REVIEW article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Aquatic Photosynthetic Organisms
This article is part of the Research TopicMicroalgal Biomass: Unraveling Sustainable Applications in Plant Stress Response and Soil ImprovementView all articles
Microalgae and cyanobacteria as a tool for agricultural sustainability: A review of biofertilizer and biostimulant potential
Provisionally accepted
- 1Yantai University, Yantai, China
- 2Hexi University, Zhangye, China
- 3Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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Microalgae and cyanobacteria are emerging as sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, offering nutrient recycling, stress mitigation, and environmental restoration within the framework of circular bioeconomy. This review synthesizes recent advances in the utilization of cyanobacteria and green microalgae as biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biopesticides, emphasizing their physiological mechanisms and agronomic potential. Microalgae and cyanobacteria can fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize phosphorus, and supply essential micronutrients through exopolysaccharides, organic acids, and siderophores, thereby improving soil fertility and structure. Their metabolites, including phytohormones, amino acids, and antioxidants, stimulate seed germination, root growth, nutrient uptake, and tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Moreover, allelochemicals and antimicrobial compounds from microalgae can suppress plant pathogens and reduce pesticide dependence. Integrating microalgae cultivation with wastewater and flue gas utilization promotes nutrient recycling and CO2 sequestration, further enhancing environmental sustainability. However, large-scale application remains limited by biomass production costs, inconsistent performance under field conditions, and regulatory uncertainty. Overall, microalgae-based fertilizers and biostimulants hold great promise for sustainable crop production and soil health improvement. Future research should focus on low-cost cultivation and harvesting technologies, field scale validation, and standardized product formulations to accelerate the transition toward climate smart and resource sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Biopesticide, Circular economy, Economic viability, phytohormones, sustainable agriculture
Received: 27 Oct 2025; Accepted: 17 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhongliang, Liu, Ugya, Liu, Sun and Luo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Guanghong Luo
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