5 - Revisiting soil-plant-microbes interactions: Key factors for soil health and productivity

Abstract

Under the current global climate change scenario, the gradual worldwide surges in population, industrialization, urbanization, and fertile agricultural land shortage are creating tremendous pressure for corresponding increases in food production with sustainable utilization of agrochemicals to maintain soil health and increased productivity. However, traditional agrochemicals support a sufficient level of crop production for our growing population but cannot conserve the fitness of Mother Nature. Ecological disturbances are continuously rising in soil and water bodies, such as biomagnification of toxic agrochemicals in the food chain of water or terrestrial ecosystems, development of a varying degree of resistance in pests, and acceleration in various health-related issues in humans and animals. Therefore, it is essential to utilize the facilities of positive aspects of soil-plant-microbes interactions to maintain sustainable agriculture by curtailing the use of poisonous agrochemicals. Plants and microorganisms are the indispensable constituents of the biosphere, and their interactions are helpful to maintain healthy biogeochemical cycles. Thus, considering the efficiency of such soil-borne microbes becomes requisite for agricultural products’ qualitative and quantitative increment. This chapter deals concisely with the ecology of various soil-based plant-microbial interactions and the benefits of such interactions in maintaining soil health and productivity.