Boosting crop productivity: The essential role of biostimulants under abiotic stress conditions

Climate change has witnessed detrimental effects on the environment that significantly contribute to the loss of agricultural production and productivity. With the growing population and limited or rather decreasing land for cultivation, food insecurity has become a major concern globally. Contamination of all sorts, including injudicious use of chemicals and anthropological interventions for all important reasons like ensuring food security and other short-term benefits have turned out to be the major contributors to ecosystem and soil health degradation. To balance the situation, we have credible alternatives like biostimulants- both a necessity and a sustainable option. Biostimulants are substances used or added to reduce the intensity of the harmful effects caused by abiotic stress factors like drought, salinity, temperature, heavy metal and nutritional imbalance, thereby ensuring enhanced seed germination, crop growth and development and yield. The paper discusses in detail the various potent biostimulant applications humic substances (humic and fulvic acid), chitosan, seaweed extract, protein hydrolysates and other N-containing compounds, inorganic compounds, beneficial fungi and beneficial bacteria that play important roles in increasing resilience and reducing the ill effects that plants face due to abiotic stress. Additionally, also briefing about the necessity of the current agricultural scenario to switch to such sustainable, reliable and eco-friendly options to create a healthy, habitable globe for us and future generations to thrive. Research should identify optimal biostimulant combinations for interactions with fertilizers to enhance sustainable agriculture in the future.