Biostimulants as a Tool for Mitigating Water Deficit Stress in Strawberry Cultivation

This bibliometric review analyzed research published between 2020 and 2025 addressing water stress in strawberry plants and evidenced the use of biostimulants as a promising tool in mitigating this stress. Water requirement of strawberry plants varies according to the agroecosystem of cultivation and genotype used to establish the crop. Strawberry plants develop large leaves with a high water content and stomata, which results in high transpiration rates. Under water deficit, the photosynthetic capacity of the plant is reduced and the water content in the leaves is lower. Additionally, molecules such as proline, catalase, and peroxidase are produced, indicating enzymatic oxidative stress. Conversely, the fruit quality is positively influenced when the plant suffers water restrictions (up to 75% of the pot/field capacity). The use of biostimulants represents a potential biotool to mitigate water deficit in strawberry plants, such as the application of organic acids, plant extracts, seaweed, bacteria, and fungi. The use of these products in situations of water deficit or aiming at a reduction in water consumption is still a topic of research gaining attention. Therefore, the application of biostimulants combined with irrigation management with lower water consumption corroborates the search for more productive and sustainable agri-food systems.