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Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops
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Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 7430

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mason MacDonald

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Guest Editor
Department Plant Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, Halifax, NS B2N5E3, Canada
Interests: environmental stress; ecophysiology; plant physiology; biostimulants; horticulture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lord Abbey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department Plant Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dal-housie University, Bible Hill, NS B2N5E3, Canada
Interests: horticulture; biostimulants; compost; abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Raphael Ofoe

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Guest Editor
Department Plant Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, Halifax, NS B2N5E3, Canada
Interests: biostimulants; horticulture; molecular plant physiology; plant pathology and Abiotic stresses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biostimulants are an invaluable tool for horticulture, applied to plants with the goal of enhancing certain desirable characteristics regardless of their nutrient content. Specific formulations of biostimulants have the capacity to modify physiological processes that benefit growth, development, and/or stress tolerance. Since the definition focuses on function versus form, many compounds can be classified as biostimulants. Researchers have identified biostimulatory properties from humic substances, composts, natural extracts, peptides, antioxidants, and many other types of compounds. As society faces global threats such as climate change and food insecurity, the role of biostimulants in horticulture is arguably more important now than ever before. The goal of this Special Issue is to consolidate some of the most recent research in horticultural biostimulants. We welcome original research or review papers that discuss the discovery of new biostimulants, the physiological mechanisms of established biostimulants, and the effects of biostimulants on previously untested crops.

Dr. Mason MacDonald
Dr. Lord Abbey
Dr. Raphael Ofoe
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Plants 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 2700 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

  • antioxidants
  • biostimulants
  • fruit production
  • hormones
  • horticulture
  • plant growth regulators
  • vegetable production

