The use of bio-stimulants (BSs) has become an important policy in managing many stressed crop plants through the regulation of the balance of phytohormones, osmo-protectors (OPs), antioxidant systems, and gene expression, all of which reflect plant growth and productivity. Garlic + onion extract (GOE) at a concentration of 2.0–3.0% and diluted bee honey solution (BHs) at a concentration of 1.0–1.5% were applied exogenously to squash (Cucurbita pepo) plants subjected to cadmium (Cd) + lead (Pb) stress (0.3 mM CdCl₂ + 0.3 mM PbCl₂). The objective was to determine the effects of these treatments on growth characteristics, organic metabolites/biomolecules, and mineral nutrients. Cd + Pb stress significantly increased electrolyte leakage (EL, 103%) and malondialdehyde (MDA, 90%) because of an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂, 145%) and superoxide (O₂^•−, 152%) levels, and contents of abscisic acid (ABA, 164%), Cd (674–711%), and Pb (754–805%). Consequently, marked increases in the contents of OPs and non-enzymatic antioxidants (28–133%), activities of antioxidant enzymes (48–80%), and expressions of enzyme genes (60–84%) were observed. The administration of Cd + Pb treatment reduced plant growth and development parameters (25–59%), yield components (61–86%), photosynthetic components (27–67%), leaf proportional water content (26%), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 44%), gibberellic acid (GA₃, 56%), and cyto-kinin (CKs, 49%) contents. Nonetheless, the administration of GOE, BHs, and GOE + BHs attenuated the adverse impacts of Cd + Pb stress. The best treatment was GOE + BHs which significantly decreased EL (52%) and MDA (49%) because of a reduction of O₂^•– (61%), H₂O₂ (60%), ABA (63%), Cd (89–91%), and Pb (89–91%) levels. This positive outcome was linked to an increase in the OPs’ (22–46%) and non-enzymatic antioxidant (27–46%) levels, activities of enzymes (26–44%), and enzyme gene expressions (35–40%), all of which contributed to the promoted relative water content (RWC, 37%), pigment contents (47–194%), hormonal levels (82–132%), growth traits (31–149%), yield components (154–626%), and fruit quality traits (31–92%). From these results, it can be concluded that treatment of GOE + BHs is recommended as a foliar application to reduce the adverse effects of Cd + Pb stress treatment in squash.

Sweet sorghum seems to be one of the most promising energy crops for a wide range of ecological conditions thanks to its high yield potential and drought tolerance. A two-year field trial was conducted in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment in Turkey to evaluate the interactive effects of different nitrogen fertilizer levels (100, 150, and 200 kg ha⁻¹) and humic substances (0, 15, 30, and 45 L ha⁻¹) applications on the biomass and bioethanol yields of sweet sorghum, and combustion characteristics of its bagasse. Sweet sorghum showed a positive response to increased nitrogen fertilizer and humic subtances application levels in terms of biomass and bioethanol production. Lignocellulosic and total bioethanol yields significantly increased up to 2910 and 3336.6 L ha⁻¹ as a result of the combined application of the 200 kg ha⁻¹ N and 15 L ha⁻¹ humic subtances (HS), respectively. However, HS application had a detrimental effect on the bagasse combustion quality, because it caused a considerable increase in the mineral and ash concentrations. Briefly, combined application of 200 kg ha⁻¹ N and 15 L ha⁻¹ HS may be suggested to be applied for the sustainable bioethanol production from sweet sorghum, while the application of HS likely does not provide any economic and environmental benefit if bagasse would be used as solid biofuel feedstock.

Drought is a significant environmental stress that limits plant growth and yield. In this study, an investigation of guar, grown under different drought level conditions [(S0: 100% of field capacity), S1 (depletion of 75% the available water holding capacity), S2 (depletion of 50% the available water holding capacity), S3 (depletion of 25% the available water holding capacity), S4 (no applied irrigation water)] with regards to the impact of Chlorella vulgaris based microbial fertilizer on physiological, morphological, and enzymatic activity was performed. Microbial fertilizer applications significantly increased shoot length, fresh and dry weight of the shoot and root, and leaf number and area of guar plants compared to the only drought stress treatments. In addition, following the above-mentioned procedures, there were significant increases in the relative water content, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutation reductase (GR) activity. However, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly decreased. Hence, the results support the administration of a foliar application to the microbial fertilizer containing microalgae in order to increase the guar plant’s defense system, enabling it to tolerate the negative effects resulting from drought stress.

Among abiotic stresses, salinity is one of the most important affecting agricultural production world-wide. In this study, 5 different salt (NaCl) concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150 and, 200 mM) were investigated on the germination and antioxidative enzyme activity of Hungarian vetch seeds. The germination rates, shoot and root lengths, shoot and root fresh weights, shoot/root ratios, lipid peroxidation (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were evaluated and analyzed at 15 days after placing the seeds in petri dishes. The results indicated a significant variation in the germination and early seedling growth characteristic responses of the varieties to NaCl salinity. It was seen that increasing the NaCl concentration resulted in a decrease in the early seedling growth characteristic germination rates and values of all of varieties used in experiment. However, these decreased less in the tolerant varieties than in the sensitive ones. Under stress conditions, the tolerant varieties showed less of an increase in MDA and more of an increase in SOD, CAT, APX, and GR than the intolerant varieties, indicating that saline stress induces the production of reactive oxygen radicals, resulting in an increase MDA and oxidative stress in the varieties. In Hungarian vetch, this increase in the antioxidant enzyme activities is associated with salt stress tolerance. These results might be beneficial in breeding programs relevant to salinity stress resistance.