Wheat is a major staple crop, and improving its productivity and grain quality is essential to meet rising global food demand. Biostimulants have attracted growing interest because they can enhance nutrient use efficiency, improve tolerance to environmental stresses, and support crop performance without acting as conventional fertilizers, yet a focused synthesis of their effects on wheat remains limited. Following a systematic search of Scopus and Web of Science (2000–2026), this review synthesizes 52 primary studies on microbial and non-microbial biostimulants in common and durum wheat, addressing grain yield, nutritional quality, and resilience to drought, salinity, heavy metals, and temperature extremes. Across studies, 88% reported significant positive effects and none reported a consistent negative effect; grain yield increases ranged from +6% to +123%, with parallel improvements in grain protein and micronutrient biofortification, notably zinc and iron. Microbial biostimulants, especially bacteria and microbial consortia, produced the largest but most variable gains, whereas non-microbial products gave more moderate and consistent responses. Benefits were greatest under low nitrogen, drought, and saline conditions and in nutrient-poor soils, and were modulated by wheat genotype and product dose. Biostimulants are promising tools for sustainable wheat production, though standardized field trials and reporting are still needed.
The growing pressure exerted by global food demand, combined with the excessive use of chemical and synthetic inputs, is prompting the agricultural sector to seek innovative and sustainable solutions to improve, or at least maintain, crop yields in a context of increased abiotic stress linked to climate change. Among the promising approaches, biostimulants are attracting growing interest, particularly those derived from natural sources such as seaweed extracts, humic acids, and beneficial microorganisms. These products work through various mechanisms, including osmotic regulation, activation of antioxidant systems, stimulation of root growth, and improvement of nutrient absorption. Many recent research and review articles have explored the optimal combinations of raw materials, formulation processes, target crops, and environmental conditions to maximize beneficial effects on plant growth, soil health, and tolerance to abiotic stresses. As a result, a growing range of commercial products is emerging, with diverse chemical compositions, formulations, and modes of application. However, the precise relationships between the biochemical composition of biostimulants and their physiological effects remain poorly understood, suggesting a key role for molecular synergies. This review provides a concise overview of recent advances in biostimulant research and their potential to enhance food security by improving crop resilience in the context of climate change.
Boujemaa Fassih, Raja Ben-Laouane, Abdessamad Fakhech et al.· Sustainability· 1 citation
The agricultural use of sandy soils has expanded worldwide to meet the increasing demand for food and other agricultural commodities resulting from rapid population growth and urbanization. However, the inherent limitations of these soils, particularly their low capacity to retain water and nutrients, pose major challenges to sustainable crop production. Accordingly, field experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of integrated microbial and non-microbial biostimulants in improving the performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Sakha-94). Wheat grains were co-inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus niger as phosphate-solubilizing fungi (TD + PSF), and plants were treated with potassium sulfate (K2SO4 200 mg/l), tryptophan (Try 50 mgL-1), K2SO4 (200 mgL-1) + Try (50 mgL−1), and two concentrations of banana peel extract (BPE) (500 and 1000 mgL-1). Yield performance was substantially improved, with increases of 34.2%, 38.9%, and 44.1% in straw yield, biological yield, and grain yield, respectively. Supporting these yield gains, growth characteristics and physiological attributes were significantly enhanced. The combined application of TD + PSF and BPE1000 produced the highest increases in chlorophyll a (31.4%), chlorophyll b (83.6%), total pigments (48.2%), and phenolic compounds (18.9%). Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content increased significantly following co-inoculation, with the greatest enhancement (34.9%) recorded under the K₂SO₄ + tryptophan treatment combined with TD + PSF. Grain nutritional quality was also enhanced. The BPE at 1000 mg L−1 combined with TD + PSF treatment resulted in the highest carbohydrate content (12.5%), whereas BPE500 combined with TD + PSF achieved the greatest increase in grain protein content (33.2%). The combination of K₂SO₄ + tryptophan and TD + PSF significantly improved mineral accumulation, increasing N, P, K, and Mg contents by 33.2, 41.7, 16.2, and 44.2%, respectively. In addition, the highest water productivity (44.12%) was obtained with BPE1000 combined with TD + PSF. The ratio of essential to non-essential amino acids in the grain yield was enriched by approximately 12–15% in plants treated with the combination of TD + PSF and other treatments. This enrichment indicates an improvement in the nutritional quality of the wheat grains, enhancing their value for human dietary needs. Among the tested treatments, the combined application of (TD + PSF) and banana peel extract (1000 mg L⁻1) produced the greatest improvements in wheat growth, yield, and grain quality. These findings demonstrate that banana peel extract, particularly when combined with beneficial fungi, is a promising, low-cost, and eco-friendly biostimulant for wheat cultivation in reclaimed sandy soils, while promoting the sustainable utilization of agricultural waste.
