The Use of Biostimulants in Sustainable Viticulture

Abstract

Viticulture has a very wide application area in the world, which is great importance economically and in terms of human diet. The grapevine is evaluated in many areas, both grapes and leaves contain valuable compounds such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, organic acids, fats, proteins etc.. It has become inevitable that sustainable production techniques, the use of new integrated techniques, and sufficient sensitivity to protect human and environmental health have to be applied for viticulture which is of great importance in terms of human diet. Sustainable viticulture includes human and environment friendly production systems. It is seen that biostimulants, in other words bioactivators, are used within the scope of scientific researches and in viticulture applications in sustainable viticulture in the world. Containing organic or inorganic compounds, microorganisms; biostimulants are applicable to leaves, soil or seeds; positively affect plant growth, yield, nutrition, and product quality. It has been determined by various studies that biostimulants increase the resistance of plants to biotic and abiotic stress conditions and also regulates the soil structure. Biostimulants have been classified by some researchers as humic substances, amino acids and other nitrogenous compounds, seaweed and plant extracts, chitin and chitosan-like polymers, inorganic compounds, beneficial fungi and beneficial bacteria, waste, exudates and extracts of seeds, leaves and roots. Biostimulants have an important place within the scope of sustainable viticulture in areas such as protection of natural resources, especially soil and water, combating erosion and forest fires, ensuring biological diversity, and integrated pest management. The need to increase soil and plant productivity, to create ecological balance, and most importantly to protect the health of humans and other living things, is better seen each day. This need for a sustainable life and healthy continuity of future generations leads scientists and producers to friendly applications such as biostimulants.