Biostimulant Properties of Protein Hydrolysates: Recent Advances and Future Challenges

Abstract

Over the past decade, plant biostimulants have been increasingly used in agriculture as environment-friendly tools that improve the sustainability and resilience of crop production systems under environmental stresses. Protein hydrolysates (PHs) are a main category of biostimulants produced by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins from animal or plant sources. Mostly composed of amino acids and peptides, PHs have a beneficial effect on multiple physiological processes, including photosynthetic activity, nutrient assimilation and translocation, and also quality parameters. They also seem to have hormone-like activities. Moreover, PHs enhance tolerance to abiotic stresses, notably through the stimulation of protective processes such as cell antioxidant activity and osmotic adjustment. Knowledge on their mode of action, however, is still piecemeal. The aims of this review are as follows: (i) Giving a comprehensive overview of current findings about the hypothetical mechanisms of action of PHs; (ii) Emphasizing the knowledge gaps that deserve to be urgently addressed with a view to efficiently improve the benefits of biostimulants for different plant crops in the context of climate change.

Plant biostimulants as natural alternatives to synthetic auxins in strawberry production: physiological and metabolic insights

“…On the other hand, PH promoted an accumulation of primary metabolites inducing a great support of photosynthesis and plant use of energy for plant growth over a longer period of the plant cycle resulting in a longer fruit production and higher yield. Several studies showed that the application of PH can boost crop yields and performance by activating carbon primary metabolism and N assimilation ( Colla et al., 2017 ; Rouphael et al., 2018 ; Malécange et al., 2023 ).…”

Amino Acids Biostimulants and Protein Hydrolysates in Agricultural Sciences

“…It can also positively influence the leaf area and yield of horticultural plants and fruit trees [ 165 , 166 ]. The exogenous utilization of protein hydrolysate and isolated amino acids can promote plant antioxidant performance by improving the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant defense machinery of the cell [ 167 ]. The most important effects of different kinds of protein hydrolysates have been shown in Table 3 .…”

Innovative Protein Gel Treatments to Improve the Quality of Tomato Fruit

“…Overall, most studies reported that protein hydrolysates have the quality of improving plant endurance, mainly by enhancing antioxidant activity in the plant tissues, under the action of unfavorable environmental conditions [5,46].…”

“…Containing amino acids and peptides, protein hydrolysates have an especially positive influence on several physiological processes, including photosynthetic activity, nutrient assimilation, and translocation in plants, and also accumulation of bioactive compounds [5]. Regarding the action mechanism of protein hydrolysates in plants, recent studies indicate that they are directly involved in stimulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism, interfering with hormonal activity.…”