Abstract
Abstract
In recent decades, the intensive use of synthetic pesticides and agrochemicals to maximise crop productivity has severely degraded soil physicochemical properties, contaminated water resources, caused environmental pollution, and reduced food quality and safety. In addition, heavy metals and toxicants released from agricultural activities have accumulated within agroecosystems, posing serious risks to environmental and human health. This review describes sustainable agricultural technologies and integrated management systems that can reduce chemical dependency while improving soil fertility, crop productivity, and environmental sustainability. Eco-friendly approaches, such as natural farming, biofertilisers, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), biocontrol agents, bioremediation, and phytoremediation, contribute to enhanced nutrient cycling, stress tolerance, contaminant detoxification, and the restoration of ecological balance. Special emphasis is placed on how PGPR, biofertilisers, biocontrol agents, and remediation technologies can be integrated within sustainable management systems to improve agricultural resilience and soil health. Recent advances in microbial ecology, formulation technologies and integrated soil management practices are also explained to highlight their role in sustainable crop production and environmental restoration. It further demonstrates that combining these biological and remediation-based technologies can effectively mitigate the adverse impacts of conventional agricultural practices while promoting climate-resilient and resource-efficient farming systems. Overall, the study concludes that large-scale adoption of integrated sustainable agricultural strategies is essential for improving food security, reducing environmental pollution, restoring degraded ecosystems, and supporting global sustainability goals.