{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:55:08Z","timestamp":1787028908672,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":68,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782691200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"BioBOOST: Development of innovative competitive biostimulants and biofertilizers through cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms"},{"name":"European Union\u2014NextGenerationEU","award":["\u03a5\u03a03\u03a4A-0561393"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["\u03a5\u03a03\u03a4A-0561393"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Marine Drugs"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Microalgae represent a promising alternative as biofertilizers and biostimulants, providing essential nutrients and bioactive compounds that support plant growth. In this study, a screening of seven microalgal species\u2014including Arthrospira platensis, Nannochloris sp., Chlorella sp., Chlorella vulgaris, Acutodesmus obliquus, Parachlorella kessleri, Coelastrella vacuolata\u2014and one isolated mixed culture was conducted to evaluate their potential as biostimulants and biofertilizers under autotrophic cultivation conditions. Whole cultures and corresponding supernatants were directly applied, without any pretreatment, reducing potential processing costs. Their biostimulant activity was evaluated through multiple bioassays, including germination index and auxin- and cytokinin-like responses, while nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content was analyzed to assess biofertilizer potential. The results revealed that biostimulant effects were strongly influenced by species, concentration, and sample fraction. Chlorella species consistently showed high performance across assays, combining strong germination and rooting responses with high nitrogen content (8.2\u20138.8% w\/w), while A. platensis and Nannochloris sp. showed inhibitory effects in many cases. Overall, under the cultivation and application conditions tested, C. vulgaris, mixed culture, and A. obliquus are identified as promising candidates for combined biostimulant and biofertilizer applications. This study is a primary step in identifying the most promising species as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers, enabling further optimization towards more sustainable agricultural practices.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/md24070228","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T08:45:20Z","timestamp":1782722720000},"page":"228","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Screening of Microalgal Species for Biostimulant and Biofertilizer Applications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Eirini","family":"Sventzouri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleni","family":"Pagkaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sotirios","family":"Zerveas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization\u2014DIMITRA, Sof. Venizelou 1, 14123 Lykovrysi, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2507-9080","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giorgos","family":"Markou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization\u2014DIMITRA, Sof. Venizelou 1, 14123 Lykovrysi, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6691-6925","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Kornaros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Singh, R., Parihar, P., Singh, M., Bajguz, A., Kumar, J., Singh, S., Singh, V.P., and Prasad, S.M. (2017). Uncovering Potential Applications of Cyanobacteria and Algal Metabolites in Biology, Agriculture and Medicine: Current Status and Future Prospects. Front. 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