Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: Special, 216 - 227, 28.12.2025

Ceren Ayşe Bayram , Kanu Murmu

https://doi.org/10.31015/2025.si.8

https://izlik.org/JA88ZP76RE

Abstract

Plant biostimulants have emerged as promising tools to enhance plant resilience against a wide range of abiotic and biotic stresses while simultaneously improving growth, yield, and product quality. This review critically evaluates the effects of various types of biostimulants including humic substances, protein hydrolysates, seaweed extracts, microbial inoculants, and silicon compounds on leafy vegetables cultivated under temperate and subtropical conditions. Amino acid–based biostimulants have demonstrated significant physiological and biochemical benefits, particularly in radish. Application of aspartic acid notably enhanced phenolic contents in the shoot (by 1.01%) and root (by 12.23%) compared with chemical fertilizer treatments. Total protein content increased in the shoot with glycine (by 251.81%) and in the root with aspartic acid (by 57.06%). Shoot ascorbic acid levels were markedly improved by aspartic acid (179.90%), vitamin B complex (159.91%), and lysine (139.92%). Similarly, plant fresh and dry weights increased substantially with vitamin B complex (478.31%) and aspartic acid (364.73%). Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in radish roots were higher with vitamin B complex (25.93%) and lysine (100%) treatments. Moreover, soil organic matter content improved with aspartic acid (61.51%), followed by vitamin B complex (60.13%). Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms of action, optimal timing of application, and crop-specific responses of biostimulants under stress conditions such as salinity, drought, heat, cold, and nutrient deficiency. Comparative insights are also provided regarding their roles in enhancing photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, biomass accumulation, and postharvest quality. Furthermore, this review highlights commercially available biostimulant formulations currently used in horticulture and summarizes recent findings through tabulated data. Overall, evidence suggests that biostimulants, when properly integrated with crop type and climatic conditions, represent a sustainable and effective strategy to mitigate environmental stresses and enhance the productivity, nutritional value, and overall quality of leafy vegetable production systems.

Keywords

Abiotic stress , Biostimulants , Nutrient uptake , Sustainable agriculture , Vegetables

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