# Enhancing Plant Growth and Yield Quality Through Molybdenum Application: Trends, Future and Directions

**Authors:** Kovács Béla, Eva Bodi, Szilvia Várallyay, Shaikh Ayaz Mukarram, Abdelhakam Esmaeil Mohamed Ahmed

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/plants15040585 · Plants · 2026-02-12

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how molybdenum improves plant growth and crop quality, highlighting research trends and future directions for sustainable agriculture.

## Contribution

A comprehensive bibliometric and physiological analysis of molybdenum's role in plant growth from 1999 to 2025, identifying research gaps and future priorities.

## Key findings

- Molybdenum plays a key biochemical role in plant nutrition and enhances crop production and quality.
- Research gaps include large-scale field validation and understanding Mo requirements under stress conditions.
- Future studies should focus on multi-location trials and omics techniques to optimize Mo use in agriculture.

## Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive synthesis of molybdenum (Mo) research from 1999 to 2025, analyzing 500 peer-reviewed publications from the Web of Science, with a detailed analysis of 200 documents focusing on Mo’s role in plant nutrition and growth. This integrated approach highlights the evolving scientific focus on Mo, emphasizing its biochemical functions and agronomic importance in enhancing crop production and quality. These findings underscore Mo’s critical contribution to sustainable agriculture and align with the global food security goals outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This review identifies key research gaps, including the need for large-scale field validation, crop- and soil-specific Mo requirements, and nutrient interaction studies under stressful conditions. Future research should prioritize multi-location trials and advanced omics techniques to optimize Mo management and improve crop resilience and yield. Limitations include reliance on English, open-access publications, and variability across studies; however, the combined bibliometric and physiological analysis offers a robust foundation for advancing Mo research in agriculture.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** molybdenum (PubChem CID 23932)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** whiplash (MESH:D014911), soil infertility (MESH:D005242), chlorotic lesions (MESH:D009059), Mo (MESH:C535811), iron deficiency (MESH:D000090463), chlorosis (MESH:D000747), necrotic (MESH:D009336), MoAPG (MESH:D006130), Fe deficiency (MESH:D007153), malnutrition (MESH:D044342), nodulation (MESH:D016606), injury to (MESH:D014947), deficiency disease (MESH:D003677), toxicity (MESH:D064420)
- **Chemicals:** purine (MESH:C030985), W (MESH:D014414), Fe (MESH:D007501), V (MESH:D014639), B (MESH:D001895), MoO42- (MESH:C044659), lime (MESH:C016538), Mn (MESH:D008345), indoleacetic acid (MESH:C030737), sulfite (MESH:D013447), Mo (MESH:D008982), ascorbic acid (MESH:D001205), Cu (MESH:D003300), sodium molybdate (MESH:C024687), ammonia (MESH:D000641), Zn (MESH:D015032), sulfate (MESH:D013431), P (MESH:D010758), phosphate (MESH:D010710), K (MESH:D011188), acid (MESH:D000143), sugar (MESH:D000073893), nitrate (MESH:D009566), ammonium molybdate (MESH:C022175), abscisic acid (MESH:D000040), S (MESH:D013455), pterin (MESH:D011622), metal (MESH:D008670), Si (MESH:D012825), (NH4)6Mo7O24 4H2O (-), oil (MESH:D009821), Se (MESH:D012643), carbon (MESH:D002244), chlorophyll (MESH:D002734), N (MESH:D009584), nickel (MESH:D009532)
- **Species:** Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (curled-leaved tobacco, species) [taxon 4092], Oryza sativa (Asian cultivated rice, species) [taxon 4530], Brassica oleracea (wild cabbage, species) [taxon 3712], Azotobacter chroococcum (species) [taxon 353], Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower, varietas) [taxon 3715], Triticum aestivum (bread wheat, species) [taxon 4565], Carex duriuscula (species) [taxon 69871], Hordeum vulgare (barley, species) [taxon 4513], Lathyrus oleraceus (garden pea, species) [taxon 3888], Leymus chinensis (species) [taxon 52714], Brassica rapa subsp. rapa (turnip, subspecies) [taxon 51350], Arachis hypogaea (goober, species) [taxon 3818], Trifolium repens (creeping white clover, species) [taxon 3899], Vigna unguiculata (cowpea, species) [taxon 3917], Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean, species) [taxon 3885], Glycine max (soybean, species) [taxon 3847], Stipa baicalensis (species) [taxon 408127], Rhizobium (genus) [taxon 379], Spinacia oleracea (spinach, species) [taxon 3562], Cicer arietinum (chickpea, species) [taxon 3827], Medicago sativa (alfalfa, species) [taxon 3879], Brassica napus (oilseed rape, species) [taxon 3708], Powellomyces sp. EA (species) [taxon 252690], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Lactuca sativa (cultivated lettuce, species) [taxon 4236], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Aspergillus niger (species) [taxon 5061], Larix potaninii var. chinensis (varietas) [taxon 154025], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Helianthus annuus (common sunflower, species) [taxon 4232], Zea mays (maize, species) [taxon 4577]

## Full text

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## Figures

15 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12944658/full.md

## References

162 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12944658/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12944658