Are biostimulants becoming more mainstream?

Here are key findings from studies published in the past 12 months:

1. Microbial Biostimulants Improve Plant Growth under Stress: Microbial biostimulants, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), enhance plant growth even under stressful conditions. They stimulate nutrient uptake, produce secondary metabolites, and improve crop yield and quality (Kaushal et al., 2023).
2. Bacterial Biostimulants for Climate Smart Agriculture: PGPR-based biostimulants are identified as sustainable solutions to enhance crop productivity. They improve plant growth through nutrient availability and stress mitigation (Singh et al., 2023).
3. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Sustainable Agriculture: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are highlighted for their role in improving nutrient and water acquisition, enhancing plant stress tolerance, and reducing soil erosion (Sun & Shahrajabian, 2023).
4. Microalgal Biostimulants for Crop Production and Quality: The potential of microalgal biostimulants in improving crop production and quality is discussed, despite challenges in commercial implementation (Prisa & Spagnuolo, 2023).
5. Indigenous Biostimulants Mitigate Salinity Stress in Maize: A study on sweet corn demonstrated that indigenous biostimulants can significantly improve plant growth and soil quality under salt stress (Ouhaddou et al., 2023).
6. Biostimulants Against Pesticide Stress: Research analysed the regulation of biostimulants on crop health under pesticide stress, highlighting their role in sustaining plant health and enhancing crop resistance (Jia et al., 2023).