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2876 KiB  
Article
Transcriptional Profiling to Assess the Effects of Biological Stimulant Atlanticell Micomix on Tomato Seedlings Under Salt Stress
by María Salud Justamante, Eduardo Larriba, Ernesto Alejandro Zavala-González, Almudena Aranda-Martínez and José Manuel Pérez-Pérez
Plants 2025, 14(8), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14081198 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
Recent environmental changes in the Mediterranean region, attributable to anthropogenic climate change, present a substantial challenge to the adaptive evaluation of crops and the development of novel improvement strategies. In this study, we established a hydroponic tomato cultivation protocol under in vitro conditions [...] Read more.
Recent environmental changes in the Mediterranean region, attributable to anthropogenic climate change, present a substantial challenge to the adaptive evaluation of crops and the development of novel improvement strategies. In this study, we established a hydroponic tomato cultivation protocol under in vitro conditions to analyze the transcriptomic profile of seedlings exposed to salinity stress. The study also examined the impact of Atlanticell Micomix, a biological stimulant derived from a mixture of mycorrhizal microorganisms and rhizobacteria, on plant growth and development under standard conditions and in response to moderate salinity. Our transcriptomic analysis indicated a differential effect of biostimulant inoculation compared to the effect induced by salinity stress, involving genes such as GOX3 or DIR1, which are associated with the plant’s defense response to adverse conditions. In addition, the presence of a cross-regulatory module between jasmonic acid and auxin, involving potential orthologs of IAA29 and JAZ, was proposed. The application of the biostimulant demonstrated a potential priming effect on the tomato seedlings, which might be useful in reversing the transcriptomic effects caused by salt stress. A comprehensive analysis of the pathways differentially affected by the treatments facilitates further investigation into the mechanisms underlying these effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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19 pages, 3572 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Production by Terra-Sorb® Symbiotic Biostimulant in Two Model Species Under Nitrogen Stress
by Laia Utgés-Minguell, Nuria Sierras-Serra, Cándido Marín and Marta Pintó-Marijuan
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1087; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071087 - 1 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 389
Abstract
The increasing soil pollution has accelerated the implementation of new agricultural regulations that significantly limit the use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Consequently, plants are likely to experience nutrient stress, leading to decreased productivity and potential threats to food security. To address these [...] Read more.
The increasing soil pollution has accelerated the implementation of new agricultural regulations that significantly limit the use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Consequently, plants are likely to experience nutrient stress, leading to decreased productivity and potential threats to food security. To address these critical challenges, microbial-based biostimulant (BS) products, which utilize metabolites from microorganisms, offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to mitigate plant nutrient stress. This study evaluated the effects of the radicular application of a microbial-based BS containing L-α-amino acids on lettuce and pepper crops under two nitrogen regimes: optimal N availability and N stress (NS). Various parameters, including growth, production, soluble proteins, photosynthetic pigment content, and oxidative stress markers, were assessed. Under optimal N conditions, BS application enhanced commercial biomass in lettuce and vegetative biomass in pepper, indicating that BSs can reduce the need for nitrate uptake and endogenous amino acid synthesis, thereby conserving energy for other physiological processes. Despite BS application, NS conditions significantly reduced vegetative and reproductive growth in both species. However, BS treatment in pepper plants increased chloroplast pigments, improving light absorption and photosynthetic efficiency. The reduction in the carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio suggests efficient N allocation to growth and production. Thus, BS application proved effective in mitigating NS in pepper plants, enhancing pepper production, while under optimal conditions, it improved lettuce yield, particularly commercial biomass. These findings underscore the potential of symbiotic microbial-based BSs as a promising tool for sustainable agriculture under reduced N availability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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21 pages, 5403 KiB  
Article
Exogenous 2,4-Epibrassinolide Alleviates Alkaline Stress in Cucumber by Modulating Photosynthetic Performance
by Wenjing Nie, Qinghai He, Jinzhao Ma, Hongen Guo and Qinghua Shi
Plants 2025, 14(1), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14010054 - 27 Dec 2024
Viewed by 862
Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are recognized for their ability to enhance plant salt tolerance. While considerable research has focused on their effects under neutral salt conditions, the mechanisms through which BRs regulate photosynthesis under alkaline salt stress are less well understood. This study investigates these [...] Read more.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are recognized for their ability to enhance plant salt tolerance. While considerable research has focused on their effects under neutral salt conditions, the mechanisms through which BRs regulate photosynthesis under alkaline salt stress are less well understood. This study investigates these mechanisms, examining plant growth, photosynthetic electron transport, gas exchange parameters, Calvin cycle dynamics, and the expression of key antioxidant and Calvin cycle genes under alkaline stress conditions induced by NaHCO3. The findings indicate that NaHCO3 stress substantially impairs cucumber growth and photosynthesis, significantly reducing chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (E), maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII), antenna conversion efficiency (Fv′/Fm′), and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP). This disruption suggests a severe dysregulation of the photosynthetic electron transport system, impairing electron transfer from photosystem II (PSII) to photosystem I (PSI) and subsequently the Calvin cycle. Application of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) alleviated these effects, reducing leaf chlorosis and growth inhibition and significantly enhancing the expression of key genes within the antioxidant system (AsA-GSH cycle) and the Calvin cycle. This intervention also led to a reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and improved photosynthetic performance, as evidenced by enhancements in Pn, Gs, E, Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, Fv′/Fm′, and qP. Moreover, NaHCO3 stress hindered chlorophyll synthesis, primarily by blocking the conversion from porphobilinogen (PBG) to uroporphyrinogen III (UroIII) and by increasing chlorophyllase (Chlase) and decreasing porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) activity. Exogenous EBR countered these effects by enhancing PBGD activity and reducing Chlase activity, thereby increasing chlorophyll content under stress conditions. In summary, EBR markedly mitigated the adverse effects of alkaline stress on cucumber leaf photosynthesis by stabilizing the photosynthetic electron transport system, accelerating photosynthetic electron transport, and promoting the Calvin cycle. This study provides valuable insights into the regulatory roles of BRs in enhancing plant resilience to alkaline stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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19 pages, 3320 KiB  
