Plant Biostimulants and Growth Regulators in Sustainable Agriculture

Preface

PART I: PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS AND GROWTH REGULATORS: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

1. The Global Presence and Regulation Framework of Plant Biostimulants and Growth Regulators: An Overview

Deepak Kumar, Mahaveer P. Sharma, S. Shanthakumar, Mrinalini Banerjee, Tanvi Singh, and Manindra S. Hanspal

2. Usage of Fish By-Products as Biostimulants: An Overview of Market Potential, Relevant Legislation, and Regulation

Asha Kumari and Nutan Kaushik

PART II: PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS

3. Production and Application of Biochar in Carbon Sequestration and Soil Fertility

Umesh Patle, Deepak Kumar, Harsh Gupta, Ekta Pandre, Tulika Panigrahi, Veerendra K. Patel, and Vivek Kumar Singh

4. Valorization of Organic Wastes from Agro-Food and Industrial By-Products for the Production of Growth-Promoting Biostimulants

Ayushi Sharma and Nutan Kaushik

5. Humic and Fulvic Acids as Biostimulants in Agriculture

Ayesha, Pallavi Gaur, Tara Chand Yadav, Pankaj Gautam, Navin Kumar, and Payal Gupta

6. Chitosan and Nanoparticulate Chitosan as a Plant Growth Stimulant and Protectant for Sustainable Agriculture

Shivangni Singh, Vaidehi Bhagwat, G. Maheswari, Deepali Choudhari, and Vandana Ghormade

7. Fungal-Based Biostimulants and Growth Regulators for Plant Growth and Disease Resistance

Deepak Kumar, Sanjay K. Singh, Vishnu D. Rajput, Deepti Srivastava, Md. Shamim, and Raja Husain

PART III: PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS IN BIOACTIVE COMPOUND PRODUCTION

8. How Biostimulants Enhance Artemisinin Production: A Review of Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Dexter Achu Mosoh

PART IV: PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

9. A Review of the Diverse Roles of Brassinosteroids and Jasmonates as Plant Growth Regulators

Raja Husain, Sonika Pandey, Nitin Vikram, Subir Bose, Narendra Kumar, Lipi Rina, Deepak Kumar, Md. Shamim, Sonbeer Chack, N. A. Khan, and S. P. Tiwari

10. Unlocking the Potential of Triacontanol: A Natural Biostimulant for Sustainable Agriculture

Prince Choyal, Mahaveer P. Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Verma,  Giriraj Kumawat, and Gyanesh Kumar Satpute

11. Recent Advancements in Gibberellic Acid (GA3) Production Technologies, Potential Applications, and Role in Horticultural Crop Production

Sanchali Kundu, Koustav Mondal, Sanghati Kundu, and Somanjana Khatua

12. Future Prospects of Endophytic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Sustainable Agriculture

Perumalla Srikanth, Nutan Kaushik, Hemraj Chhipa, Takwa Marzouk, Azucena Gonzalez-Coloma, and Naceur Djébali

13. The Role of Plant Growth Regulators in Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops

Mohd Samama, Priyank Vyas, Navin Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, and Payal Gupta

PART V: NANOMATERIALS IN AGRICULTURE

14. Biogenic Synthesis of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials as Plant Biostimulants and Their Role in Sustainable Crop Production

Swapnaja Gulawani, Nusrat Iqbal, Saurabh Dubey, and Pratibha Srivastava

15. Nano-Biofertilizers in Agriculture: A Sustainable Method for Increasing Crop Yields

Shaniya Zehra, Prabha Rai Kalal, Mahaveer P. Sharma, and Anjana Jajoo

Index

Biography

Deepak Kumar, PhD, is Executive Director (R&D) at Nextnode Bioscience Pvt. Ltd., India, and Director (R&D) of the DSIR-recognized laboratory at Shri Ram Solvent Extractions Pvt. Ltd. His work focuses on biofertilizers, biopesticides, and agricultural biotechnology. He has published extensively and serves as a consultant and mentor in sustainable agriculture and agribusiness innovation. Sanjay K. Singh, PhD, is a Scientist ‘G’ and In-Charge of the Biodiversity and Paleobiology Group at the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India. His expertise includes fungal biology, biodiversity, plant pathology, and microbial repositories. He established the National Fungal Culture Collection of India and has published widely in mycology and agricultural sciences.

Nutan Kaushik, PhD, is Director General of the Food and Agriculture Foundation, Amity University, India. With extensive experience in biotechnology, plant protection, natural products, and agricultural policy, she has led numerous international and national research projects and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals.

Mahaveer P. Sharma, PhD, is Principal Scientist at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore, India. His research focuses on agricultural microbiology, mycorrhizal fungi, soil carbon sequestration, and plant growth-promoting microbes for sustainable crop production and climate resilience.