Potential Role of Vermicompost in Abiotic Stress Tolerance of Crop Plants: A Review

Abstract

Abiotic stress is a major component in crop loss worldwide because it can change a plant's physiological processes, making it more vulnerable to viruses and pests while also restricting its ability to survive and thrive. The overuse of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides in modern conventional agriculture contributes to major environmental issues such as water contamination, soil salinization and degradation, and biodiversity loss. Therefore, in the future, more sustainable farming practices will be needed to assure food security and production despite such unfavorable environmental conditions. Applying organic fertilizer would be the most effective and environmentally responsible way to attain this goal while addressing environmental issues. Earthworms and microbes work together to break down organic matter to create vermicompost (VC), which is nutrient-rich and microbiologically active. By modifying the physiological, biological, and biochemical processes of the crop plants, vermicompost has the potential to significantly improve plant growth, flowering, crop productivity, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), and translocation, as well as increasing tolerance to a wide range of abiotic stresses. The current research aimed to determine whether vermicompost may help vegetable crops manage abiotic challenges to achieve food security in a sustainable manner. Particular focus was placed on the physiological changes that occur in plants under stressful environmental conditions and how vermicompost plays a vital role in helping plants adapt to these stresses.