Biostimulants for Improving Reproductive Growth and Crop Yield highlights their importance as a mechanism, specifically for this result. Intended to transform the latest scientific research into practical application, the book focuses on the effects of biostimulants on flower and fruit development and set, early flowering, pollen viability, germination, and other reproductive aspects. It covers a sustainable approach in utilization of these promising biostimulants in agriculture, horticulture, and floriculture for better productivity, and to feed a growing world population. Biostimulants are a group of substances of natural origin and/or microorganisms that offers the potential to reduce the dependency on harmful chemical fertilizers that cause environmental degradation. The application of biostimulants represents one of the most innovative and promising strategies to improve crop productivity.
Author Biography:
Ph.D. in Botany from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India in 2015. Her research field includes biostimulants, plant physiology, plant tissue culture, endophytes, plant biotechnology and analytical chemistry. She worked as an assistant professor at Baba Farid College, Punjab, and as a post-doctoral fellow at Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development (RCPGD), University of Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa. At present, she is working as a post-doctoral researcher at Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic and as a visiting researcher at the RCPGD, University of Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa. She has received a Y1 rating (Young Scientist) by National Research Foundation, South Africa. She has published 25 papers, 8 book chapters and an edited book on biostimulants and is Founder and Director of Gustaden Manuscript Services, India Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (1996) from Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Following postdoctoral work in Swedish Agriculture University Umea, Dept. of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, he joined as a researcher in Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Palacký University & Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR and is now a Deputy Head of the Department of Chemical Biology, Palacký University, Olomouc. In 2014 Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic awarded him a research professorship (DSc.). He has supervised 5 MSc, 10 Ph.D. students to completion and 2 postdoctoral fellows and has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers, over 150 conference presentations and has above 65 granted patents. Ph.D. in Botany from university of Natal, South Africa in 1970. He is the director of the Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, University of Natal, South Africa. His research field includes plant hormones, biostimulants, seed germination, senescence, stress physiology, post-harvest physiology, biotechnology and plant tissue culture, ethnobotany, secondary products and ethnomedicine. Prof Van Staden has supervised 82 MSc and 100 Ph.D. students and 70 Post-Docs. He is the author/co-author of more than 1400 papers which have been published in ISI rated journals. He has a number of publications that qualify as ‘citation classics’ (over 100 citations). Prof Van Staden is former Editor-in-Chief of the South African Journal of Botany.
