Effects of Microbial Fertilizers on Yield and Quality of Horticultural Plants

Dear Colleagues,

Food security and safety are growing concerns in a world facing the increasing challenges of overpopulation, climate change, land degradation, and the spread of plant pathogens, pests, and invasive weeds into new areas. The overuse of synthetic fertilizers has led to environmental problems such as soil and water pollution, freshwater eutrophication, and the depletion of global mineral reserves of phosphate rock.

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to beneficial soil microbes due to their great, and globally underutilized, potential for enhancing crop growth under unfavorable conditions. The list of bacterial and fungal species and strains that are able to enhance the availability of soil nutrients to plants; alleviate the consequences of abiotic stress through the release of antioxidants and other protective metabolites into the soil; and protect crop plants or induce systemic resistance against pathogens and pests is ever-expanding. Many of these beneficial microbial strains are marketed by the agrochemical industry and sold as preparations for the enhancement of crop growth: microbial fertilizers, or so-called "biofertilizers".

The market for microbial fertilizers is growing, and their specific effects on the growth and protection of crop species are continuously investigated. In horticulture, the benefits of novel microbial fertilizers for the cultivation of minor crops, such as rare or local varieties of vegetables and fruits, as well as ornamental plants and floricultural species, are still insufficiently investigated.

We welcome research and review submissions focusing on novel insights into the effects of biofertilizers on fruit and vegetable crops, as well as floricultural and ornamental plants. In contrast, non-horticultural crops, including large-scale industrial plantations, cereals, and other staple crops, are more aligned with agronomy and are therefore out of the scope of this Special Issue.

Dr. Martin Raspor
Dr. Olga Radulović
Guest Editors

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