SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research / 2026 / Volume: 10 Issue: 1

Impact of microfertile® plant Biostimulant on Maize Growth and Yield under Different Climatic Conditions in Kenya

Darina Styriaková
Kimutai Winnie
Jaroslav šuba
Marta Prekopová
Iveta štyriaková
Ali Kaan Yetik
Wekha Wafula Nelson
Stavroula Zacharoudi
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-06-30
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The results obtained demonstrated that microfertile® plant significantly enhanced maize performance across key growth parameters, including plant height, ear length, grains per cob, and overall grain yield.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The objective of this study was to assess the effects of microfertile® plant biostimulant applications on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and yield under varying agro-ecological conditions in Kenya.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Five treatments were applied, including three application rates of microfertile® plant (3, 4 and 5 L/acre), a commercially available biostimulant as a reference, and an untreated control.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The results obtained demonstrated that microfertile® plant significantly enhanced maize performance across key growth parameters, including plant height, ear length, grains per cob, and overall grain yield.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Maize · biostimulants · microfertile® plant

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of microfertile® plant biostimulant applications on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and yield under varying agro-ecological conditions in Kenya. Five treatments were applied, including three application rates of microfertile® plant (3, 4 and 5 L/acre), a commercially available biostimulant as a reference, and an untreated control. The results obtained demonstrated that microfertile® plant significantly enhanced maize performance across key growth parameters, including plant height, ear length, grains per cob, and overall grain yield. The application of the high-rate microfertile® plant treatment (5 L/acre) resulted in the cultivation of the most elevated plants. In a similar manner, the mean ear length exhibited a marked increase in the 5 L/acre treatment, attaining a maximum of 13.0 cm, which signifies an augmentation of 43.2% in comparison with the control group (9.08 cm). With regard to reproductive parameters, the 4 and 5 L/acre microfertile® plant treatments achieved the highest grain counts per cob. Grain yield was found to be significantly influenced by the treatments applied. The highest yield was recorded in the 5 L/acre microfertile® plant. It is worthy of note that the lowest microfertile® plant rate (3 L/acre) exhibited superior performance in comparison to the reference biostimulant, thereby reinforcing the efficacy of microfertile® plant in augmenting maize yield. The 4 and 5 L/acre treatments resulted in a reduction of approximately 2-3 days in the time to reach maturity, in comparison with the reference biostimulant. This is a favorable adaptation for the management of planting schedules and the optimization of land use in the context of changing climate conditions. This study demonstrates the potential of microfertile® plant to function as a sustainable alternative to traditional inputs, thereby contributing to enhanced maize productivity and improved adaptability across diverse environments. The findings support the use of microfertile® plant as a climate-smart solution that aligns with the goals of sustainable agriculture.

🔖

Cite This Article

Styriaková, D., Winnie, K., šuba, J., Prekopová, M., štyriaková, I., Yetik, A. K., Nelson, W. W., Zacharoudi, S. (2026). Impact of microfertile® plant Biostimulant on Maize Growth and Yield under Different Climatic Conditions in Kenya. Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research, Volume: 10 Issue: 1. https://ajindex.com/articles/1481458

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (28)

