The salinization of soil is responsible for the reduction in the growth and development of plants. As the global population increases day by day, there is a decrease in the cultivation of farmland due to the salinization of soil, which threatens food security. Salt-affected soils occur all over the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The total area of global salt-affected soil is 1 billion ha, and in India, an area of nearly 6.74 million ha⁻¹ is salt-stressed, out of which 2.95 million ha⁻¹ are saline soil (including coastal) and 3.78 million ha⁻¹ are alkali soil. The rectification and management of salt-stressed soils require specific approaches for sustainable crop production. Remediating salt-affected soil by chemical, physical and biological methods with available resources is recommended for agricultural purposes. Bioremediation is an eco-friendly approach compared to chemical and physical methods. The role of microorganisms has been documented by many workers for the bioremediation of such problematic soils. Halophilic Bacteria, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Cyanobacteria, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and microbial inoculation have been found to be effective for plant growth promotion under salt-stress conditions. The microbial mediated approaches can be adopted for the mitigation of salt-affected soil and help increase crop productivity. A microbial product consisting of beneficial halophiles maintains and enhances the soil health and the yield of the crop in salt-affected soil. This review will focus on the remediation of salt-affected soil by using microorganisms and their mechanisms in the soil and interaction with the plants.

In India, 700 million tons of agricultural waste generated annually is burned by farmers in the fields, which decreases biological activity in soil. The issue of handling the enormous amounts of crop residues that emerge from increased crop output might be resolved by composting. However, different crop residues improve soil physico-chemical and biological properties in different ways. Crop residue incorporation and fertilization (NPK) impact crop productivity due to changes in soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and the soil enzymatic activity. A field experiment was conducted for two years (2020–2021 and 2021–2022), which comprises five partially composted crop residues treatments viz., control, clusterbean straw, groundnut shell, pearlmillet husk, and sesame stover (added at rate of 5 t ha⁻¹), and four fertilization (NPK) treatments viz., control, 75% RDF, 100% RDF, and 125% RDF. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), enzymatic activities in soil and wheat yield were studied under a semi-arid environment (India). Data showed that the continuous application of crop residues and fertilizer significantly affected MBC, MBN, MBP, and soil enzymatic activity after two years of experimentation in a semi-arid region environment. The highest levels of microbial biomass (viz, MBC, MBN, MBP) and enzyme activities were noticed in the sesame stover and 125% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) treatments. Therefore, this study highlights the need for restoring crop residue for effective soil management. The crop residue and NPK fertilization are more efficient in improving the soil’s microbial properties and the yield of wheat.

Burning of crop residues have become a challenging issue for scientist’s community as well as policy makers worldwide as it directly affects environment, soil health and the productivity of crops. Microbial mediated recycling of crop residues into an amorphous dark brown to black colloidal humus like substance under conditions of optimum temperature, moisture and aeration is need of the hour. Crop residue recycling increases sequestration of organic carbon in soil which ultimately leads to improve soil physical, chemical and biological health. Organic carbon acts as a reservoir for nutrients, needed in crop production. Crop residue management recycling is a cost-effective option for minimizing agriculture's input with maximizing output. Besides supplying nutrients to the current crop, their residual effects on succeeding crops in the system are also important. This review emphasizes on crop residue recycling by different techniques. This review paper maybe helpful to the policy makers and researchers.

