Innovations for sustainable crop protection: application of microwaves for stubble and soilborne disease management

Abstract Soil and stubble-borne diseases pose significant threats to cropping systems, particularly broadacre crops, leading to reduced soil health and substantial yield losses. Current management strategies, such as chemical and cultural control methods, often face limitations due to their pathogen-specific nature and the trade-offs between effectiveness and environmental footprint. These strategies may also fail to address the complexity of multiple pathogens simultaneously affecting crops. While chemical fungicides and cultural practices have been widely adopted, their long-term sustainability is in question due to unintended consequences, such as resistance development and adverse effects on non-target organisms. Heat treatment methods, such as soil solarisation, stubble burning, and steaming, have traditionally been used as alternative control measures, while microwave treatment is an emerging approach that is gaining growing attention. The application of microwaves to soil and stubble offers a non-chemical approach to managing diseases across multiple crop types by targeting pathogens within the top 5–10 cm of soil. However, integrating this technology into large-scale cropping systems presents challenges, including cost, scalability, and the variability of treatment effects across different pathogens. Emerging technologies such as remote sensing, smart farming, and Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with artificial intelligence and machine learning, offer new avenues for the targeted and efficient application of microwave treatment. These tools enable precise mapping and disease monitoring, reducing input costs and increasing treatment accuracy. This review explores the current landscape of microwave applications in broadacre cropping, the limitations of existing methods, and the potential of microwave technology when integrated with digital farming approaches. Additionally, we have provided a snapshot of the socioeconomic benefits of microwave application compared to traditional methods, highlighting the economic feasibility and long-term return on investment for broadacre farmers.