BIOSTIMULANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAIZE CROPS

Abstract

The increase in food demand stimulates activities aimed at improving the productivity and quality characteristics of the crops obtained. Maize (Zea mays L.) is one such plant, which, along with wheat and rice, is one of the three most important crops in the world due to its many uses. Modern agriculture tends to minimize the use of mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products, which are replaced by products with natural origin. This group includes the biostimulants that have, as one of the main tasks, stress mitigation. Climate change alters regular weather seasonality and maize is one of the main crops affected by irregular water regimes.
Biostimulants have attracted the attention of maize growers due to their effectiveness in promoting morphological, physiological and biochemical processes in crops. The biostimulants boosts the physiological activity of plants by stimulating the photosynthetic process. Recent results from the specialized literature show that the application of biostimulants enhances the physiological performance of maize under both optimal environmental conditions and abiotic stress caused by water deficit. In this context, the use of biostimulants can be a useful tool to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on maize plants.