M. Abdallah, Tnm El Sebai, B. Bakry et al.· BMC Plant Biology· 0 citations
The need for the most up-to-date, environmentally friendly techniques of controlling plant diseases and pests necessitates keeping an eye out for effective tools that provide a safe environment for human and animal fitness. In recent years, the usage of plant biostimulants (BS), which are derived from various organic materials through hydrolysis reactions, has increased. Soil microbes and plants immediately absorb these Biostimulants, which often consist of peptides, amino acids, polysaccharides, humic acids and phytohormones with less energy requirement. This benefits not only growth but also the yield and quality of the harvested grain or fruit. These items are intended to promote and increase plant metabolism, reduce stress, etc., rather than to supply nutrients. These days, a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses hinder plant development, seed germination and seedling growth due to shifting climatic conditions, which reduces biological and economic yields. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) helps plant in mitigating different abiotic stresses and also enhances the adaptability of plants in stress conditions. A variety of PGRs, including ethylene (ET), salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonates (JAs), are linked to improving plants' ability to respond to various stimuli. On the other hand, under both normal and stressful environmental conditions, PGRs like auxin, cytokinins (CKs), gibberellins (GAs) and relatively novel PGRs like strigolactones (SLs) and brassinosteroids (BRs) are engaged in plant growth and development. These PGRs are crucial for regulating stress adaptation through modulates physiological, biochemical and molecular processes and activation of the defense system, upregulating of transcript levels, transcription factors, metabolism genes, and stress proteins at cellular levels.
Hena Parveen, Manish Kumar, S. Kumari et al.· Genetics and Molecular Resea...· 0 citations
Horticultural production is increasingly required to deliver high yields and premium quality while reducing dependence on mineral fertilisers, improving soil function and maintaining resilience under salinity, drought, heat and nutrient stress. Biofertilisers and organic inputs are frequently proposed as complementary tools, yet the evidence is fragmented across microbial inoculants, composts, vermicomposts, digestates, biochar, humic substances, seaweed extracts and protein hydrolysates. This critical narrative review evaluates recent advances in these input classes, the mechanisms through which they may influence horticultural crops, the consistency of agronomic and quality responses, and the constraints that limit translation from controlled experiments to commercial production. Literature published from 1 January 2000 to 31 May 2026 was identified through accessible scholarly indexes, metadata services and citation searching, with foundational sources included when necessary. The evidence indicates that microbial inoculants can improve nutrient acquisition, root development and stress tolerance, while mature organic amendments can enhance nutrient buffering, aggregation, water retention and biological activity. Nevertheless, average benefits conceal substantial context dependence. Outcomes are strongly conditioned by crop genotype, soil or substrate properties, resident microbiota, nutrient status, inoculant viability, amendment maturity, application method and environmental stress. Many positive reports derive from short-duration, single-site experiments with weak nutrient-equivalent controls, incomplete product characterisation or limited assessment of persistence and economics. Stronger evidence supports integrated use that supplements, rather than indiscriminately replaces, mineral nutrition and that matches products to diagnosed soil, substrate and crop constraints. Future progress depends on multi-location factorial trials, standardised product identity and quality testing, mechanistic measurements linked to marketable yield and quality, long-term safety and environmental assessment, and transparent economic evaluation. Biofertilisers and organic inputs therefore have credible roles in sustainable horticulture, but reliable performance requires context-specific design, quality assurance and evidence-based integration into nutrient and crop-management programmes.
Manju M. George· Asian Journal of Agricultura...· 0 citations
Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures (cold, hot), heavy metal toxicity, flooding, pollutants, and nutrient imbalances are emerging as major threats to global agri-food and nutritional security, significantly constraining crop productivity and resilience. Nowadays, the situation has deteriorated owing to the accelerated and profound alterations in global climatic patterns. It is utmost need to understand and find out the various adaptive and alleviative practices to reduce the impact, in which plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to assuage the negative impact of the various stresses and enhanced seed spices productivity and profitability. The interface between PGPR and crops under various stresses are positive worldwide. PGPR play a significant role in enhancing nutrient availability in the soil–plant–microbe system. Additionally, PGPR help lower ethylene levels, increase the concentration of osmolytes, and defend crops from oxidative injure under a diversity of environmental multiple stresses. The application of PGPR to seed spice crops represents a promising strategy to enhance productivity and improve plant resilience under various stress conditions. This review highlights the role of PGPR in mitigating abiotic stresses in seed spice crops and underscores the need for future research to develop effective, long-lasting microbial formulations that support sustainable cultivation under multiple stress conditions.
H. Parewa, V. Meena, Ramniwas Choudhary et al.· Discover Soil· 0 citations
The Rosaceae family includes some of the most economically important fruit and nut crops worldwide, such as apples, strawberries, and almonds. Increasing market demand and climate constraints have intensified reliance on synthetic fertilizers, leading to environmental degradation and reduced ecosystem resilience. In response, sustainable alternatives, such as organic fertilizers, biofertilizers, and biostimulants, have gained increasing attention. Here, we review recent findings in the application of these ecofriendly inputs in Rosaceae crops, using almonds (Prunus dulcis) as a representative case study. We highlight the roles of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in improving nutrient availability, stress tolerance, soil fertility, and crop productivity through mechanisms including biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, phytohormone modulation, and enhanced plant defense responses. Evidence from field, greenhouse, and controlled experimental studies has indicated that rhizobacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, as well as organic fertilizers, enhance nutrient uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, fruit yields, and quality while supporting soil biodiversity and long-term orchard sustainability. Despite their demonstrated benefits, the adoption of biofertilizers and biostimulants in almond orchards remains limited. This review discusses the current challenges, knowledge gaps, and future perspectives for integrating microbial-based solutions into sustainable Rosaceae cultivation systems.
Z. Bouabidi, A. Saber, Najat Manaut et al.· Sustainability· 0 citations