Development of Next Generation Bio stimulants for Sustainable Agriculture

Global urbanization and increasing population are incessantly putting pressure on the agricultural production system. In addition, plants are constantly exposed to harsh environmental factors, and are more susceptible to pests and pathogens. This puts considerable pressure on farming to feed the growing population. Recent advances in molecular biology have enabled the development of stress-tolerant varieties, but regulatory hurdles remain for their usage throughout different geographical regions. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers to improve crop production poses a threat to both the ecosystem and human health. The use of biostimulants derived from natural sources are gaining interest throughout the world as a sustainable strategy for improving agricultural productivity. Microbial- and non-microbial-based biostimulants (seaweed extracts, humic and fulvic acids, vitamins, etc.) are already commercially produced. There is, however, an immediate need for research focused on developing next generation biostimulants that operate synergistically with existing biostimulants, as well as novel-biostimulants with unique capabilities to improve crop tress tolerance and nutrient-use -efficiencies in treated plants.

This Research Topic invites leading researchers to contribute articles focused on the development of next-generation Bio stimulants for improving stress tolerance and nutrient use efficiency in crops. This topic will focus on the development of novel, next generation Bio stimulants from various seaweeds, microbial, and organic sources to improve plant growth, nutrient and water-use-efficiency, and crop yield despite unfavorable conditions. Additionally, manuscripts that contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of the mode of action of these next-generation Bio stimulants are also welcome.

This Research Topic invites agricultural scientists involved in the development of sustainable approaches for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and plant growth. We welcome original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and short communications that include the following (but are not limited to):

1. The development of next-generation bio stimulants for stress tolerance and nutrient-use-efficiency in crops
2. Synergies between the bioactivities of different biostimulants
3. Improving crop nutritional quality by using biostimulants
4. Understanding the molecular mechanism of novel biostimulants in imparting stress tolerance and nutrient use efficiency in crops.