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

Ceren Ayşe Bayram; Kanu Murmu

doi:10.31015/2025.si.8

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

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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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Fruit-Vegetables Technology

Journal Section

Review Article

Authors

Ceren Ayşe Bayram ^*
0000-0002-1570-273X
Türkiye

Kanu Murmu
0000-0003-1257-2252
India

Early Pub Date

December 1, 2025

Publication Date

December 28, 2025

Submission Date

July 27, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 24, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 9 Number: Special

DOI

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

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA88ZP76RE

APA

Bayram, C. A., & Murmu, K. (2025). Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, 9(Special), 216-227. https://doi.org/10.31015/2025.si.8

AMA

1.Bayram CA, Murmu K. Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review. int. j. agric. environ. food sci. 2025;9(Special):216-227. doi:10.31015/2025.si.8

Chicago

Bayram, Ceren Ayşe, and Kanu Murmu. 2025. “Biostimulants As a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review”. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences 9 (Special): 216-27. https://doi.org/10.31015/2025.si.8.

EndNote

Bayram CA, Murmu K (December 1, 2025) Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences 9 Special 216–227.

IEEE

[1]C. A. Bayram and K. Murmu, “Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review”, int. j. agric. environ. food sci., vol. 9, no. Special, pp. 216–227, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.31015/2025.si.8.

ISNAD

Bayram, Ceren Ayşe - Murmu, Kanu. “Biostimulants As a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review”. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences 9/Special (December 1, 2025): 216-227. https://doi.org/10.31015/2025.si.8.

JAMA

1.Bayram CA, Murmu K. Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review. int. j. agric. environ. food sci. 2025;9:216–227.

MLA

Bayram, Ceren Ayşe, and Kanu Murmu. “Biostimulants As a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review”. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, vol. 9, no. Special, Dec. 2025, pp. 216-27, doi:10.31015/2025.si.8.

Vancouver

1.Ceren Ayşe Bayram, Kanu Murmu. Biostimulants as a Sustainable Strategy for Enhancing Vegetable Production: A Literature Review. int. j. agric. environ. food sci. 2025 Dec. 1;9(Special):216-27. doi:10.31015/2025.si.8

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

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

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