Review: implementing plant biostimulants and biocontrol strategies in the agroecological management of cultivated ecosystems

Abstract

Introduction. In the context of sustainable agricultural production, agroecology aims at optimizing the economic and environmental performances of beneficial ecosystem services in order to (i) increase the productivity and resilience of cultivated ecosystems and (ii) preserve their natural resources. The maintenance of such performances is supported by research via the development of new tools that enhance plant tolerance to numerous biotic and abiotic stresses. Literature. Biostimulants can be used as a tool to complement the use of chemical inputs, by involving non-living-based products, or living-based products containing beneficial rhizosphere microbiome, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Pest management research has also made major advances in the development of efficient biocontrol methods. Elicitors and semiochemicals are considered to be some of the most promising tools for inducing plant resistance to various diseases and enhancing natural predation, respectively. Several products are already on the market. This review discusses current methods for exploiting and applying biostimulant and biocontrol products in contemporary agricultural systems. Future applications of these tools for sustainable management of cultivated ecosystems are also discussed. Conclusions. These tools are still difficult to use because of their lack of reliability in the field and their uneasy integration in the cropping systems. Further studies are needed to better understand the parameters influencing the efficiency of PGPR, elicitors and semiochemicals. Special attention needs to be given to the formulation and the interactions of these products with plant physiology and the environment.

Antioxidant Responses of Water-Stressed Cherry Tomato Plants to Natural Biostimulants

“…They are specifically recommended against abiotic stresses (e.g., phytotoxicity, high temperatures, salinity, drought, or UV radiation) [20,21]. Sometimes, they have also been used against biotic stresses (e.g., pests and diseases) [24]. However, despite the potential positive effects of biostimulants in improving crop performance, these effects are not always observed [25,26] as they usually depend on multiple factors, such as the dose applied, the biostimulant source, the environmental conditions in which they are applied, the species and variety, and the type and formulation of the product [19,27,28].…”

Trenchant microbiological-based approach for the control of Striga: Current practices and future prospects

“…SL was found to be degraded by fungi in several investigations, which may have a negative impact on the ability of produced exudates to germinate Striga (Brun et al, 2018). PGPR, AMF and strains of bacteria are considered to be economical, promising and environmentally friendly (Babalola, 2010a;Le Mire et al, 2016). However, the effectiveness of this approach can be affected by a number a of stress factors under field conditions.…”

Vegetative and Reproductive Responses Induced by Organo-Mineral Fertilizers on Young Trees of Almond cv. Tuono Grown in a Medium-High Density Plantation

“…In this context, the goal of modern agriculture is to employ a sustainable fertilization strategy that complements chemical fertilizers. In this regard, the use of biofertilizers is suitable to improve nutrient use efficiency and ensure the stability of crop yields under both optimal and suboptimal conditions [8,9]. In this context, agricultural biostimulants (ABs), composed of organic and inorganic materials of various origins, many of which are still unknown, constitute an important category of agricultural inputs with multiple functions [10][11][12].…”