"This book is what a review should be...a complete book on a hugely relevant topic...It is a preview of a new era in agricultural development that brings excitement and vast potential to tackle the challenge of feeding a growing population sustainably." Review in Bio Based Press "In addition to being well written and structured, this book is edited by some of the most prominent authors in the field of biostimulants...It meets the need for a reliable and comprehensive review on current legislation, challenges and peer-reviewed scientific results... a comprehensive guide to the potential roles of the different biostimulant categories in sustainable agriculture." Chronica Horticulturae With increasing concerns about the environmental impact of fertilizers, there is a growing need for the sector to develop more sustainable, 'climate-smart' methods of crop production. Biostimulants have attracted growing attention since they offer the potential to enhance yields through stimulating natural processes in crops. Biostimulants for sustainable crop production provides a comprehensive review of the key advances in understanding and using biostimulants. This collection covers the major groups of biostimulants, from humic substances and seaweed extracts to protein hydrolysates and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), as well as the practical application of biostimulants in areas such as enhancing nutrient use efficiency (NUE). With its distinguished editors and international range of expert authors, Biostimulants for sustainable crop production will be a standard reference for those researching crop nutrition, government and other bodies supporting more sustainable agriculture as well as agronomists and farmers.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on biostimulant applications in agriculture. The first chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the optimal design and formulation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulants. The chapter presents two case studies to demonstrate the successful commercialisation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulant products. The second chapter considers the utilisation of humic substances (HS) as plant biostimulants in agriculture and their impact on the physical and chemical properties of soil. The chapter also discusses the production of HS. The third chapter reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key biostimulants such as Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Trichoderma species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The fourth chapter assesses recent advances in the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a means of enhancing crop root function and nutrient use. The chapter also considers the challenge of practical adoption and use of PGPR in commercial agricultural settings. The final chapter reviews the utilisation of biostimulants as an integrated pest management tool in horticulture. The chapter considers their role in promoting plant growth, building soil structure, as well as pest and disease suppression.