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Agronomy
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Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to...
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Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to Application

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 3804

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zoltan Molnar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyarovar, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Gyor, Hungary
Interests: biostimulants; biofertilizer; microalgae; plant conditioner; bio-nanoparticles; crop production; plant physiology
Dr. Wogene Solomon Kabato

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyarovar, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Gyor, Hungary
Interests: soil nutrient management; biofertilizer; biostimulants; microalgae; cropping systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable crop production is a growing priority in modern agriculture, striving to reduce its dependence on synthetic inputs while maintaining productivity under environmental stress.

Biostimulants, classified as microbial (such as plant-growth-promoting microorganisms, microalgae, and cyanobacteria), non-microbial (including seaweeds and plant extracts, humic and fulvic acids, chitosan, and protein hydrolysates), and waste-derived (made from agro-industrial wastes), offer promising solutions to enhance plant resilience, nutrient uptake, and soil health. Microbial sources produce bioactive compounds such as phytohormones, peptides, amino acids, fatty acids, polysaccharides, and phenolics that enhance nutrient uptake, activate metabolic pathways, and help plants withstand abiotic stress.

This Special Issue will focus on recent advances in biostimulant development, modes of action, and applications for sustainable crop protection and yield improvement. We welcome contributions focusing on novel biostimulant formulations, their synergistic effects with agronomic practices, soil–plant–microbe interactions, and case studies from field trials. Interdisciplinary and multi-scale studies that connect biostimulant effects with ecological and physiological outcomes are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Zoltan Molnar
Guest Editor

Dr. Wogene Solomon Kabato
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biostimulants
  • phytohormones
  • amino acids
  • microbial inoculants
  • plant-growth-promoting microorganisms
  • microalgae and cyanobacteria
  • nutrient uptake
  • abiotic and biotic stress tolerance
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • sustainable agriculture

