Bioremediation of Agricultural Contaminants: Microbial and Plant–Microbe Strategies

Dear Colleagues,

The contamination of agricultural soils due to the excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other pollutants poses a serious environmental risk, affecting soil health, water quality, and biodiversity, as well as food security. Bioremediation, which is a sustainable approach, uses microbial and plant–microbe interactions to efficiently detoxify contaminated environments. Microorganisms such as archaea, bacteria, fungi, and algae can break down pollutants, transforming harmful chemicals into less-toxic or non-toxic forms. Among microbial strategies, biodegradation, biosorption, and bioaccumulation are key processes used in contaminant removal. In addition, plant-assisted bioremediation, or phytoremediation, enhances pollutant decomposition by using plants and their associated microbes to immobilize, absorb, and degrade toxins. Rhizoremediation, a subset of phytoremediation, relies on root-associated bacteria to accelerate pollutant degradation. Endophytic bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi further enhance the efficiency of this process by improving soil structure and promoting plant resilience. The application of bioaugmentation and biostimulation can optimize microbial activity, ensuring a faster remediation process. The synergy between plants and microbes is a promising approach for the mitigation of pesticide residues, heavy metals, and other organic pollutants (antibiotic residues). Recent advances explore genetically modified microbes and synthetic biology approaches to enhance biodegradation capabilities. Although bioremediation is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, challenges such as variability in environmental conditions and microbial viability require further research. Therefore, the objective of this Special Issue is to explore innovative research that contributes to the field of bioremediation, focusing on the interactions between microbial communities and plants, as well as other biotechnologies to mitigate the impact of agro-industrial residues on soil.

Prof. Dr. Adijailton José de Souza
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Santoyo
Dr. Ma. Del Carmen Orozco-Mosqueda
Guest Editors

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