Egamberdieva, DilfuzaWirth, Stephan2024-03-172024-03-172024-03-172015-10-16https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/206194Many countries in the world are faced with the problem of land degradation, water shortage, soil salinity and these conditions are likely to contribute to increased food security risks. Drought and salinization is recognized as the serious threat to sustainable food production and to our natural resources. In addition, the massive use of agrochemicals has degraded natural resources and environments in a manner which is not further tolerated by the international community. Improving soil quality and managing its fertility by novel technologies are of fundamental importance for future agricultural production and environmental management. Many soil management practices such as application of compost or manure, mulching, legume or intercropping evolved over centuries have been proven to be effective under various agricultural systems. Organic agriculture is already widely used as a method for soil fertility management - and other options are arising such as promotion of composting using fungi, vermi-composting, and use of bio-fertilizers which hold the potential to protect the environment as eco-friendly and cost effective inputs for the farmers. Efforts to better understand the role of biofertilizers in nutrient uptake and plant response to environmental stress are more compelling now since the continuous use of high amounts of chemical inputs are generating environmental problems, and are not sustainable in the long-term. This chapter discusses prospects of using biofertilizers for better agricultural productivity and increased food security, especially possible roles in better plant nutrient uptake, reduced use of chemical fertilizers, enhanced or induced systemic tolerance of plants towards detrimental environmental stress factors.biofertilizersrhizobiabiocharcropabiotic stressdroughtsalinitytext::book/monograph::book part or chapter