Summary
This semi-systematic review synthesises evidence from 2010 onwards on the effects of EU-approved microbial biostimulants—arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria genera—on yield and quality of vegetable crops. Using rigorous PRISMA-based inclusion and exclusion criteria, the authors mapped which vegetable species responded most favourably to specific microbial inoculants and documented inoculation protocols. The work aims to provide extension specialists and growers with evidence-based guidelines for sustainable, nutrient-dense vegetable production.
UK applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK horticulture, as the review focuses on microbial biostimulants approved under EU Regulation 2019/1009, which remains the regulatory framework for UK plant biostimulant products. The inoculation protocols and crop-specific guidance would be relevant for UK vegetable growers seeking to adopt these sustainable microbial inputs.
Key measures
Vegetable crop yield; produce quality attributes; application protocols; crop-specific responses to AMF and nitrogen-fixing bacterial genera
Outcomes reported
The semi-systematic review assessed the quantitative effects of EU Regulation 2019/1009-approved microbial biostimulants (AMF, Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Rhizobium genera) on yield and quality attributes of vegetable crops. The study identified which vegetable crops received greatest benefit from specific microbial inoculants and documented application protocols employed in peer-reviewed research.
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