Appropriate phosphorus (P) management techniques increase yield and nutritional properties while minimizing environmental concerns. The widespread use of nano-fertilizers (NFs) in agriculture endangers soil and plants. It is vital to research the behavior of nano-phosphors (nano-P) on plant growth and quality, as well as their technique of interaction with soil properties in order to obtain key ecosystem benefits. With this in mind, a field experiment was conducted using wheat as a test crop to explore the impact of nano phosphorus (nano-P) on soil. The study’s goal was to examine how the foliar application of nano-P to wheat affects its growth, yield and nutrient concentration. Treatments consisted of: T₁: 100% NPK (120:137:72 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha⁻¹) by RDF (recommended dose of fertilizer); T₂: 100% NPK by RDF + 2 foliar sprays of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₃: 100% NK + 0% P (no foliar); T₄: 100% NK + 75% P + 2 foliar sprays of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₅: 100% NK + 50% P + 2 foliar sprays of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹;T₆: 100% NK + 0% P + 2 foliar sprays of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₇: 100% NPK by RDF + 1 foliar spray of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₈: 100% NK + 75% P + 1 foliar spray of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₉: 100% NPK + 1 foliar spray of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹; T₁₀-100% NK + 75% P + 1 foliar spray of nano-P @ 494.21 mL ha⁻¹. According to the findings, applying 100% NK + 75% P + 2 foliar applications of nano-P at the tillering and panicle initiation stages increased yield over 100% RDF by 37.1%. Additionally, the highest micronutrient concentration (Zn (36.4 mg kg⁻¹), Cu (21.2 mg kg⁻¹), Mn (22.9 mg kg⁻¹) and Fe (61.1 mg kg⁻¹)) in grain were noticed in T₃ (100% NK + 0% P no foliar spray of nano-P) treatment, which was superior to T₁ (100% NPK). Furthermore, foliar application of nano-P fertilizer in combination with different levels of diammonium phosphate (DAP) slightly increased the amount of N, P and K, as well as micronutrients in post-harvest soil. In summary, the use of 100% NK + 75% + 2 foliar applications of nano-P saved 25% recommendation dose P if supplied as nano-P as a form of phosphorus, and can be a suitable substitute for DAP, especially in smart agriculture, as it possibly reduces P leaching into groundwater, while maintaining or increasing wheat crop yield over the 100% RDF.

Salinity is one of the major threats to an agriculture production system and limits crop growth and productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a mutualistic association with majority of land plants and play important role in stress tolerance. In the present study, effect of three mycorrhizal treatments, i.e., single-species AMF (Rhizoglomus intraradices), formulated AMF (Funneliformis mosseae and R. intraradices), and multispecies AMF (Rhizoglomus fasciculatum and Gigaspora sp.) along with control (nonmycorrhizal) on growth, yield performance, and metabolic changes in pea crop under salinity stress was examined in completely randomized design with four replications. The results revealed that AMF inoculation mitigated negative effects of salinity in pea due to higher nutrient uptake, accumulation of compatible osmolytes, and lower cellular leakage of electrolyte which in turn enhanced biomass production, chlorophyll synthesis, yield, and growth attributes. Overall, consortium-based application of R. fasciculatum and Gigaspora sp. was found most suitable approach to ameliorate the salt stress in pea crop and enhanced the yield by ~11%, 24%, and 54% than single-species, multispecies, and control treatments, respectively. The variation in results under different mycorrhizal treatment might be due to specific compatibility relationships that exist between symbionts.

Over the past decade, scientific studies have increasingly concentrated on the effects of global phosphorus (P) scarcity on food security. A comprehensive strategy that considers demand reduction and recycling possibilities is needed to address the global P scarcity. Reduced tillage along with crop residue retention could decrease fixation of P in soil, improve labile P content and enhance organic-P (Po) buildup and its mineralization by phosphatases; this could be an extra benefit of conservation agriculture (CA) in soils. To study the impact of long-term CA on soil organic and inorganic P fractions and their distribution, a long-term field trial was conducted under a maize-based cropping system with different tillage (zero tillage (ZT), permanent bed (PB) and conventional till (CT) and cropping system (maize–wheat–mungbean (MWMb), maize–chickpea–sesbania (MCS), maize–mustard–mungbean (MMuMb) and maize–maize–sesbania (MMS)). Phosphorus dynamics were studied through sequential fractionation (organic and inorganic P) at 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. The findings showed that a higher amount of soluble and loosely bound P (SL-P) was detected in ZT among the inorganic P fractions, whereas iron-bound P (Fe-P), aluminum-bound P (Al-P), reductant soluble P (RES-P) and calcium-bound P (Ca-P) were found higher in CT in both soil depths. Among Organic-P fractions, moderately labile and non-labile Po was found higher in PB and ZT but, in the case of labile Po, it was found insignificant with respect to tillage operations. Significant synergistic effects of winter legume (chickpea) with summer legumes (sesbania and mungbean) in crop rotation were observed on SL-P, Labile Po, Humic acid-Po, Alkaline phosphatase and MBP at 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depths. Given the potential relevance of understanding P dynamics for efficient P management in long-term conservation agriculture practices, our findings offers critical new insight for the P management for sustainable development.

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity is highly detrimental for the human and largely originated from faulty industrial and agricultural practices. Cadmium toxicity can be observed in minute concentration and highly mobile in the soil–plant system and availability in soil is mainly governed by various physio-chemical properties of the soil. Cereals and vegetables cultivated in peri-urban areas, former mining and industrial areas accumulate Cd in toxic limit as they receive Cd from multiple ways. In general, when the total cadmium (Cd) concentration in soil exceeds 8 mg kg−1, or the bioavailable Cd concentration becomes >0.001 mg kg−1, or the Cd concentration in plant tissue reaches 3–30 mg kg−1 most plants exhibit visible Cd toxicity symptoms. The impacts of Cd toxicity are seed germination, growth, photosynthesis, stomata conductance, enzyme activities and alteration in mineral nutrition. The major source of Cd in human is food chain cycle and causes disorders like “itai-itai” disease, cancer, and nephrotoxicity. Cadmium harms kidney, liver, bone and reproductive body parts and may be fatal in serious condition. WHO recommended the tolerable monthly Cd intake are 25 μg kg−1 body weights and in drinking water Cd concentration should not exceed 3 μg L−1. It is hard to remove these potent and hazardous metals from the environment as they have long mean residence time but, can be converted into less toxic form through bioremediation. This chapter focuses on the effect of Cd toxicity in soil–plant-human continuum and its bioremediation techniques to mitigate the Cd- toxicity.