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Plant–Biostimulant Interactions for Improving Vegetable Crop Performance Under Stress
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Plant–Biostimulant Interactions for Improving Vegetable Crop Performance Under Stress

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 December 2026 | Viewed by 2348

Editors

Dr. Mariateresa Cardarelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: studies on interactions between biostimulants and plants; seed treatments; growth and quality of vegetable plants under different nutrient conditions or abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Monica Yorlady Alzate Zuluaga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
Interests: sustainable agriculture; rhizosphere microbiology; plant–microbe interactions; plant biostimulants to improve nutrient use efficiency and stress resilience in crops

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biostimulants are tools applied in agriculture to enhance plant growth and improve their resistance. These include both natural substances and microorganisms that are applied to plants to stimulate key biological processes, thereby promoting plant development, stress tolerance, and resource use efficiency. However, their effectiveness is closely tied to the interaction they establish with plants, a dynamic that changes under environmental stress conditions such as drought, nutrient deficiency, or disease attacks. It is therefore crucial to understand the mechanisms behind these interactions, especially in relation to external conditions, in order to optimize the use of biostimulants and maximize plant performance. This approach is essential for improving crop resilience, particularly in challenging agricultural environments, and for developing more sustainable and effective agricultural solutions.

In this Special Issue, we invite the submission of original research and review articles that investigate the roles of different biostimulants in enhancing plant growth and stress tolerance. We welcome contributions that explore molecular, physiological, and ecological mechanisms, as well as studies employing experimental approaches, predictive modeling, and innovative technologies to better harness biostimulants in vegetable crop production. Together, these efforts will contribute to the development of more sustainable and effective agricultural solutions.

Dr. Mariateresa Cardarelli
Dr. Monica Yorlady Alzate Zuluaga
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 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-anonymized 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

  • plant biostimulants
  • stress resilience
  • vegetable crops
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • sustainable agriculture
  • nutrient efficiency
  • rhizosphere biology
  • abiotic stress mitigation
  • crop performance enhancement
  • natural bioactive compounds
  • microbial inoculants
  • predictive models in agriculture
  • climate-smart agriculture
  • biostimulant–plant mechanisms

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 5390 KB  
Article
Mechanistic Insights into Selenium-Induced Tolerance of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings to Alkaline Stress
by Wenjing Nie, Xiangyu Wang, Peng Qiao, Haiyang Zhang, Junlin Li, Rao Fu, Haiman Ge, Weijun Yin and Chi Zhang
Plants 2026, 15(15), 2271; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15152271 - 24 Jul 2026
Viewed by 334
Abstract
Saline–alkali stress severely restricts cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) growth by disrupting ion balance, water status, photosynthesis, and redox homeostasis. Here, we examined the effects of exogenous selenium (Se) on cucumber seedlings exposed to NaHCO3 stress. Se supplementation improved plant growth and [...] Read more.
Saline–alkali stress severely restricts cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) growth by disrupting ion balance, water status, photosynthesis, and redox homeostasis. Here, we examined the effects of exogenous selenium (Se) on cucumber seedlings exposed to NaHCO3 stress. Se supplementation improved plant growth and root activity and partly restored photosynthetic performance by maintaining chlorophyll content, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Se reduced oxidative injury through lower ROS and MDA levels and by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities together with the AsA–GSH cycle. In parallel, Se moderated ion toxicity by limiting Na+ accumulation, increasing K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ uptake, and stimulating H+-ATPase and H+-PPase activities. Enhanced TCA cycle activity and organic acid accumulation suggested improved energy metabolism and ionic regulation. Se also promoted osmotic adjustment via soluble sugars and proline, and upregulated aquaporin genes (PIP1;2 and PIP2;4) to sustain water transport. Moreover, Se increased salicylic acid levels by upregulating CsPAL and CsICS, pointing to a role of SA signaling in Se-induced tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Biostimulant Interactions for Improving Vegetable Crop Performance Under Stress)
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Review

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28 pages, 2022 KB  
Review
Terrestrial Plant- and Algal-Derived Biostimulants as Modulators of ROS and Hormone Networks in Crop Abiotic Stress Resilience
by Pavel Minkov, Tsanko S. Gechev and Aakansha Kanojia
Plants 2026, 15(7), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15070992 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1341
Abstract
Abiotic stresses severely constrain crop productivity by disrupting cellular redox homeostasis and hormone signaling. Although individual stresses differ in origin, plant responses converge on a conserved regulatory system centered on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phytohormone crosstalk. Controlled ROS production in chloroplasts, mitochondria [...] Read more.
Abiotic stresses severely constrain crop productivity by disrupting cellular redox homeostasis and hormone signaling. Although individual stresses differ in origin, plant responses converge on a conserved regulatory system centered on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phytohormone crosstalk. Controlled ROS production in chloroplasts, mitochondria and the apoplast functions as a signaling mechanism that interacts dynamically with abscisic acid, auxin, ethylene, jasmonate and cytokinin pathways through shared regulatory nodes, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases and redox-sensitive transcriptional cascades. Endogenous metabolites, including phenolics, terpenoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, polyamines, glutathione and signaling peptides, are embedded within this network and modulate its amplitude and sensitivity. In parallel, non-microbial biostimulants derived from seaweeds, higher plants, protein hydrolysates and humic substances have been widely reported to enhance crop performance under abiotic stress. However, mechanistic integration between biostimulant research and plant stress signaling remains limited. In this review, we propose that terrestrial plant- and algal-derived biostimulants act not as external substitutes for hormones or antioxidants but as modulators of endogenous ROS–hormone signaling hubs. We first synthesize the current understanding of redox–hormone integration under abiotic stress, then examine endogenous metabolites as intrinsic regulators of this network, followed by an analysis of biostimulants in relation to shared regulatory nodes. By positioning biostimulant action within the established redox–hormone network, we provide a mechanistic framework that links stress biology with agronomic application and supports rational strategies to enhance crop resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Biostimulant Interactions for Improving Vegetable Crop Performance Under Stress)
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