Soil health is the cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, serving as the foundation for crop productivity, environmental resilience, and long-term ecosystem stability. Contemporary agricultural methods, characterized by excessive pesticide and fertilizer application, monoculture, and intensive tillage, have resulted in extensive soil degradation, requiring novel strategies to restore and sustain soil functionality. This review examined sustainable practices to enhance soil health and improve crop quality in modern agricultural systems. Preserving soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics is essential for its health, achievable through various agronomic strategies. Practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, no-till or carbon farming, conservation agriculture (CA), and the use of organic amendments were explored for their ability to restore the soil structure, increase organic matter, and promote biodiversity. These initiatives seek to preserve and enhance soil ecosystems by aligning agricultural practices with ecological principles, ensuring long-term productivity and environmental stability. Enhancing soil health will improve soil functions, supporting the concept that increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) is necessary. This study determined that conservation tillage is more advantageous for soil health than conventional tillage, a topic that is still controversial among scientists and farmers, and that various tillage systems exhibit distinct interactions. These strategies, through the integrated management of the interaction of plant, soil, microbial, and human activities, would enhance soil health.

Soil pesticide contamination induced by modern agriculture has become a serious global issue. Its uncontrolled and inefficient application is among the main reasons for their enrichment in plants and animals subsequently transferred to humans and providing a public health risk. Biochar as a renewable and economical carbonaceous material provides a natural solution for immobilizing pesticides and improving soil health. The biochar impact in agricultural contaminated soil is governed by various factors such as the physico-chemical properties of biochar, pyrolysis, soil conditions, and the application method, which can lead to significant gaps in the removal or mitigation of toxic substances. The current study summarizes the negative effects of pesticide use and the advantages of biochar according to other remediation techniques, succeeded by the mechanism and controlling factors on minimizing pesticide leaching and bioavailability in soil. In addition, the role of biochar on fundamental processes of adsorption, desorption, biodegradation, and leaching is discussed. Ultimately, the major future research regulation and key strategies that are fundamental for pesticide-contaminated soil remediation are proposed.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris), a root vegetable known for its vivid natural color and nutritional profile, is a source of a wide range of bioactive compounds, including betalains, phenolics, vitamins, and antioxidants. These bioactive compounds are associated with many health-promoting properties, including antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. The beetroot processing industry produces substantial by-products abundant in phytochemicals and betalains, presenting valuable opportunities for utilization. Therefore, it can replace synthetic additives and enhance the nutritional value of foods. By reducing waste and supporting a circular economy, beetroot by-products improve resource efficiency, cut production costs, and lessen the food industry’s environmental impact. Beetroot and its by-products are rich in phytochemicals that provide various wellness advantages. They support cardiovascular health, inhibit microbe-induced food spoiling, aid liver function, and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. This paper presents a detailed review of current knowledge on beetroot and its by-products, focusing on their biochemical components, extraction and stabilization techniques, health benefits, and potential applications in the food industry. It underscores the versatility and importance of red beetroot and its derivatives, advocating for further research into optimized processing methods and innovative uses to enhance their industrial and nutritional value. By providing valuable insights, this review aims to inspire food scientists, nutritionists, and the agricultural sector to integrate beetroot and its by-products into more sustainable and health-oriented food systems.

Researchers and food manufacturers are investigating the use of fruit and vegetable by-products as nutrient-dense food ingredients in response to increasing consumer requests for healthier and more natural foods. Black carrot (Daucus carota L.), a root vegetable variety of deep purple carrot, is a valuable source of nutrients with excellent health benefits and nutraceutical effects. Black carrot pomace (BCP), a by-product of industrial juice extraction, is abundant in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and pigments such as anthocyanins. Value addition and sustainability are perspectives provided by using this underutilized agricultural by-product in food applications. With an emphasis on BCP powder’s effects on phytochemical and physicochemical qualities, mineral and color characteristics, and sensory aspects, this study aims to assess the effects of adding BCP powder to yogurt formulations. The findings show that the addition of BCP powder improved the nutritional, and the color of the yogurts, providing a visually appealing product. Moreover, adding the BCP powder raised the amount of phytochemicals and the antioxidant activity in the final product’s formulation. The manufacturing of such products can not only aid in promoting sustainable food production but also offer consumers a wider range of innovative food options with improved properties.

Contemporary farming practices and rapid industrialization over the last few decades, have raised significant soil and water pollution with extreme toxic effects to humans and ecosystems. The widespread and inefficient use of pesticides, which surpass the soil’s self purification capability, has accelerated soil pollution. In this study, wheat straw biochar was obtained using the traditional pyrolysis technique and its characterization; in addition, the adsorption efficiency of metribuzin was investigated. Biochars’ physical and chemical characteristics were qualified using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A batch sorption test and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry were also used to assess the biochar efficiency. SEM and FTIR confirmed the highly reactive surfaces of biochar, establishing efficient biomass conversion in low-oxygen conditions. The adsorption process showed best fit with pseudo second-order kinetic and Langmuir models, suggesting a chemisorption procedure and monolayer-type removal. Regarding its environmental and agricultural application, wheat straw biochar can be advanced as a recommendation solution for further research, which is fundamental for soil rehabilitation and the immobilization of contaminations.

Tillage practices govern crop quality and quantity through soil nutrient availability and crop root systems. A deeper knowledge of the impact of conservation tillage on soil chemical characteristics (such as pH, soil organic carbon, macro and micronutrient storage and distribution) is required for both the promotion of agricultural sustainability and environmental preservation. This study assesses the changes in soil features and properties in the context of a long-field experiment with different tillage systems and straw management practices. Research findings revealed that compared with conventional tillage (CT) conservative tillage with partial straw retention (MT) and no-tillage with straw mulching (NT) substantially boosted the organic carbon (OC) (by 6–19%), total nitrogen (TN) (by 2–12%), and available potassium content (AK) (by 2–5%), in 0–30 cm soil depth. However, the stratification trend was observed for available macro and micronutrient content (Zn, Fe, Mn) in both conservative management practices. The concentration of Cu indicates a constant pattern through a 0–30 cm soil profile with a higher concentration under MT (1.41 mg kg⁻¹) compared to NT (1.10 mg kg⁻¹). In particular, the results failed to establish if conservation tillage can increase the total phosphorus (TP) and potassium content (TK), where only in surface 0–10 cm an increase was observed. This research also suggested that the X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) of total micronutrient content (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn) is minimal or unpredictable with no substantial differences between the tillage systems and straw return management practices. These findings suggest that conservation tillage in north-eastern Romania might be optimal to maintain soil quality status and sustain high yields.