins drive your plants to grow the biggest, best flowers they can. Without true auxin, these “bloom enhancers” are nothing but mislabelled, incomplete fertilizers.
A third invaluable ingredient, surfactants, again are ONLY included in Nirvana. These compounds ensure complete coverage and absorption of all nutrients your crops may encounter.
Guano is a third point of difference. Bat guano was selected specifically for Nirvana because of its high concentration of quality chitin and natural preservatives. The seabird guano used by inferior products such as Pure Blend and Liquid Karma does not even compare in quality. Just consider the food sources of these two organisms: bats eat chitin-rich insects, seabirds eat a wide range of sea organisms – both chitinous and not – as well as garbage!
While some competitors promote the value of amino acids, only Nirvana provides the complete set of 22 required for growth. Competitors also fail to describe how theirs were obtained. This leaves the dangerous possibility that they used acid hydrolysis, rather than the safer, more effective enzymatic digestion used by Advanced Nutrients.
Only with Nirvana can you be sure that your plants are receiving a full complement of biologically active L-amino acids.
Products such as the B’Cuzz line require that you buy and combine multiple formulations in order to achieve maximum benefit. They focus on one single aspect of growth without taking into account the effects had on other systems within the plant or other components of an enhancement system, such as how to get the product into the plant! Nirvana contains BOTH humic and fulvic acid to “draw” nutrients into cells and protect them from deterioration.
Finally, some competitors require a complicated system involving different products for every stage of your plant in order to get a single result. Advanced Nutrients simplifies all that. Using just Nirvana the entire season long you can ensure the biggest, healthiest, and best buds and blooms possible – an excellence that only Advanced Nutrients can provide.
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