A field experiment was conducted during 2018-19 and 2019-20 to study the effect of vermicompost and foliar spray of zinc on growth, quality and productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) The experiment comprising of ten treatments viz., T1 (NPK), T2 (NPK +VC), T3 (NPK +VC+ Soil Zn 100%), T4 (NPK + VC+ Soil Zn 75%), T5 (NPK + foliar spray of 0.25% ZnSO4), T6 (NPK + foliar spray of 0.50% ZnSO4), T7 (NPK + foliar spray of 0.75% ZnSO4), T8 (NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.25% ZnSO4), T9 (NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.50% ZnSO4) and T10 (NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.75% ZnSO4) were replicated thrice and evaluated in the randomized block design (RBD). The experimental soil was loamy sand in texture, low in N, high in available P and medium in K. Groundnut variety, RG 559-3 was tested. The results of the experiment revealed that significantly higher values of growth parameters viz., plant height and number of root nodules plant-1; yield viz., pod yield (44.3, 47.2 q ha-1) and haulm yield (54.03, 58.8 q ha-1); quality parameters viz., oil content and protein content were recorded under the treatment receiving NPK (15:60:30) +VC (5 t ha-1) + Soil Zn 100% (T3) over control (T1) while at par with the application of NPK + VC+ Soil Zn 75% (T4), NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.25% ZnSO4 (T8), NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.50% ZnSO4 (T9) and NPK + VC + foliar spray of 0.75% ZnSO4 (T10).

A study was conducted in an ongoing field experiment started during 2007-08 at Central Sugarcane Research Station, Padegaon, Maharashtra during 2012-13 and 2013-14 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on yield and quality of pre-seasonal ratoon sugarcane (cv. CO-86032). The experiment consisted of eight integrated nutrient management (INM) treatments viz., 100 % of RD through organics (T₁), 100 % NPK through inorganic (T₂), Fertilizer as per soil test, FYM and biofertilizers (T₃), 75 % of RD through organics + 25 % of RD through inorganics (T₄), 50 % of RD through organics and 50 % of RD through inorganics (T₅), 25 % of RD through organics + 75 % of RD through inorganics (T₆), rishi-krishi tantra (T₇) and jivamrut (T₈) were laid down in randomized block design with replicated thrice. The results indicated that the number of millable canes, cane, top and sugar yields were recorded maximum (91.64, 132.09, 14.90 and 18.81 t ha^-1 during I^st ratoon 2012-13 and 83.82, 124.69, 13.98 and 18.41 t ha^-1 during II^nd ratoon 2013-14, respectively) under the application of 25 % RD through organics and 75% RD through inorganic treatment (T₆) and remained statistically at par with T₃ (Fertilizer as per soil test, FYM @ 25 t ha^-1 and biofertilizers as seed treatment @ 5 kg ha^-1). The maximum value of reducing sugar 0.565 and 0.552% during I^st ratoon (2012-13) and II^nd ratoon (2013-14), respectively was observed under treatment T₂ (100 % NPK through inorganic).

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of vermicompost and foliar application of zinc on soil properties and nutrients uptake by groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) during 2018-19 and 2019-20. The ten treatments in the experiment viz., T₁ (N:P:K, 15:60:30), T₂ (N:P:K +Vermicompost), T₃ (N:P:K +Vermicompost + Soil Zn 100%), T₄ (N:P:K + Vermicompost + Soil Zn 75%), T₅ (N:P:K + foliar application of 0.25% ZnSO₄), T₆ (N:P:K + foliar application of 0.50% ZnSO4), T₇ (N:P:K + foliar application of 0.75% ZnSO₄), T₈ (N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.25% ZnSO₄), T₉ (N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.50% ZnSO₄) and T₁₀ (N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.75% ZnSO₄) were replicated thrice under randomized block design (RBD). The results of the experiment revealed that the treatment receiving N:P:K (15:60:30) + Vermicompost (5 t ha^-1) + Soil Zn 100% (T₃) had significantly higher values of organic carbon (0.56 percent), available nitrogen (156.59 kg ha^-1), available P₂O₅ (50.39 kg ha^-1), available K₂O (183.14 kg ha^-1), Zn (0.65 mg kg^-1), lower values of pH (7.34), EC (0.22 dSm^-1) and higher values of nutrients uptake over control (T₁), while at par with the application of N:P:K + Vermicompost + Soil Zn 75% (T₄), N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.25% ZnSO₄ (T₈), N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.50% ZnSO₄ (T₉) and N:P:K + Vermicompost + foliar application of 0.75% ZnSO₄ (T₁₀).