Toward Sustainable Crop Production in a Changing Climate: Microbiomes, Pathogens, Biostimulants and Biocontrol Innovations.

Climate change is recognised as one of the most pressing global challenges, with profound consequences for plant health, agricultural productivity, and food security worldwide. In this opinion article, we discuss recent advances in how climate change affects plant-microbe interactions, soil antibiotic resistance, and plant-associated microbiomes, including shifts in the distribution of plant pathogens. We also examine the influence of land-use practices, including integrated agricultural management, on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of soils under changing climatic conditions. In addition, we critically discuss emerging biological and biotechnological strategies aimed at enhancing plant health and resilience under climate change. These approaches include the rational design of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), bacteriophage therapy, mycovirus-based biocontrol, antibiotic-producing microbial biocontrol agents, (nano-enabled) microbiome engineering, and extracellular vesicle-mediated RNA delivery systems. