Microalgal Biotechnologies for Crop Production and Food Security

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2025 | Viewed by 694

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Center for Sustainable Development, College of Art and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Interests: algal biotechnologies; biodiversity; bioprospecting; food security

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgae, as tiny plants, play a crucial role in enhancing food security through a wide range of applications. Their ability to produce essential metabolites and high-value products with numerous health benefits makes them a valuable resource in addressing global nutritional needs. Bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, not only enhance the nutritional value of food but also contribute to improving human health and wellbeing. The nutrient-rich biomass of microalgae also serves as a valuable source for animal feed, enhancing the nutritional quality of products derived from poultry and livestock.

Additionally, microalgae play a crucial role in aquaculture by providing a natural and sustainable feed source, supporting the growth of fish and crustacean industries that are essential for global protein production.

In agriculture, microalgae-based biofertilizers play several important roles: (i) enriching soil nutrient content; (ii) enhancing microbiome diversity; (iii) promoting healthier crop growth; (iv) increasing fruit yield; and (v) improving plant resilience to both biotic and abiotic stressors, thereby boosting overall agricultural productivity.

Ultimately, integrating microalgae into food production systems diversifies and strengthens these systems, cultivating resilience against environmental challenges and advancing global food security.

We look forward to your contributions to this Special Issue, which will focus on, but need not be limited to, any of the topics outlined above.

Dr. Imen Saadaoui
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • animal feed
  • aquafeed
  • biofertilizers
  • biostimulant
  • cyanobacteria
  • food supplement
  • high value-products
  • microalgae bioactives
  • crop production

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 4504 KiB  
Article
SL-6 Mimic Is a Biostimulant for Chlorella sorokiniana and Enhances the Plant Biostimulant Effect of Microalgal Extract
by Daria Gabriela Popa, Naomi Tritean, Florentina Georgescu, Carmen Lupu, Sergey Shaposhnikov, Diana Constantinescu-Aruxandei and Florin Oancea
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1010; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071010 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 472
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a more cost-efficient strigolactone mimic SL-6 on Chlorella sorokiniana NIVA-CHL 176 growth in comparison with the strigolactone analog GR24 and the plant biostimulant functions of microalgal extracts. Three molar SL-6 concentrations were tested: 10−7 [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a more cost-efficient strigolactone mimic SL-6 on Chlorella sorokiniana NIVA-CHL 176 growth in comparison with the strigolactone analog GR24 and the plant biostimulant functions of microalgal extracts. Three molar SL-6 concentrations were tested: 10−7 M, 10−8 M, and 10−9 M, respectively. Five parameters of microalgal growth were assessed: optical density, turbidity, biomass production, chlorophyll fluorescence, and pigment concentration. Results after 15 days of culturing revealed that the SL-6 treatments significantly enhanced biomass production (13.53% at 10−9 M), pigment synthesis, and photosystem II activity (14.38% at 10−9 M). The highest increases in pigments induced by SL-6 were 15.7% for chlorophyll a (at 10−8 M SL-6), 12.87% for chlorophyll b (at 10−9 M SL-6), 2.3% for carotenoids (at 10−8 M SL-6), and 10.78% for total pigments (at 10−8 M SL-6) per gram biomass compared to the solvent control (DMSO). Higher doses of GR24 and SL-6 (10−7 M) inhibited microalgal growth, reducing cell density, biomass production, and pigment synthesis. The microalgal extracts acted as plant biostimulants, stimulating root and shoot elongation and proton pump functioning of mung seedlings in the presence and absence of salt stress. The extracts from SL-6 biostimulated C. sorokiniana were more active as plant biostimulants than the extracts from the non-stimulated C. sorokiniana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgal Biotechnologies for Crop Production and Food Security)
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