Recent advances in plant biotechnology are transforming the landscape of plant-soil interactions, offering novel insights and methods to optimize crop performance. These developments include the use of genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and CRISPR-based gene editing to enhance nutrient uptake, stress resilience, and rhizosphere dynamics. As we witness these rapid technological advancements, we are beginning to understand how to better adapt plants to the variability of soil environments and the challenges posed by changing climate conditions.

Additionally, innovations are allowing the cultivation of plants that can influence their surrounding microbiota, excrete beneficial bioactive compounds, and withstand soil challenges like salinity, drought, and nutrient deficiencies.

Despite the progress in integrating biotechnological advancements into agriculture, there is a pressing need to converge these innovations with soil science and digital agriculture systems. This Research Topic aims to spotlight the most recent breakthroughs in biotechnology that can bolster plant-soil systems, advocate for sustainable agricultural practices, and contribute to creating farming solutions resilient to climate change. Our goal is to address the existing gaps in knowledge by encouraging interdisciplinary research collaborations between biotechnologists, soil scientists, and digital agriculture experts.

To gain deeper insights into how biotechnology can reshape plant-soil dynamics within sustainable agriculture, we welcome articles on topics that include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Genetic engineering and CRISPR/Cas-mediated editing for improving root architecture, nutrient uptake, and rhizosphere interactions
• Technological approaches for developing plants with enhanced soil stress tolerance through digital soil mapping
• Microbiome engineering for selecting or designing beneficial microbial communities to promote plant growth
• Biofortification strategies aimed at improving soil nutrient utilization efficiency
• Utilization of synthetic biology in designing novel plant-microbe-soil systems
• Molecular breeding for traits promoting soil adaptability and sustainable productivity
• Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of plant-soil interaction traits
• Biostimulants and engineered biofertilizers as biotechnological innovations for soil health
• The integration of biotechnology with digital phenotyping, soil mapping, and precision agriculture
• Development and use of biosensors and molecular diagnostics for real-time monitoring of plant-soil health

This Research Topic aims to unite leading-edge research that bridges plant biotechnology, soil science, and sustainable agriculture. It will provide an interdisciplinary platform to discuss technological advances that can reshape how plants interact with soil ecosystems, improve agricultural resilience, and contribute to global food security goals.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

New Biotechnological Advances for Optimizing Plant-Soil Relationships in Sustainable Agriculture