Reprint

Toward a Sustainable Agriculture Through Plant Biostimulants

From Experimental Data to Practical Applications

Edited by
February 2021
708 pages
  • ISBN978-3-0365-0028-7 (Hardback)
  • ISBN978-3-0365-0029-4 (PDF)

This book is a reprint of the Special Issue Toward a Sustainable Agriculture Through Plant Biostimulants: From Experimental Data to Practical Applications that was published in

Biology & Life Sciences
Chemistry & Materials Science
Environmental & Earth Sciences
Summary
Over the past decade, interest in plant biostimulants has been on the rise, compelled by the growing interest of researchers, extension specialists, private industries, and farmers in integrating these products in the array of environmentally friendly tools to secure improved crop performance, nutrient efficiency, product quality, and yield stability. Plant biostimulants include diverse organic and inorganic substances, natural compounds, and/or beneficial microorganisms such as humic acids, protein hydrolysates, seaweed and plant extracts, silicon, endophytic fungi like mycorrhizal fungi, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria belonging to the genera Azospirillum, Azotobacter, and Rhizobium. Other substances (e.g., chitosan and other biopolymers and inorganic compounds) can have biostimulant properties, but their classification within the group of biostimulants is still under consideration. Plant biostimulants are usually applied to high-value crops, mainly greenhouse crops, fruit trees and vines, open-field crops, flowers, and ornamentals to sustainably increase yield and product quality. The global biostimulant market is currently estimated at about $2.0 billion and is expected to reach $3.0 billion by 2021 at an annual growth rate of 13%. A growing interest in plant biostimulants from industries and scientists was demonstrated by the high number of published peer-reviewed articles, conferences, workshops, and symposia in the past ten years. This book compiles several original research articles, technology reports, methods, opinions, perspectives, and invited reviews and mini reviews dissecting the biostimulatory action of these natural compounds and substances and beneficial microorganisms on crops grown under optimal and suboptimal growing conditions (e.g., salinity, drought, nutrient deficiency and toxicity, heavy metal contaminations, waterlogging, and adverse soil pH conditions). Also included are contributions dealing with the effect as well as the molecular and physiological mechanisms of plant biostimulants on nutrient efficiency, product quality, and modulation of the microbial population both quantitatively and qualitatively. In addition, identification and understanding of the optimal method, time, rate of application and phenological stage for improving plant performance and resilience to stress as well as the best combinations of plant species/cultivar × environment × management practices are also reported. We strongly believe that high standard reflected in this compilation on the principles and practices of plant biostimulants will foster knowledge transfer among scientific communities, industries, and agronomists, and will enable a better understanding of the mode of action and application procedures of biostimulants in different cropping systems.
Format
  • Hardback
License
© by the authors
Keywords
Crocus sativus L.; biofertilization; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; antioxidant activity; crocin; picrocrocin; polyphenols; safranal; Maize; biostimulant; root; stress; growth; gene expression; stem cuttings; propagation; root morphology traits; indole-3-acetic acid (IAA); indole-3-butyric acid (IBA); gibberellins; phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity; growth; nutrients; nutraceutical potential; soybean; yield; N organic fertilizer; seaweed extract; mycorrhizal inoculants; phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms; biofertilizers; microorganism consortium; biostimulants; Crocus sativus; Funneliformis mosseae; glasshouse; protected cultivation; Rhizophagus intraradices; substrate; L-methionine; L-tryptophan; L-glycine; lettuce; nitrogen; plant biostimulant; environmental stress; vegetables; fruit quality; plants biostimulants; yielding; Biostimulants; Euglena gracilis; algal polysaccharide; β-glucan; water stress; tomato; aeroponics; Zea mays L; lignohumate; lignosulfonate; biological activity; nitrogen metabolism; carbon metabolism; proteins; phenolics; sugars; Ascophyllum nodosum; Solanum melongena; heterostyly; pollination efficiency; soilless conditions; abiotic stress; alfalfa hydrolysate; chitosan; zinc; ascorbic acid; Fragaria x ananassa; antioxidant activity; functional quality; lycopene; organic farming; protein hydrolysate; Solanum lycopersicum L.; tropical plant extract; biostimulant; fertilizer; melatonin; phytomelatonin; plant protector; plant stress; Lactuca sativa L.; legume-derived protein hydrolysate; nitrate; tropical plant extract; seaweed extract; Septoria; wheat; Paraburkholderia phytofirmans; thyme essential oil; isotope; biostimulants; phytoparasitic nematodes; suppressiveness; sustainable management; anti-nutritional substances; fat; fibre; morphotype; protein; biostimulants; corn; imaging; industrial crops; maize; next generation sequencing; phenomics; plant phenotyping; row crops; soybean; Bacillus subtilis; tomato; antioxidant activity; carotenoids; probiotics; PGPR; Mentha longifolia; biostimulants; Ascophyllum nodosum; humic acid; antioxidants; arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; mycorrhizosphere; AMF associated bacteria; plant growth-promoting bacteria; biofertilizers; phosphate-solubilizing bacteria; siderophore production; soil enzymatic activity; biological index fertility; nitrogenase activity; microelements fertilization (Ti, Si, B, Mo, Zn); seed coating; cover crop; vermicompost; biostimulant; growth enhancement; tomato; AM fungi; PGPB; water deficit; biostimulant; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; biofertilizers; common bean; Glomus spp.; organic acids; pod quality; seaweed extracts; seed quality; tocopherols; total sugars; bean; biostimulants; amino acids; seaweed extract; yield; protein; phenols; flavonoids; microbial biostimulant; non-microbial biostimulant; Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia; mineral profile; physiological mechanism; photosynthesis; nitrate; functional quality; biocontrol; plant growth promotion; soil inoculant; Trichoderma; Azotobacter; Streptomyces; deproteinized leaf juice; fermentation; lactic acid bacteria; plant nutrition; antioxidant capacity; ornamental plants; N fertilization; nitrogen use efficiency; antioxidant activity; leaf quality; protein hydrolysate; Spinacia oleracea L.; sustainable agriculture; Valerianella locusta L.; biostimulants; amino acids; isotopic labeling; turfgrass; antioxidants; biostimulant; tomato; fruit quality; abiotic stress; seaweed extract; humic acids; leaf area index (LAI); specific leaf area (SLA); Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index; tuber yield; seaweed extract; ultrasound-assisted water; foliar spray; Pterocladia capillacea; bio-fertilizer; growth parameters; antioxidants; Jew’s Mallow; CROPWAT model; eco-friendly practices; Lactuca sativa L.; total ascorbic acid; tropical plant extract; Mater-Bi®; nitrate; mineral composition; SPAD index; functional quality; Bacillus thuringiensis; Capsicum annuum; PGPR; microbiome; strain-specific primer; tracking; sweet basil; alfalfa brown juice; fermentation; biostimulation; chlorophyll pigments; histological changes; humic substances; protein hydrolysates; silicon; arbuscular mycorrhiza; plant growth promoting rhizobacteria; macroalgae; microalgae; abiotic stresses; nutrient use efficiency; physiological mechanisms