Fungal Biofertilizer Applications in Sustainable Agriculture

The field of microbial plant biostimulants is undergoing rapid innovation, particularly regarding fungi that facilitate improved crop performance and soil health. Traditionally, agricultural systems have depended heavily on synthetic fertilizers, which, while successful in boosting immediate yields, have contributed to long-term soil quality degradation, waterway eutrophication, and altered soil microbial communities. Increasing regulatory, environmental, and economic pressures now drive a transformative shift towards biological solutions. Under recent definitions—such as those outlined in the Fertiliser Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009—plant biostimulants, including microbial (fungal) biostimulants, are recognized for their ability to stimulate plant nutrition processes, enhance nutrient use efficiency, and bolster tolerance to abiotic stresses, without directly serving as nutrient inputs. Fungal genera such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and symbiotic or free-living species (e.g., Trichoderma) are at the forefront of this movement, providing multiple ecosystem services by interacting with plant roots and other soil microbiota. Despite significant advances, a deeper understanding is still needed of how indigenous and introduced fungal strains affect soil functions, biostimulant efficacy, and broader agroecosystem resilience.The main goal of this Research Topic is to clarify and advance the specific roles of fungal-based biostimulants in sustainable agriculture, moving beyond legacy terms like “biofertilizer” to explicitly distinguish between biostimulant and biocontrol functions and their regulatory implications. This initiative seeks to synthesize cross-disciplinary research to clarify the mechanisms by which fungal biostimulants enhance nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, and soil health while differentiating their roles from those of fungal biocontrol products, which are subject to distinct regulatory pathways. Priority will be given to studies that link in situ fungal metabolic activities with measurable plant or soil benefits, as well as those that address scaling, formulation, and field persistence issues. Additionally, we aim to support a process-based, ecosystem management approach as a foundation for productive, climate-adapted farming.This Research Topic will focus on microbial plant biostimulants containing fungi and their distinct functional and ecological roles in agricultural systems, clearly differentiating these from biocontrol products except where both roles are explicitly studied. We particularly encourage submissions that examine the following themes:- Mechanisms of plant-fungal recognition, colonization, and signaling in the context of biostimulant applications- Fungal-mediated improvement of crop tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and suboptimal nutrient conditions- Interactions between fungal biostimulants and co-inoculated plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), highlighting synergistic or antagonistic effects- Genomic and metabolic profiling of biostimulant fungi, with a focus on in situ identification of beneficial genes and secondary metabolites, and their distinction from metabolite-only products- Innovations in formulation, inoculum delivery, shelf-life extension, and methods to ensure performance stability in large-scale field applications- Contributions of mycorrhizal and other symbiotic fungi to climate resilience, explicitly stating included fungal groups and crop–fungus specificity- Techniques for precise, site-specific deployment of fungal biostimulants utilizing digital agriculture tools- The role of glomalin-producing fungi and related biostimulants in promoting soil carbon sequestration and organic matter stabilization- Persistence, ecological legacy, and long-term effects of fungal biostimulant products on indigenous soil microbial diversity and function- Comprehensive assessments of agronomic, environmental, and economic impacts associated with the transition from chemical to biological nutrient managementWe welcome a variety of manuscript types, including Original Research Articles, Comprehensive Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives. Interdisciplinary studies combining functional genomics, plant physiology, and soil ecology are particularly encouraged to provide a holistic evaluation of microbial plant biostimulants and their future in sustainable farming. Topic editors: Debasis Mitra, Mohammad Golam Mostofa, Anju Rani Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77759/fungal-biofertilizer-applications-in-sustainable-agriculture