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May 11, 2025Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Role of Soil Microbial Diversity in Mitigating Soil-Borne Diseases and Postharvest Losses
Abstract
Soil microbial diversity plays a crucial role in maintaining soil health, suppressing soil-borne diseases, and improving agricultural productivity. This review explores the mechanisms through which diverse soil microbial communities mitigate soil-borne pathogens, including Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora, thereby reducing their impact on crop yields and postharvest losses. Beneficial microbes suppress pathogens through competitive exclusion, production of antimicrobial compounds, and induction of plant systemic resistance. The review also highlights the direct link between soil health and postharvest quality, emphasizing how improved soil microbial diversity reduces mycotoxin contamination and spoilage organisms. Furthermore, sustainable soil management practices such as crop rotation, organic amendments, biofertilizers, and conservation tillage are identified as key strategies for enhancing microbial diversity. The integration of precision agriculture and artificial intelligence (AI) in monitoring soil microbial dynamics presents new opportunities for predictive disease management and soil health optimization. However, barriers such as knowledge gaps, regulatory constraints, and inconsistent field performance hinder the widespread adoption of microbial-based disease suppression strategies. Addressing these challenges requires policy support, research advancements in microbial ecology, and farmer education on sustainable soil management. This review underscores the importance of an integrated soil health management approach that combines biological, ecological, and technological interventions. By leveraging soil microbial diversity, agriculture can transition toward more resilient and sustainable farming systems, ensuring improved crop productivity, reduced postharvest losses, and long-term environmental sustainability.
