Functional Rhizosphere Microorganisms in the Remediation of Agricultural Soil Contaminants

Agricultural soils are increasingly threatened by contamination arising from excessive application of pesticides, antibiotics, heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, and other emerging pollutants. These contaminants adversely affect soil fertility, microbial biodiversity, crop productivity, ecosystem stability, and food safety. Sustainable and environmentally friendly remediation strategies are therefore urgently needed to mitigate pollutant accumulation and restore soil ecological functions.Rhizosphere microorganisms play fundamental roles in regulating nutrient cycling, pollutant transformation, soil biochemical processes, and plant stress tolerance. Functional plant-associated bacteria and fungi, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), mycorrhizal fungi, and biodegrading microbial consortia, have demonstrated remarkable potential in enhancing contaminant degradation, detoxification, and phytoremediation efficiency in agricultural soils. Recent advances in microbial ecology and environmental biotechnology have improved our understanding of rhizosphere interactions, microbial functional traits, biodegradation pathways, and plant–microbe synergistic mechanisms under contaminant stress.This Research Topic aims to highlight mechanistic and application-oriented studies focusing on the roles of functional rhizosphere microorganisms in the remediation of contaminated agricultural soils. Particular emphasis will be placed on microbial-assisted remediation processes, rhizosphere engineering, biodegradation mechanisms, microbial detoxification pathways, and sustainable soil restoration strategies. Studies integrating molecular tools with functional validation and environmental applications are especially encouraged, while purely descriptive omics studies without mechanistic insights are outside the scope of this Topic.This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspectives addressing the ecological and functional roles of rhizosphere microorganisms in agricultural soil remediation.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and fungal-assisted remediation• Rhizosphere engineering for pollutant degradation and detoxification• Microbial biodegradation pathways of pesticides, antibiotics, and xenobiotics• Functional microbial consortia in contaminated agricultural soils• Plant–microbe interactions under contaminant stress• Bioaugmentation and biostimulation approaches for soil remediation• Rhizosphere microorganisms in heavy metal immobilization and detoxification• Soil enzyme activities and microbial functional responses during remediation• Microbial regulation of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in plants• Sustainable remediation strategies integrating microorganisms, plants, and bio-based materials• Mechanistic studies linking microbial functions with remediation efficiency• Nutrient cycling and soil health recovery during remediation processesBy integrating microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and sustainable remediation technologies, this Research Topic seeks to promote innovative strategies for restoring contaminated agricultural ecosystems and improving long-term soil sustainability. Topic editors: Qichun Zhang, Ahmed A. A. Aioub Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82616/functional-rhizosphere-microorganisms-in-the-remediation-of-agricultural-soil-contaminants