MICROBIOME ENGINEERING FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY

Microbiome engineering is one of the revolutionary approaches being applied in sustainable agriculture and therefore very crucial for soil health development and food security.This review underlines the key contributions of bacteria, fungi, and archaea toward soil fertility enhancement, plant growth optimization, and improvement of ecosystem resilience.Confronted with the twin challenges of soil degradation and climate change, a management approach that utilizes microbial communities offers strongly implementable viable options toward appropriate agricultural practices which are genuinely sustainable.Herein, we review strategies aimed at improving nutrient cycling, coupled with increased yields using low chemical input through a range of approaches: soil amendments, biofertilizers, microbial consortia, and genetic interventions.In addition, the use of microbiome-based biocontrol techniques comprises a non-polluting alternative to conventional pesticides, while soil restoration approaches contribute to ecosystem health and stability.The review also highlights the potential of microbiome engineering to contribute to mitigation strategies in climate change through enhancement in carbon sequestration and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.Therefore, the focus of the paper is on the likely application of microbiome engineering in agriculture and environmental matters globally through the integration of microbiome science into agricultural practices to advance sustainability and resilience in food production systems.