Plant Biostimulants and Growth Regulators in Sustainable Agriculture

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.

• 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 2. Usage of Fish By-Products as Biostimulants: An Overview of Market Potential, Relevant Legislation, and Regulation PART II: PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS 3. Production and Application of Biochar in Carbon Sequestration and Soil Fertility 4. Valorization of Organic Wastes from Agro-Food and Industrial By-Products for the Production of Growth-Promoting Biostimulants 5. Humic and Fulvic Acids as Biostimulants in Agriculture 6. Chitosan and Nanoparticulate Chitosan as a Plant Growth Stimulant and Protectant for Sustainable Agriculture 7. Fungal-Based Biostimulants and Growth Regulators for Plant Growth and Disease Resistance PART III: PLANT BIOSTIMULANTS IN BIOACTIVE COMPOUND PRODUCTION 8. How Biostimulants Enhance Artemisinin Production: A Review of Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives PART IV: PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS 9. A Review of the Diverse Roles of Brassinosteroids and Jasmonates as Plant Growth Regulators 10. Unlocking the Potential of Triacontanol: A Natural Biostimulant for Sustainable Agriculture 11. Recent Advancements in Gibberellic Acid (GA3) Production Technologies, Potential Applications, and Role in Horticultural Crop Production 12. Future Prospects of Endophytic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Sustainable Agriculture 13. The Role of Plant Growth Regulators in Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops PART V: NANOMATERIALS IN AGRICULTURE 14. Biogenic Synthesis of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials as Plant Biostimulants and Their Role in Sustainable Crop Production 15. Nano-Biofertilizers in Agriculture: A Sustainable Method for Increasing Crop Yields Index