Meet the editors

Dr. Seyed Mahyar Mirmajlessi is a highly experienced plant pathologist with particular expertise related to disease management, plant-pathogen interactions, and biological control. He received his MSc degree in plant pathology with a specialization in genetic diversity of plant-pathogenic fungi. He earned his Ph.D. degree in molecular plant pathology from the Estonian University of Life Sciences. His career continued as a postdoc-

toral researcher in plant protection at Ghent University, Belgium. Dr. Mirmajlessi has acted as reviewer and editorial board member for a number of scientific journals published by Elsevier, Springer, APS, and ACS. He has also published several research articles in various international peer-reviewed journals. Currently, he is working as senior research associate in the Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium.

Dr. Ramalingam Radhakrishnan was born in India. He has received several research awards and fellowships during his Doctor of Philosophy studies and he has made a significant contribution in 'Application of magnetic field on improvement of crop plants'. His research was honored by the Chinese Academy of Science providing financial support to present his findings in an international conference held in China. Professionally, he has been employed

as a post-doctoral researcher, research professor, and assistant professor in India and South Korean universities and research institutes. His major research finding is the utilization of microbes or elicitors to improve the crop under environmental stress conditions and biological weed control. He has published several research and review papers as main author in reputed journals, books, and conferences.

Contents

**Section 1**

Abiotic Stresses

in Agriculture

*and Ritesh Kundu*

*by Shishir Raut*

**Section 2**

**Preface XI**

Elucidation of Biostimulant Functions on Promoting Plant Growth **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

**Chapter 2 17**

**Chapter 3 25**

**Chapter 4 51**

**Chapter 5 75**

Bioavailability **87**

**Chapter 6 89**

Biostimulants and Their Role in Improving Plant Growth under

Application of Bacteria as a Prominent Source of Biofertilizers

Applications and Constraints of Plant Beneficial Microorganisms

Biochar: A Vital Source for Sustainable Agriculture

*and Adegboyega Christopher Odebode*

Role of Fungi in Agriculture

*by Kanayo Stephen Chukwuka, Akinlolu Olalekan Akanmu, Barachel Odaro-Junior Umukoro, Micheal Dare Asemoloye* 

*by Muthuraman Yuvaraj and Murugaragavan Ramasamy*

Role of Soil Microbes on Crop Yield against Edaphic Factors of Soil

The Role of Bacterial and Fungal Communities on Enhancing Nutrient

*by Ana Carolina Feitosa de Vasconcelos and Lúcia Helena Garófalo Chaves*

*by Prabakaran Elavarasi, Muthuraman Yuvaraj and Pandurangan Gayathri*

*by Sovan Debnath, Deepa Rawat, Aritra Kumar Mukherjee, Samrat Adhikary* 

### Contents



Preface

Over the past few years, natural-based crop production substances, 'plant biostimulants', have been considered as environmentally friendly alternatives to agrichemicals. A plant biostimulant describes any microorganism and/or substance applied to seeds, plants, or soil microbiota to promote plant physiological pathways such as mineral nutrient uptake, crop quality, growth regulation, and tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions. Nowadays, a large number of biostimulants are found as a complex chemical mixture originated from biological processes with plant-nutritive elements as bioinoculants enhancing nutrient availability to plants. In this sense, biostimulants may comprise fungal or bacterial inoculants, humic acids, amino acids, fulvic acids, seaweed extracts, etc. Biostimulants have biopesticide and

Elucidations on direct or microbially mediated functions of biostimulants are presented in this book to illustrate fundamental principles, modes of action, and recent applications underlying this technology. The papers selected for this book comprise a cross-section of topics that reflect an overview on concepts of plant biostimulants from different points of view in order to describe effective strategies for using these substances and/or beneficial microorganisms within sustainable agroecosystems. This book, "Biostimulants in Plant Science", encompasses two main sections covering nine reviews focused on 'Elucidation of biostimulant functions on promoting plant growth', and 'The role of bacterial and fungal communities on enhancing nutrient bioavailability'. I hope that these chapters adequately reflect the

The first chapter, "Biostimulants and Their Role in Improving Plant Growth under Abiotic Stresses", discusses the use of biostimulants in plant growth according to the raw material used in their compositions as well as their effects on plants subjected

The second chapter, "Application of Bacteria as a Prominent Source of Biofertilizers", provides an overview of different bacterial biofertilizers and its associations with plants and nutrients transformations in soil. This chapter adopts a rational approach to use for the management of microbial fertilizers in sustainable agriculture and it

The third chapter, "Applications and Constraints of Plant Beneficial Microorganisms in Agriculture", introduces biofertilizers as highly potent alternatives to inorganic fertilizers and also as an economically attractive route for augmenting nutrient supply. Beneficial microorganisms have the potential ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize and mobilize plant nutrients from the insoluble form through a

The fourth chapter, "Biochar: A Vital Source for Sustainable Agriculture", reviews the contributions of biochar technology to environmental sustainability and food

biostimulant utilities affecting their regulatory classification.

*Elucidation of Biostimulant Functions on Promoting Plant Growth*

objectives of this compilation.

has vast potential for the future.

microbiological process.

to abiotic stresses.
