Microbial Solutions for Restoring Depleted Soils

Agricultural practices and environmental pressures have led to the widespread depletion of soil nutrients, which crucially impacts soil health and agricultural productivity. Traditional methods such as chemical fertilizers offer a temporary boost but fail to address long-term soil sustainability. This has prompted a shift toward exploring how microbial solutions can restore and maintain soil fertility and structure. Recent studies highlight beneficial microbes' potential to enhance nutrient availability, improve pest resistance, and bolster plant health, therein contributing to the rejuvenation of degraded soils.

This Research Topic aims to explore microbial solutions as a sustainable alternative to chemical treatments for restoring depleted soils. It will investigate how the introduction of specific microbial communities into soil systems can lead to increased fertility, better pest resistance, and enhanced overall plant health. This includes examining interactions between microbes and plant roots, effects on soil biochemistry, and implications for long-term agricultural sustainability.

To gather further insights into the practical applications and impacts of microbial treatments in agriculture, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Efficacy of microbial solutions in different soil types
• Long-term impacts of microbial interventions on soil health
• Comparative analysis of microbial treatments and chemical fertilizers
• Innovations in microbial technology for soil restoration

Please note that Microbiotechnology does not consider descriptive studies that are solely based on amplicon (e.g., 16S rRNA) profiles, unless they are accompanied by a clear hypothesis and experimentation and provide insight into the microbiological system or process being studied.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Microbial Restoration, Soil Fertility, Beneficial Microbes, Sustainable Agriculture, Nutrient Uptake

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.