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3862 KB  
Article
Yield Change in Winter Wheat and Rapeseed in Water Shortage Under the Influence of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms and Calcium
by Mariam Zareyan, Rima Mockevičiūtė, Virgilija Gavelienė, Jose Luis Araus, Sigita Jurkonienė and Vaidevutis Šveikauskas
Agronomy 2026, 16(10), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16100969 (registering DOI) - 13 May 2026
Viewed by 178
Abstract
Due to drought stress caused by climate change, a growing global population, and limited land resources, interest in sustainable agriculture is growing. In this study, we evaluate the impact of commercial plant-based probiotics, several beneficial microorganisms, and calcium salts on the growth and [...] Read more.
Due to drought stress caused by climate change, a growing global population, and limited land resources, interest in sustainable agriculture is growing. In this study, we evaluate the impact of commercial plant-based probiotics, several beneficial microorganisms, and calcium salts on the growth and yield of winter wheat and winter rapeseed under limited water resources. The study was conducted in field conditions in two countries simultaneously with different climatic conditions: Spain and Lithuania. Soil was supplemented with calcium in two forms: CaCO3 and CaCl2. Seeds were treated with microorganisms before sowing, and plants were sprayed with them in the spring. The plants inoculated with beneficial microorganisms showed improvement in yield, with harvest index increasing by 5–10% in treated plants. Grain yield was enhanced across treatments, with ProbioHumus + CaCO3 showing the highest yield in Lithuania. Additionally, treated plants exhibited significantly lower stress indicators, with Bacillus subtilis + CaCl2 decreasing lipid peroxidation by 27%. This study provides further evidence that plant treatment with beneficial microorganisms and calcium can contribute to a more environmentally sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to Application)
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24 pages, 1323 KB  
Article
Reduced Chemical Fertilizer Combined with Microbial Inoculants: Implications for Soil Fertility and Profitability in Mediterranean Vegetable Production
by Irene Ollio, David Martínez-Granados, Javier Calatrava, Raúl Zornoza, Eva Lloret, Virginia Sánchez-Navarro, Catalina Egea-Gilabert, Juan A. Fernández, Manuel Conde-Cid, David Fernández-Calviño and Silvia Martínez-Martínez
Agronomy 2026, 16(8), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16080810 - 15 Apr 2026
Viewed by 775
Abstract
A three-year field experiment (2021–2023) in southeast Spain evaluated whether reduced mineral fertilization, with or without plant-growth-promoting microorganisms, could maintain crop productivity and modify selected soil indicators in a Mediterranean vegetable rotation. Four treatments were compared: conventional fertilization (T1), reduced fertilization (T2; −30% [...] Read more.
A three-year field experiment (2021–2023) in southeast Spain evaluated whether reduced mineral fertilization, with or without plant-growth-promoting microorganisms, could maintain crop productivity and modify selected soil indicators in a Mediterranean vegetable rotation. Four treatments were compared: conventional fertilization (T1), reduced fertilization (T2; −30% or −50%), reduced fertilization plus bacterial inoculants (T3), and reduced fertilization plus bacterial–fungal inoculants (T4). Crop yields were not significantly affected by fertilization strategy. Potato yields ranged from 55,661 to 60,741 kg ha−1, those of broccoli from 14,928 to 16,797 kg ha−1, and those of melon from 30,815 to 33,423 kg ha−1. Inoculated treatments were associated with some quality responses, including higher potato tuber firmness in T4 (16.0 vs. 13.2 kg cm−2 in T1), whereas melon soluble solids tended to be slightly lower. Soil analyses showed changes in some nutrient-related indicators, including a 217% increase in NH4+ in T4 and a 0.75% decrease in pH in T3. Reduced fertilization lowered production costs by about 9%. Under the conditions of this field trial, reduced fertilization maintained yield and gross margin relative to conventional fertilization, and inoculated treatments under reduced fertilization showed differences in selected soil indicators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to Application)
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17 pages, 1093 KB  
Article
Boron Toxicity Alters Yield, Mineral Nutrition and Metabolism in Tomato Plants: Limited Mitigation by a Laminaria digitata-Derived Biostimulant
by Valeria Navarro-Perez, Erika Fernandez-Martinez, Francisco García-Sánchez, Silvia Simón-Grao and Vicente Gimeno-Nieves
Agronomy 2026, 16(2), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020247 - 20 Jan 2026
Viewed by 536
Abstract
The use of unconventional water sources, such as those from marine desalination plants, is challenging for agriculture due to boron concentrations exceeding 0.5 mg L−1, which can impact crop yield and quality. To ensure sustainability, it is crucial to understand crop [...] Read more.
The use of unconventional water sources, such as those from marine desalination plants, is challenging for agriculture due to boron concentrations exceeding 0.5 mg L−1, which can impact crop yield and quality. To ensure sustainability, it is crucial to understand crop responses to high boron levels and to develop strategies to mitigate its toxic effects. This study evaluated the impact of irrigation with a nutrient solution containing 15 mg L−1 of boron on tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To modulate the physiological effects of boron toxicity, two biostimulant products based on an extract from the brown alga Laminaria digitata and other active ingredients were applied foliarly. Agronomic, nutritional, and metabolic parameters were analyzed, including total yield, number of fruits per plant, and fruit quality. Additionally, mineral analysis and metabolomic profiling of leaves and fruits were performed, focusing on amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and other metabolites. A control treatment was irrigated with a nutrient solution containing 0.25 mg L−1 of boron. The results showed that a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1 significantly reduced total yield by 45% and significantly decreased fruit size and firmness. Mineral and metabolomic analyses showed significant reductions in Mg and Ca concentrations, significant increases in P and Zn levels, excessive boron accumulation in leaves and fruits, and significant changes in metabolites associated with nitrogen metabolism and the Krebs cycle. Biostimulant application did not significantly improve agronomic performance, likely due to high boron accumulation in the leaves, although significant changes were detected in leaf nutritional status and metabolic profiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to Application)
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16 pages, 2532 KB  
Article
Interactive Effects of Exogenous Hormones, Sucrose, and Environmental Factors on the Growth of Phyllostachys edulis Shoots
by Chongyang Wu, Junlei Xu, Changhong Mu, Yali Xie, Wenlong Cheng and Jian Gao
Agronomy 2025, 15(9), 2095; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092095 - 30 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1195
Abstract
The growth of bamboo shoots during the rapid growth phase critically determines overall bamboo height development. While exogenous hormones and sugars promote plant growth, their interactions with environmental factors and regional variations remain unclear. This study examined moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) [...] Read more.
The growth of bamboo shoots during the rapid growth phase critically determines overall bamboo height development. While exogenous hormones and sugars promote plant growth, their interactions with environmental factors and regional variations remain unclear. This study examined moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) from Anhui and Hubei provinces using random forest and Bayesian hierarchical models to analyze direct and interactive effects of auxin, gibberellin, sucrose, auxin transport inhibitors, mTOR signaling pathway inhibitors, and environmental factors on shoot height. Results identified mean temperature, minimum temperature, precipitation, and subsurface runoff as key environmental drivers. Regional adaptations were evident: Anhui bamboo showed positive correlations with temperature factors, while Hubei bamboo exhibited negative correlations. Subsurface runoff consistently promoted growth, whereas precipitation negatively impacted development. Gibberellin and auxin treatments significantly enhanced bamboo responsiveness to favorable environmental conditions, while inhibitor treatments reduced these responses. This research elucidates complex interactions among exogenous hormones, sugars, and environmental factors affecting bamboo shoot growth. The findings reveal distinct regional adaptation patterns and demonstrate how hormone treatments can modulate environmental responsiveness. These insights provide theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing regional bamboo forest management strategies and improving yield outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants for Sustainable Crop Productivity and Protection: From Concept to Application)
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