Intensive agriculture practices in India to meet the food demand of the increasing population have led to the use of agrochemicals such as pesticides in higher quantities to increase productivity resulting in contamination of the environment. Pesticides control pests, weeds, and diseases in plants, animals, and humans. Despite bans on pesticides such as organochlorides (OC), organophosphate (OP), or synthetic pyrethroids ranging from minimal to excessive, are detected in soil, surface water, and groundwater often exceeding WHO and BIS safety limits. The predominantly found pesticides were DDT, HCH, Endosulfan, malathion, chlorpyrifos, atrazine, endrin, cypermethrin, dichlorvos, etc. Different ranges of pesticides were detected in different states (Kashmir, UP, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, Haryana, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, etc.) of India, which demonstrate that pesticides can persist in the environment and later can show bioaccumulation in the food chain. The article explores the consequences of this pollution such as biomagnification, bioaccumulation, and risks to human health and ecological integrity. This article also covers the adverse effects of pesticides such as carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic, and endocrine-disrupting properties along with the importance of developing new policies or strengthening the current policies and regulations to monitor the use of pesticides.

Irrigation water quality is crucial in maintaining soil health and productivity, particularly in semi-arid regions where agriculture heavily relies on irrigation. This study aimed to assess the impact of different irrigation water sources (groundwater, canal water, and treated and disinfected sewage water) on soil quality in rice fields in Kurukshetra, Haryana, India. Water and soil samples were collected from rice fields irrigated with each water source and analyzed for various physicochemical parameters. The results revealed significant differences in irrigation water quality, with STP exhibiting higher salinity levels, as indicated by elevated electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium, chloride, and sulphate concentrations. Soil quality parameters also varied significantly among rice fields irrigated with different water sources. Rice fields irrigated with STP had higher soil EC and higher concentration cations and anions along with organic carbon content potentially due to the contribution of organic load and nutrients from sewage treatment plants. It was inferred from the study that disinfected sewage effluent has the potential to be used in irrigation, provided that regular monitoring is done. The findings highlight the importance of considering irrigation water quality in agricultural practices and the need for appropriate water management strategies to maintain soil quality and ensure sustainable rice production in the region.

This comprehensive review examines biofortification strategies for enhancing crop tolerance to metals and metalloids while improving nutritional quality. Global agriculture faces concurrent challenges from soil contamination, climate change, and micronutrient malnutrition, affecting over 2 billion people worldwide. Biofortification presents a multifaceted approach that simultaneously addresses these issues by enhancing essential nutrient content in crops while potentially conferring cross-tolerance to toxic elements. We analyze the complex mechanisms governing metal/metalloid uptake, translocation, and detoxification in plants, including transporter systems (ZIP, YSL, COPT, BOR, SULTR), chelation processes involving phytochelatins and metallothioneins, and compartmentalization strategies mediated by transcription factors (WRKY, NAC, MYB, bZIP), and epigenetic modifications. The review evaluates seven key biofortification targets: zinc, iron, copper, selenium, boron, silicon, and controlled arsenic, highlighting their distinct physiological roles and stress tolerance mechanisms. Zinc biofortification demonstrates competitive inhibition against cadmium uptake through shared transporter pathways, while iron enhancement promotes arsenite exclusion through plaque formation on root surfaces. Silicon creates physical barriers against metal translocation through phytolith formation and cell wall deposition, while selenium activates antioxidant response element (ARE) pathways, thereby mitigating oxidative stress through enhanced glutathione peroxidase activity. Recent advances in genetic engineering, including CRISPR-Cas9-mediated transporter modification and synthetic biology approaches, have accelerated the development of metal-efficient crop varieties with improved nutritional profiles and stress resilience. Emerging technologies such as nanomaterial-based biofortification and rhizosphere microbiome engineering offer promising avenues for sustainable agricultural intensification. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding genotype-specific responses, precise molecular cross-talk between nutrient enrichment and toxic element exclusion, and the integration of omics technologies for predictive biofortification modeling. This review systematically identifies these research gaps and proposes integrated approaches that enhance both crop resilience and nutritional security amid increasing environmental challenges.