Potential Aspects of Agro-Industrial By-Products in Circular Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

The continuous growth of the world population is putting higher demands on the world's food supply. Therefore, it is urgent to find environmentally friendly ways to promote plant growth and increase crop productivity. On the one hand, the abuse and misuse of chemical fertilizers has led to a general decline in soil quality, accelerating the deterioration of soil quality and reducing agricultural output worldwide. In addition, excessive reliance on inorganic fertilizers reduces the abundance, availability, or uptake of soil nutrients, compromising the function of the native plant growth-promoting rhizobium (PGPR). On the other hand, the increasing production of industrial organic wastes and other residues poses significant economic, social and environmental challenges. However, industrial wastes are often rich in fatty acids, volatile organic compounds, proteins and carbohydrates, and can act as a source of nutrients for crops and as a stimulant for the microbiota, promoting plant growth without damaging the environment. Considering this, hazardous industrial waste can be used to improve soil fertility, plant stress resistance and crop productivity, as well as balance nutrient cycling. Its agricultural utilization plays an important role in the realization of circular agriculture.

This Special Issue focuses on the novel utilization of industrial by-products and wastes for promoting soil fertility and nutritional status. We welcome novel research, reviews and opinion articles covering all aspects of using newly developed biofertilizers derived from industrial co-products to stretch the native PGPR microbiome. Moreover, improved farming techniques, including new eco-friendly compounds, that can help meet the increasing worldwide demand for food will be an essential part of this Special Issue. Finally, agronomic studies assessing these co-products as PGPR inoculants in sustainable agriculture are also welcome.

Dr. David Correa-Galeote
Dr. Antonio Serrano
Guest Editors

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