Innovative Soil Amendments for Food Security: Biochar, Nanoparticles and Waste Valorization
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 17
Special Issue Editor
Interests: biochar; food quality; heavy metals; nanoparticles; phytoremediation; plant production; soil fertilization; waste valorization
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleague,
The excessive and hazardous use of fertilizers has had a negative impact on soil quality and plant production. As a result, soil microorganisms are significantly affected, resulting in the degradation of soil health. This necessitates further research to find more practical, cost-effective, and less harmful ways to deal with the emerging issue of fertilizers. The degradation of soil health is reflected by a decrease in plant production, which directly impacts the problem of food security: a matter of global health alarm. Waste valorization is one of the key solutions to address the unprecedented hazardous disposal of agri-food and industrial residues. Numerous waste recycling initiatives, such as soil amendments, have shown interesting findings, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations (UN). Regarding this concern, during the last decade, biochar has played key roles in the fight against hunger by promoting soil physicochemical properties, soil microbial communities, plant growth and development, and food production and quality. Nanoparticles have helped reduce the reliance on large amounts of organic/inorganic fertilizers by providing effective dissolution, less soil leaching, and heavy metal bioaccumulation, causing significant increases in plant production. On the other hand, phytoremediation is a process that emerged in the last decade; it helps reduce heavy metal bioaccumulation and improve plant–soil-microbiome interactions. Such a process ensures healthier soil for beneficial microbe emergence along with the improved development of the plant production sector.
Therefore, the current Special Issue aims to explore the following:
- Empower waste valorization and its reuse as soil amendment to achieve improved plant production and food safety.
- Support the use of biochar produced mainly from plant materials or food/forest waste for the improvement of soil health, plant production, and enhanced soil–plant-microbiome interactions.
- Increase reliance on nanoparticles (organic/inorganic sources) to reduce the impact of highly disposable fertilizers in agricultural soils on all forms of life.
- Support the emergence of phytoremediation and its high impact on soil enzymatic activity, plant–soil-microbiome interactions, and pollutant reduction.
Dr. Sami Abou Fayssal
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- food security
- soil–plant-microbiome interactions
- soil amendment
- waste valorization
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