Microbiome engineering and plant biostimulants for sustainable crop improvement and mitigation of biotic and abiotic stresses

Globally, despite the intense agricultural production, the output is expected to be limited by emerging infectious plant diseases and adverse impacts of climate change. The annual increase in agricultural output to sustain the human population at the expense of the environment has exacerbated the current climate conditions and threatened food security. The demand for sustainable agricultural practice is further augmented with the exclusion of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Therefore, the application of plant microbiome engineering and (natural) biostimulants has been at the forefront as an environment-friendly approach to enhance crop production and increase crop tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. In this article, we explore the application of microbiome engineering and plant biostimulants as a sustainable approach to mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses and improving nutrient use efficiency to promote plant growth and increase crop yield. The advancement/understanding in plant-biostimulant interaction relies on the current scientific research to elucidate the extent of benefits conferred by these biostimulants under adverse conditions.