Plant biostimulants are biological or biologically derived fertilizer additives and similar products applied to seeds, plants, the rhizosphere, soil or other growth media that are used in crop production to supplement and enhance existing agricultural practices and crop inputs.
They might achieve this by:
- Improving nutrient-use efficiency by enhancing nutrient availability or facilitating nutrient uptake
- Helping plants better tolerate abiotic stresses like heat, cold, drought/dry conditions, salinity and too much water
- Improving quality attributes like nutritional content, feeding value, appearance, and shelf-life
These benefits may contribute to improved soil health, enhanced crop growth/performance, improvement in sustainability measures (e.g., reductions in nutrient runoff or CO2 emissions) and increased crop yield.
Plant biostimulants are a separate category of products from fertilizers/plant nutrients and crop protection/pesticide products.