Practical applications of plant biostimulants in greenhouse vegetable crop production

Abstract

The research interest on plant biostimulant applications in vegetable crop production is gradually increasing and several reports highlight the beneficial effects that such products may have not only on crop performance but also on the quality of the final product. Moreover, numerous products with biostimulatory activity are being developed which need further evaluation under variable growing conditions and different crops. Plant hydrolysates which contain amino acids and peptides have been acclaimed with several positive effects on crop performance of diverse horticultural crops, while macro-algae are also considered effective biostimulants on plants grown under stress conditions. A recent study evaluated the use of protein hydrolysates and brown macro-algae (Ascophyllum nodosum and Ecklonia maxima) as innovative and cost effective approaches for sustainable vegetable production. The present editorial provides an overview of the main findings of that study, while discussing the practical applications that biostimulants may have in the greenhouse production of vegetable crops, aiming to increase the yield and the quality of the final produce and improve crop tolerance to abiotic stressors.