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Agronomy
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Biostimulants: A Sustainable Approach for Ameliorating Abiotic Stress Tolerance in...
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Biostimulants: A Sustainable Approach for Ameliorating Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 1809

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jose M. Mulet

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València-CSIC, 46022 València, Spain
Interests: abiotic stress; ion homeostasis; potassium transport; drought stress; biostimulants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biostimulants represent a sustainable approach for ameliorating abiotic stress tolerance in crops, addressing challenges like drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures that impede crop productivity and threaten food security. Historically, traditional agricultural practices relied heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, leading to environmental degradation and unsustainable farming systems.

This Special Issue aims and scope focus on exploring biostimulants' potential—such as humic substances, seaweed extracts, beneficial microorganisms, and protein hydrolysates—in enhancing crop resilience to abiotic stresses. This Special Issue seeks to compile comprehensive research demonstrating biostimulants' efficacy in improving plant physiological processes, soil health, and overall crop performance under stress conditions.

Cutting-edge research highlights how biostimulants enhance nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, water use efficiency, and stress-related hormone production. These studies emphasize biostimulants' role in fostering an eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural environment.

We are soliciting papers that provide novel insights into the development and application of biostimulants, field trials showcasing their practical benefits, and reviews summarizing current knowledge and future directions in this field. Contributions that integrate interdisciplinary approaches and demonstrate biostimulants' impact on sustainable agriculture are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Jose M. Mulet
Guest Editor

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. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • abiotic stress tolerance
  • sustainable agriculture
  • plant biostimulants
  • crop resilience
  • soil health

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2825 KiB  
Article
First Report of Drought-Tolerant Halobacteria Associated with Agave potatorum Zucc
by Jessie Hernández-Canseco, Angélica Bautista-Cruz, Gabriel Rincón-Enríquez, Edgar García-Sánchez and Teodulfo Aquino-Bolaños
Agronomy 2025, 15(3), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15030573 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 547
Abstract
The rhizosphere microbiota of arid plants plays a crucial role in adaptation to environmental stress. However, few studies have characterized microorganisms associated with Agave species and their contribution to resilience against salinity and drought. This study aimed to isolate and characterize halotolerant bacteria [...] Read more.
The rhizosphere microbiota of arid plants plays a crucial role in adaptation to environmental stress. However, few studies have characterized microorganisms associated with Agave species and their contribution to resilience against salinity and drought. This study aimed to isolate and characterize halotolerant bacteria from the rhizosphere of Agave potatorum Zucc from two different sites and evaluate their in vitro Na+ sequestration, desiccation resistance, and phytohormone production. These traits were compared with those of halotolerant bacteria isolated from a highly saline soil at a third site. Bacteria were obtained through serial dilutions and cultured on R2A plates supplemented with varying NaCl concentrations. The most efficient Na+-sequestering isolates underwent an 18-day desiccation assay, and their production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) was quantified. Among the 48 halotolerant isolates obtained, 7 (SM1, SM10, SPM5, SM7, SM19, VZ9, and SPM1) exhibited the highest Na+ sequestration efficiency. Among these isolates, SM1 exhibited the highest in vitro Na+ sequestration capacity (10.74 μg L−1, p < 0.05). SM1 and SPM1 demonstrated the greatest desiccation resistance, at 88.39% and 83.05%, respectively. Additionally, SM7 produced the highest levels of IAA (13.69 μg mL−1, p < 0.05), while SM1 exhibited the highest GA3 production (1285.38 μg mL−1, p < 0.05). Based on these characteristics, isolates SPM1 and SM1 exhibited the highest efficiency in tolerating drought and salinity stress. However, isolate SPM1 may colonize the rhizosphere of A. potatorum more effectively, likely due to its adaptation as a native isolate to the edaphic and environmental conditions in which this agave thrives. Molecular identification confirmed that the isolates belong to the genera Kosakonia, Priestia, Streptomyces, Bacillus, Stutzerimonas, Pseudomonas, and Exiguobacterium. This study highlights the diversity of halotolerant bacteria in the rhizosphere of A. potatorum and their potential as bioinoculants for enhancing soil fertility and restoring degraded soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants: A Sustainable Approach for Ameliorating Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops)
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23 pages, 2943 KiB  
Article
Impact of the Biostimulants Algevit and Razormin on the Salinity Tolerance of Two Tomato Cultivars
by Mihaela Covașă, Cristina Slabu, Alina Elena Marta, Ștefănica Ostaci and Carmenica Doina Jităreanu
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020352 - 29 Jan 2025
Viewed by 812
Abstract
The global water crisis and the expansion of saline soils present significant challenges to agricultural sustainability. To address these issues, innovative solutions are needed to harness seawater and adapt plants to high-salinity conditions. Biostimulants represent an innovative strategy for mitigating the adverse effects [...] Read more.
The global water crisis and the expansion of saline soils present significant challenges to agricultural sustainability. To address these issues, innovative solutions are needed to harness seawater and adapt plants to high-salinity conditions. Biostimulants represent an innovative strategy for mitigating the adverse effects of salinity on crops. This study examined the impact of two biostimulants, Algevit (based on marine algae) and Razormin (based on plant extracts), on the salinity tolerance of two Romanian tomato varieties, Buzau 4 and Buzau 22. The research was conducted under greenhouse conditions and assessed parameters such as plant height, flower and fruit counts, photosynthetic fluorescence, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and proline concentration. The results showed that Algevit had a more significant impact compared to Razormin, enhancing plant growth, maintaining higher chlorophyll levels (in the Algevit variants, values ranged from 27.43 to 44.99 SPAD units, while in the Razormin variants, they ranged from 24.23 to 41.63 SPAD units), and improving photosynthetic efficiency. Both tomato varieties responded positively to the treatments, with Buzau 4 demonstrating greater salinity tolerance, especially when treated with Algevit. These findings suggest that integrating biostimulants into crop management can effectively reduce the negative effects of salinity and support sustainable agriculture in salt-affected regions. The study highlights the importance of applying biostimulants in managing soil salinity and freshwater scarcity in the context of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biostimulants: A Sustainable Approach for Ameliorating Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops)
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