Identifying the Role of Biostimulants in Turnip (Brassica rapa L.) Production Compared with Chemical Fertilization

Abstract

Chemical fertilizers play an integral role in advancing food production to combat the increasing food challenges and ensure food security. Unfortunately, the overuse of these fertilizers has negatively influenced the soil and the environment. Considering this aspect, two pot experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of biostimulants in vegetable production systems. The first experiment compared the effects of chemical fertilizers (CF) with glycine (GL), aspartic acid (AA), lysine (LY), and vitamin B complex (VB). The plant’s physiological and morphological attributes and yield were studied. The results confirmed that VB has the potential to improve the rate of transpiration (26%), total chlorophyll content (27%), root diameter (213%), and dry matter (289%) compared with CF. In the second experiment, the effects of chemical fertilizers (CF) were compared with Isabion® (I), 25% CF + GL + LY (B1), 25% CF + GL + AA (B2), and 25% CF + AA + LY (B3). Similar attributes were analyzed to identify the influence of the applied treatments on turnip production. The results demonstrated that B2 enhanced the rate of photosynthesis (963%), transpiration (254%), and stomatal conductance (76%). Moreover, B1 improved the plant’s fresh weight (6%) and moisture contents (4%) compared to CF. In conclusion, biostimulants (LY, VB, and B1) are capable of improving turnip performance and production compared to CF. Future studies must focus on the efficiency of biostimulants against the long-term application effects on soils, nutrient-use efficiency, and crop production. Furthermore, the mechanism of action needs to be addressed in the future.