Mohammad Saghir Khan Bücher

The increasing human population presents a significant challenge for agriculture to produce more food. To address this, environmentally harmful agrochemicals have been widely used, especially during the green revolution, to combat soil nutrient deficiencies. While these chemicals have improved plant production, they have also severely harmed soil health and fertility, negatively impacting crop productivity and sustainability. Concerns about the disruption of microbial diversity and soil fertility, along with economic pressures, have led to research into new agro-biotechnologies. These innovations aim to achieve competitive yields by supplying essential nutrients while protecting soil health from toxic pollutants. In this context, naturally abundant microorganisms, such as biofertilizers, are gaining importance for their potential to supplement plant nutrients with lower environmental impact and cost. Current sustainability efforts focus on effectively utilizing soil microbial communities and leveraging inexpensive, less bioavailable nutrient sources that can be made accessible to plants through microbial processes. This approach seeks to balance agricultural productivity with environmental stewardship.