Williams, A. orcid.org/0000-0003-3894-304X and Lynch, J. (2025) Bridging research gaps and advancing policy for healthy soils. Sustainable Microbiology, 2 (3). qvaf017. ISSN: 2755-1970
Abstract
The policy framework previously presented by Neale and colleagues in Sustainable Microbiology highlights the central role of soil microorganisms in sustainable agriculture and global food security, offering actionable interventions grounded in emerging scientific advances. However, the translation of soil science and ecology into impactful policy and practice remains limited. This opinion article revisits the longstanding concept of soil biotechnology, and regulatory/societal barriers to progress. We emphasize that the soil microbiome holds untapped potential for improving plant health, reducing agrochemical reliance, and promoting sustainable food systems through continued research. Interkingdom microbial interactions, especially those involving root exudation as a mechanism for microbial recruitment, are proposed as pivotal but underexplored areas of study. Phenotype-driven, trait-based approaches are advocated over traditional phylogenetic methods to better identify functionally relevant microbial consortia and intervention strategies. Furthermore, we stress the need to integrate ecological, agronomic, and economic insights to develop soil-centric food systems. This includes monetizing ecosystem services provided by healthy soils and implementing incentivized conservation schemes. Unlocking the potential of soil microbial ecology requires coordinated, interdisciplinary efforts and a paradigm shift in policy, funding, and public perception.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2025. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reproduction and distribution of the work, in any medium, provided the original work is not altered or transformed in any way, and that the work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | soil microbiome; sustainable agriculture; plant-microbe interactions; root exudates; soil biotechnology; agroecological policy |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 26 Sep 2025 09:13 |
Last Modified: | 26 Sep 2025 09:13 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press (OUP) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1093/sumbio/qvaf017 |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:232099 |