Industrialization has significantly increased the productivity of agriculture but industrial wastes have also increased the contamination of agricultural soils. This is an increasing threat to the food safety, the stability of ecosystems and human health. Certain industrial by-products can provide short-term benefits to soil fertility and crop yields but can also introduce hazardous contaminants to agroecosystems, including heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and engineered nanoparticles. This review critically synthesizes the global evidence of sources, transport pathways, environmental fate and transfer to the food chain of industrial contaminants in agricultural soils. It emphasizes the paradox of high crop yields in spite of the clandestine build-up of toxic substances that deteriorate soil health, microbial diversity, crop safety and the long term sustainability of agriculture. The major challenges are poor management of industrial waste, lack of monitoring systems, interactions among pollutants, weak regulatory frameworks and limited knowledge about emerging contaminants under changing climatic conditions. The review also includes integrated mitigation measures such as sustainable waste management, innovative soil remediation techniques, phytoremediation, biochar use, precision agriculture and other stronger environmental policies to reduce the accumulation of contaminants and human exposure. Future perspectives emphasize the need for high-throughput monitoring tools, remote sensing, biosensors, digital soil mapping, improved risk assessment frameworks, and interdisciplinary research to better understand contaminant dynamics and develop resilient soil management strategies. In summary, the review emphasizes that sustainable agriculture should be assessed not only by crop productivity but also by soil health, environmental integrity and food safety. In the context of an increasingly industrialized world it is crucial to take a holistic and integrated approach combining scientific innovation with efficient policy implementation and continuous environmental surveillance for the protection of agricultural ecosystems and sustainable food production.
M. Hayat, M. Mahmud, Nuzhat Tabassum Muniza et al.· Discover Soil· 0 citations
Microplastic (MP) and nanoplastics (NP) pollution presents a critical, globally pervasive environmental challenge, fundamentally threatening the sustainability of agricultural soil health and food production. The current state of knowledge regarding the impact of these ubiquitous plastic particles, typically defined as those between 1 μm and 5 mm, in terrestrial ecosystems. The paper identifies key pathways of contamination into farmlands, primarily stemming from the pervasive degradation of plastic mulching films. The extensive land application of sewage sludge (biosolids) as fertilizer and the use of contaminated wastewater for irrigation. The accumulation of MPs/NPs in the soil matrix is shown to induce significant ecological stress. Key findings reveal detrimental effects on soil physicochemical properties, disruption of native microbial communities and a measurable reduction in crop performance, evidenced by compromised nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency. A major concern addressed is the critical evidence of MP/NP translocation from the soil into the edible tissues of agricultural crops, which creates a direct pathway for human exposure and subsequent health risks via the food chain. To combat this rising threat, the paper underscores the urgent need for a cohesive, global response. Sustainable solutions must involve implementing robust policy frameworks, such as the FAO’s Voluntary Code of Conduct, accelerating the transition to certified biodegradable plastic alternatives and drastically improving international waste management, recycling infrastructure and use of biochar in agricultural lands. Future research is essential to quantify the full spectrum of long-term ecological risks, model MP transport dynamics and comprehensively assess the human health implications.
M. Hayat, Muhammad Arif, Ferzat Turan et al.· Discover Soil· 0 citations
Rice, wheat, and maize cereals are the major foundation of global food security. However, climate change makes it more challenging to achieve high crop yield, the challenge occurs due to improper management of cereal diseases and pests, and limitations of traditional breeding processes. This study aimed to update the process, limitations, and prospects of molecular tools for cereal breeding, and to explore the significance of marker-assisted selection, marker-assisted backcrossing, gene pyramiding, genomic selection, and modern breeding for improving yield, stress tolerance, and grain quality of cereals. Based on recent studies, we have explored the advances and applications of high-throughput genotyping platforms like the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and genotyping by sequencing technology in cereals. In this study, we found several limitations, such as a low number of studies with large amounts of data, genotype-environment interactions, lack of study findings at the field level, cost implications, and integration of complex multi-omics data. This study further reveals that many crucial agronomic traits are polygenic in their mode of inheritance, and the hidden genetic links make selection weak and uncertain. However, the application of molecular tools such as CRISPR/Cas genome editing, speed breeding, pan-genomics, artificial intelligence, and high-throughput phenomics provides sustainable solutions to these challenges in cereal improvement. The application of these modern breeding tools, combined with microbiome-assisted breeding and agricultural technologies in precision cereal breeding, opens new opportunities for enhancing yield and climate-smart, sustainable cereal production for global food and nutrition security.
M. Hayat, R. Cengiz, Umair Gull et al.· Plant Trends· 0 citations
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