Biotechnological Valorization of Agro-Industrial and Lignocellulosic By-products: Sustainable Bioprocesses for Biofuels and Bioproducts

BackgroundEvery year, agro-industrial processing and agricultural activities generate billions of tonnes of lignocellulosic waste and by-products, such as peels, stalks, husks and bagasse. These residues are an abundant yet underused source of renewable carbon for fuels and value-added bioproducts. Biotechnological routes, driven by microbial and enzymatic catalysis, offer a selective, low-impact way to convert this low-value material into advanced biofuels and marketable products, in contrast to energy-intensive thermochemical methods. Progress now depends on discovering more efficient enzymes for lignocellulose breakdown and fractionation, improving the microbial bioconversion of the mixed sugars released from biomass, and integrating pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation into robust, scalable processes. Persistent gaps remain around pilot-scale viability, the scaling of complex pretreatments, and integration of these steps into circular, biorefinery-based value chains.GoalDespite the abundance of agro-industrial and lignocellulosic residues, most are still burned or landfilled because efficient, economically viable biotechnological routes to valorize them are lacking. The primary goal of this Research Topic is to advance sustainable bioprocesses that convert these by-products into biofuels and value-added bioproducts.We aim to bring together work that (i) discovers and enhances microbial and fungal enzymes for lignocellulose breakdown; (ii) improves microbial and fermentation-based conversion of mixed C5/C6 sugars into fuels and chemicals, guided by omics tools; (iii) consolidates pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation into efficient, scalable systems; and (iv) applies eco-friendly nanomaterials and bio-inspired catalysts to boost enzymatic and microbial performance. By connecting enzyme discovery, microbial bioconversion, integrated bioprocessing and green catalysis, the collection seeks to close the gap between laboratory results and industrially relevant, circular biorefinery applications.Scope and information for authorsThis Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods and Perspectives on the biotechnological valorization of agro-industrial and lignocellulosic by-products. Specific themes include: (1) discovery and engineering of microbial and fungal enzymes for lignocellulose degradation; (2) microbial and fermentation-based bioconversion of mixed lignocellulosic sugars into advanced biofuels and value-added chemicals, including omics-guided strain screening, selection and adaptation; (3) integrated bioprocessing that consolidates pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification and fermentation, with bioreactor optimization and scale-up; (4) eco-friendly nanomaterials and bio-inspired catalysts that enhance enzymatic and microbial performance; and (5) microbial and enzymatic production of platform chemicals, organic acids and functional metabolites within a biorefinery framework. Contributions demonstrating scalability, process integration or circular-bioeconomy relevance are especially encouraged. Topic editors: Busiswa Ndaba, Thais Milessi, Sizwe Ndlovu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85641/biotechnological-valorization-of-agro-industrial-and-lignocellulosic-by-products-sustainable-bioprocesses-for-biofuels-and-bioproducts