Advancements in Biofertilizer Research: Impacts on Soil Fertility and Plant Development

Dear Colleagues,

Biofertilizers consisting of microbials, originating mainly from phytobiomes, are becoming key biotechnological innovations aimed at enhancing plant growth, nutrition, health, and stress resilience. Biofertilizer development has emerged as a solution to some pressing issues in agroecosystems, such as soil degradation, environmental contamination, ecosystem disturbance, and human health hazards. The utilization of biofertilizers and related microbial applications is geared at improving plant development and yield while maintaining soil fertility and soil quality, ultimately attaining sustainable agroecosystems. The utilization of biofertilizers and microbials in the field also faces recurring thematic challenges, including the appropriate selection of effective bioinoculants generally considered as safe; the successful delivery of bioinoculants, strain establishment and plant colonization; and the reliable and repeatable intended efficacy of biofertilizers and microbials. These multiple challenges have led to advancements in biofertilizer research, increasing our understanding and further improving biotechnological innovations in biofertilizers. Continuous research on multiple aspects of biofertilizers, especially for field conditions, ranges from the improvement of formulations, the development of alternative delivery approaches, and a greater consideration of the plant–microbiome assembly and dynamics, to the incorporation of microbiome-based concepts and plant–microbe–microbiome interactions into the design of biofertilizers and microbial inoculants. These are also guided by the increasing knowledge brought about by the development of omics-related technologies and analyses. In addition, whether biofertilizers are designed as a single inoculant or synthetic communities (SynComs), global scenarios indicate the need to incorporate dynamic environmental conditions aggravated by anthropogenically driven climate change and contaminants. Agroecosystems being under increasing environmental stress is an emerging global threat, where biofertilizers and microbials are potential key players in the search for solutions. The continued advancement of research in biofertilizers and microbials is becoming ever more important in tackling global issues in agroecosystems, as biofertilizers greatly impact soil fertility and plant development towards sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Tongmin Sa
Dr. Denver I. Walitang
Guest Editors

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• biofertilizers
• formulation and delivery
• microbials
• plant growth and development
• plant–microbe–microbiome interactions
• soil fertility
• stress
• sustainable agriculture
• synthetic communities (SynComs)