YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — University of Arizona researchers are testing natural plant additives called biostimulants to help lettuce farms in Yuma grow more crops with less water during the peak growing season.

The research comes as drought threatens the Colorado River, Arizona’s primary water source. Yuma County supplies about 90% of the leafy greens Americans eat from November through March.

Assistant Professor Ali Mohammed at the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agricultural Center has been examining the impact of biostimulants, which are natural additives like seaweed extracts or beneficial bacteria designed to make plants hardier or use nutrients more efficiently.

Mohammed found that pairing biostimulants with smart irrigation sensors and organic farming techniques significantly boosted

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