Microbial Strategies for Sustainable Phosphorus Supply and Plant Stress Mitigation

Soil microbiology and plant nutrition are pivotal disciplines at the forefront of addressing the long-standing challenge of phosphorus availability in agricultural systems. Phosphorus is a vital nutrient that directly affects plant metabolic activities, yet it is predominantly present in insoluble forms in soil, making it inaccessible to plants. Despite the widespread application of phosphate fertilizers, crop uptake is inefficient, with most phosphorus quickly sequestered or lost through leaching, contributing to environmental pollution and reduced soil health. As the global population grows and agricultural demands intensify, there is a pressing need for more sustainable approaches to ensure crop productivity while mitigating adverse ecological impacts. Recent scientific advancements have focused on understanding the role of phosphate-solubilizing and mineralizing microorganisms—key biological agents capable of unlocking otherwise inaccessible phosphorus pools in soil ecosystems.Significant studies have revealed that certain soil microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, can convert inorganic and organic phosphorus into forms usable by plants through solubilization and mineralization. These microorganisms not only improve phosphorus bioavailability but also exhibit plant growth-promoting characteristics, including nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, siderophore secretion, biocontrol of plant diseases, and the induction of systemic resistance against pathogens. However, despite these promising attributes, current knowledge of the diversity, ecological functions, and underlying molecular mechanisms of these beneficial microbes remains incomplete. Open questions persist regarding their community dynamics, effectiveness in variable soils, synergistic interactions with agricultural amendments, and scalability of field applications.This Research Topic aims to deepen the scientific understanding and practical application of phosphate-solubilizing and mineralizing microorganisms in the context of sustainable agriculture. The main goals are to elucidate their functional diversity, identify molecular and ecological mechanisms underpinning nutrient cycling and plant protection, and foster integrative strategies that bridge laboratory discoveries and real-world farming practices. We encourage contributions that address existing gaps in fundamental and applied research, explore innovative biotechnological interventions, and offer holistic insights into the multifaceted roles of these microorganisms in enhancing soil fertility, crop resilience, and environmental stewardship.To gather further insights into the functional diversity and deployment of these beneficial microorganisms, this Research Topic will focus on phosphorus cycling in agricultural soils and the practical translation of microbial processes into field applications. Studies may span molecular to ecosystem scales and address interactions with environmental and management variables. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Soil evolution, aggregation, phosphate cycling, mineralogy, and phosphorus release processes• Microbial community structure, genetic diversity, dynamics, and functional roles• Applications in sustainable cropping systems, including biotechnology for phosphate biofertilizers and synergy with manure, compost, and biochar• Enhancement of plant growth under abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and nutrient deficiency, as well as remediation of contaminated soils• Molecular mechanisms, metabolomics, gene expression, and regulatory networks underlying phosphate solubilization and mineralization• Disease management strategies involving direct antagonism to phytopathogens and/or the induction of systemic resistance in plants Topic editors: Pérez-Àlvarez Sandra, Harold Suárez-Baron, Zijian Xie Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78497/microbial-strategies-for-sustainable-phosphorus-supply-and-plant-stress-mitigation