  1. Baloyi T.C., Du Preez C.C. & Kutu F.R. 2014. Efficacy of seed, foliar and soil amendments for enhanced phenological growth of maize. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 60(7), 881-894.
  2. Baltazar M., Correia S., Guinan K.J., Sujeeth N., Bragança R. & Gonçalves B. 2021. Recent advances in the molecular effects of biostimulants in plants: An overview. Biomolecules, 11(8), 1096.
  3. Bashan Y., & de-Bashan L.E. 2010. How the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum promotes plant growth—a critical assessment. Advances in agronomy, 108, 77-136.
  4. Capo L., Sopegno A., Reyneri A., Ujvari G., Agnolucci M. & Blandino M. 2023. Agronomic strategies to enhance the early vigor and yield of maize part II: the role of seed applied biostimulant, hybrid, and starter fertilization on crop performance. Frontiers in plant science, 14, 1240313.
  5. Challinor A.J., Watson J., Lobell D.B., Howden S.M., Smith D. & Chhetri N. 2014. A meta-analysis of crop yield under climate change and adaptation. Nature climate change, 4(4), 287-291.
  6. Drobek M., Frąc M. & Cybulska J. 2019. Plant biostimulants: Importance of the quality and yield of horticultural crops and the improvement of plant tolerance to abiotic stress—A review. Agronomy, 9(6), 335.
  7. Du Plessis J. 2003. Maize production. Department of Agriculture Pretoria, South Africa.
  8. Ertani A., Nardi S. & Altissimo A. 2012. Long-term research activity on the biostimulant properties of natural origin compounds. I World Congress on the Use of Biostimulants in Agriculture 1009.
  9. FAO. 2021. Assessment of agricultural plastics and their sustainability: A call for action. Assessment of Agricultural Plastics and Their Sustainability: A Call for Action.
  10. Francis P.B., Earnest L.D. & Bryant K. 2016. Maize growth and yield response to a biostimulant amendment. Journal of Crop Improvement, 30(6), 632-640.
  11. Jha R. & Sharma A. 2025. Adoption of Agricultural Resources for Sustainable Environment. In Building Inclusive Global Knowledge Societies for Sustainable Development (pp. 29-42). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
  12. Kapela K., Sikorska A., Niewęgłowski M., Krasnodębska E., Zarzecka K. & Gugała M. 2020. The impact of nitrogen fertilization and the use of biostimulants on the yield of two maize varieties (Zea mays L.) cultivated for grain. Agronomy, 10(9), 1408.
  13. Layek J., Das A., Ramkrushna G.I., Trivedi K., Yesuraj D., Chandramohan M., Kubavat D., Agarwal P.K. & Ghosh A. 2015. Seaweed sap: a sustainable way to improve productivity of maize in North-East India. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 72(2), 305-315.
  14. Lima S.F., Jesus A.A., Vendruscolo E.P., Oliveira T.R., Andrade M.G.O. & Simon C.A. 2020. Development and production of sweet corn applied with biostimulant as seed treatment. Horticultura Brasileira, 38(1), 94-100.
  15. Malik A., Mor V.S., Tokas J., Punia H., Malik S., Malik K., Sangwan S., Tomar S., Singh P., & Singh N. 2020. Biostimulant-treated seedlings under sustainable agriculture: A global perspective facing climate change. Agronomy, 11(1), 14.
  16. Massah J. & Azadegan B. 2016. Effect of chemical fertilizers on soil compaction and degradation. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America, 47(1), 44-50.
  17. Parr J.F., Papendick R.I., Hornick S. & Meyer R. 1992. Soil quality: attributes and relationship to alternative and sustainable agriculture. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, 7(1-2), 5-11.
  18. Rouphael Y. & Colla G. 2020. Toward a sustainable agriculture through plant biostimulants: From experimental data to practical applications. Agronomy, 10, 146.
  19. Shahrajabian M.H., Chaski C., Polyzos N. & Petropoulos S.A. 2021. Biostimulants application: A low input cropping management tool for sustainable farming of vegetables. Biomolecules, 11(5), 698.
  20. Sible C.N. 2019. Plant growth regulators and biostimulants for use in varying management systems to improve corn grain yield. PhD Thesis, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
  21. Spinelli F., Fiori G., Noferini M., Sprocatti M. & Costa G. 2010. A novel type of seaweed extract as a natural alternative to the use of iron chelates in strawberry production. Scientia horticulturae, 125(3), 263-269.
  22. Štyriaková D., Hajnal-Jafari T., Žunić V., Šuba J., Prekopová M., Yetik A.K. & Štyriaková I. 2026. Influence of biostimulant applications on vegetative growth and yield of strawberry under full and reduced fertilization. DYSONA-Applied Science, 7(1), 41-49.
  23. Tejada M., Rodríguez-Morgado B., Paneque P. & Parrado J. 2018. Effects of foliar fertilization of a biostimulant obtained from chicken feathers on maize yield. European Journal of Agronomy, 96, 54-59.
  24. Testa G., Reyneri A. & Blandino M. 2016. Maize grain yield enhancement through high plant density cultivation with different inter-row and intra-row spacings. European Journal of Agronomy, 72, 28-37.
  25. Tripathi S., Srivastava P., Devi R.S. & Bhadouria R. 2020. Influence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides on soil health and soil microbiology. In Agrochemicals detection, treatment and remediation, p.25-54, Elsevier.
  26. Vidak M., Čeh D., Šatović Z., Budor I. & Carović-Stanko K. 2024. The impact of calcite-based biostimulants applied during the growing season on sweet pepper seed germination. Journal of Central European Agriculture, 25(3), 716-724.
  27. Zhang L., Zhang Z., Luo Y., Cao J. & Li Z. 2020. Optimizing genotype-environment-management interactions for maize farmers to adapt to climate change in different agro-ecological zones across China. Science of the Total Environment, 728, 138614.
  28. Ziosi V., Zandoli R., Vitali F. & Di Nardo A. 2012. Folicist®, a biostimulant based on acetyl-thioproline, folic acid and plant extracts, improves seed germination and radicle extension. I World Congress on the Use of Biostimulants in Agriculture 1009.