A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Literature on Biostimulants

Abstract

A search of the term biostimulants on the most renowned scientific online databases such as Web of Science results in more than one thousand documents. Although some reviews have been previously published, there is no unified and comprehensive bibliometric review of the scientific literature related to biostimulants. This study examines the scientific literature on biostimulants from 2000 to February 2022 by conducting a bibliometric analysis of the literature published on the Web of Science database to deepen its evolution, trends, and macroareas to represent a quick reference guide for interdisciplinary researchers. We identify the most productive countries and journals, detect the major research streams and perspectives, and trace overall research development over the years. Furthermore, the results highlight aspects that have had little consideration in the current scientific literature, such as economic assessments of the use of biostimulants and more comprehensive explanations of the molecular mechanisms responsible for their positive effects.

Olive leaf spot caused by Venturia oleaginea: An updated review

“…Finally, worth of mentioning is also the use of biostimulants, which include microbials, botanicals and chemicals increasingly used in agriculture for their beneficial effects on plant growth and health ( Corsi et al., 2022 ). Recently, they have been also used in oliviculture to promote the growth and to protect olive trees from Verticillium wilt ( Almadi et al., 2020 ; Regni et al., 2021 ; Lopez-Moral et al., 2021 ).…”

Chemical Characterization of a Collagen-Derived Protein Hydrolysate and Biostimulant Activity Assessment of Its Peptidic Components

“…31,32 The numerous scientific papers describing the stimulatory activity of PHs on plant growth, mineral nutrient uptake and assimilation as well as protection against abiotic stress factors have highlighted the efficacy of PHs on a wide range of crops and their multifunctional ability to affect many physiological processes. 6,33 Despite the wealth of descriptive information on the beneficial effects of PHs, their mechanisms of action have been only partially addressed, partly in view of the intriguing fact that they exert their activity at concentrations on the order of mg•L −1 , thus usually excluding a simple nutritional effect. One proposed mode of action involves PHs having hormonal activity similar to that exerted by certain endogenous signaling peptides.…”

The Influence of Biostimulants Used in Sustainable Agriculture for Antifungal Protection on the Chemical Composition of Winter Wheat Grain

“…The increase in consumer demand for foods that do not contain potentially toxic residues is also not insignificant [ 16 ]. Therefore, the use of natural plant growth enhancers [ 17 ], referred to as biostimulants, which can be made from a variety of products (seaweeds, protein hydrolysates, humic substances, and microorganisms [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]), and which improve crops without causing unwanted side effects, is becoming increasingly important [ 21 , 22 ]. Biostimulants can perform numerous agronomic functions.…”

“…They differ from fertilizers in that they do not directly provide nutrients but promote in plants an improvement in the efficiency of nutrient uptake and assimilation [ 24 ], grain yield quality traits [ 25 ], and increase tolerance to biotic stresses (pest and pathogen activity) and abiotic stresses (drought, frost, salinity, heavy metal environmental pollution, etc.) [ 18 , 21 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Metabolites in biostimulants protect plants from environmental stresses, mainly by activating plant secondary metabolite pathways and mobilizing signalling molecules to activate defence responses [ 29 ].…”