Article
Mitigation of Salt Stress in Lactuca sativa L. var. Gentile Rossa Using Microalgae as Priming Agents
by Ornella Francioso, Michela Schiavon, Serenella Nardi, Davide Castellani, Erika Ferrari, Maria Teresa Rodriguez Estrada, Maria Cristina della Lucia, Veronica Zuffi and Andrea Ertani
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3311; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233311 - 26 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1348
Abstract
Using renewable biomass in agriculture, particularly microalgae as a biostimulant, offers economic and environmental sustainability benefits by reducing costs, improving nutrient cycling, and enhancing water use efficiency. Microalgae contain bioactive compounds that boost crop tolerance to environmental stresses, including salinity. Saline soils, characterized [...] Read more.
Using renewable biomass in agriculture, particularly microalgae as a biostimulant, offers economic and environmental sustainability benefits by reducing costs, improving nutrient cycling, and enhancing water use efficiency. Microalgae contain bioactive compounds that boost crop tolerance to environmental stresses, including salinity. Saline soils, characterized by elevated sodium chloride (NaCl) levels, negatively impact many crops, resulting in low productivity and high remediation costs. Therefore, this study evaluates the biostimulant properties of a microalgae-based commercial preparation (MR) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants grown hydroponically and exposed to saline stress. The extract was chemically characterized through elemental analysis, lipid composition (gas chromatography with flame ionization detector—GC-FID), the determination of functional groups (Fourier Transformed Infrared—FT-IR), structure (1H,13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance—NMR), with their hormone-like activity also assessed. Lettuce plants were treated with or without the microalgae blend, in combination with 0, 50 mM, or 100 mM NaCl. The contents of nutrients, soluble proteins, chlorophylls, and phenols, as well as the lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and root traits of lettuce plants, were estimated. The microalgae applied to salt-stressed plants resulted in a significant increase in biomass, protein, and chlorophyll contents. Additionally, significant effects on the secondary metabolism and mitigation of salinity stress were observed in terms of increased phenol content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, as well as decreased lipid peroxidation. The potassium (K+) content was increased significantly in plants treated with 100 mM NaCl after addition of microalgae, while the content of sodium (Na+) was concurrently reduced. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that using microalgae can be a potent approach for improving the cultivation of Lactuca sativa L. under saline stress conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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16 pages, 4405 KiB  
Article
Single or Blended Application of Non-Microbial Plant-Based Biostimulants and Trichoderma atroviride as a New Strategy to Enhance Greenhouse Cherry Tomato Performance
by Lorena Vultaggio, Michele Ciriello, Emanuela Campana, Pietro Bellitto, Beppe Benedetto Consentino, Youssef Rouphael, Giuseppe Colla, Fabiana Mancuso, Salvatore La Bella, Simona Napoli and Leo Sabatino
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3048; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213048 - 31 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1414
Abstract
The need to increase yield and enhance the sustainability of crop production systems has led to the development and employment of natural products, such as plant biostimulants. In recent years, a number of reports have researched the effects of biostimulants on plant performance; [...] Read more.
The need to increase yield and enhance the sustainability of crop production systems has led to the development and employment of natural products, such as plant biostimulants. In recent years, a number of reports have researched the effects of biostimulants on plant performance; however, few studies have focused on the mutual application of microbial and/or non-microbial biostimulants. This research, conducted in the framework of the SO.MI.PR.O.N regional project, aimed to investigate the single or mutual application of three biostimulants, a tropical plant extract (PE), a vegetal protein hydrolysate (PH), and Trichoderma atroviride, on ‘Creativo’ F1 cherry tomato plants cultivated during two growing cycles (2022–2023 and 2023–2024). Our results showed that plants treated with the combination Tricho + PE + PH had statistically significant higher fresh shoot biomass (+64.2%, 1647.0 g plant−1), total fruit production (+37.9%, 1902.5 g plant−1), marketable fruit production (+52.9%, 1778.5 g plant−1), and average weight of marketable fruits (+53.1%, 17.0 g) compared to control plants (untreated plants). Furthermore, biostimulant treatments, especially T. atroviride, variably enhanced cherry tomato fruits’ qualitative traits, such as firmness, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, lycopene, and total polyphenols compared to control plants. Overall, the best combinations to increase tomato fruit qualitative features were PE + PH, Tricho + PE, and Tricho + PH. From an economic point of view, the best treatment for achieving the highest net return was PE. This study underlines that biostimulant features (yield, qualitative aspects, and economic profitability) can be supported through the application of specific biostimulant combinations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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14 pages, 1010 KiB  
Article
Wood Distillate Promotes the Tolerance of Lettuce in Extreme Salt Stress Conditions
by Riccardo Fedeli, Silvia Celletti and Stefano Loppi
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1335; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101335 - 12 May 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2281
Abstract
Soil salinization is an adverse phenomenon in agriculture that severely affects crop growth and yield. The use of natural products, such as wood distillate (WD, derived from the pyrolysis of woody biomass), could be a sustainable approach to enhance the tolerance of plants [...] Read more.
Soil salinization is an adverse phenomenon in agriculture that severely affects crop growth and yield. The use of natural products, such as wood distillate (WD, derived from the pyrolysis of woody biomass), could be a sustainable approach to enhance the tolerance of plants cultivated in the saline soils. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of WD, a foliar sprayed at 0.2% (v/v), in lettuce plants subjected to grow under both moderate and high soil sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations (ranging from 0 to 300 mM). The changes in the physiological and biochemical responses of these plants to the varying salt stress conditions allowed the identification of a maximum tolerance threshold (100 mM NaCl), specific to lettuce. Beyond this threshold, levels related to plant defense antioxidant power (antiradical activity) were lowered, while those indicative of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde content and electrolyte leakage) were raised, causing significant losses in leaf fresh biomass. On the other hand, WD significantly improved plant growth, enabling plants to survive high salt conditions >200 mM NaCl. Collectively, these observations highlight that treatments with WD could be of paramount importance in coping with current environmental challenges to have better yields under soil conditions of high salt concentrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biostimulant Use on Horticultural Crops)
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