About this Research Topic

Background

With a projected rise in global population to 9.7 billion by 2050, along with competition for land and water resources and the impact of climate change, current and future food security is dependent on the ability to increase soil fertility and plant nutrient uptake. A healthy soil capable of providing balanced nutrients to plants is the basis for improving productivity. Each year, an estimated 24 billion tons of fertile soil are lost due to erosion. In addition, the most fertile soils worldwide have been degraded over decades of intensive production due to unsustainable practices that have led to nutrient mining and rapid mineralization of soil organic carbon. Along with other soil degradation processes, the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management (FAO, 2017) identified nutrient imbalance as a significant obstacle on the road to food security as it directly affects food production, quality and nutritional value, and safety.

The solution to the crisis is not simply to increase fertilizer production; additional efforts are required to consolidate and promote alternative fertilizer sources such as manures, biochar, bio-fertilizers, nano-fertilizers, and beneficial microbes, as well as the pursuit of new sources and technologies for cheaper, cleaner, and more effective soil nutrition. To guarantee sustainable use and management of soil and water resources, as well as to increase plant nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency, a holistic and integrated approach to soil and plant nutrient management is required. Moreover, nutrient management and restoration of contaminated soils not only conserve the land (SDG#15) but also improve the fertility status of soil to help to sustain food security (SDG#2).

This Research Topic will expand on the findings of the latest original research, and reviews regarding integrated plant and soil fertility management in normal and stressed environments. This Research Topic which will focus on soil and plant nutrient management innovations that contribute to optimizing resource use, improving food nutritional value, and maximizing crop productivity, while minimizing negative impacts on natural resources. We welcome all types of submissions on the following (but not limited to) key topics:

• Setting the scene on the status and challenges of soil and plant nutrient management.
• Bio-organic amendments for sustainable agriculture and innovation on fertilizers.
• Plant-microbe interactions for sustainable agriculture & environment.
• Emerging techniques for management of abiotic stress in plants.

Keywords: Nutrient imbalances, bio-fertilizers, beneficial microbes, field crops, soil health, food security, climate change

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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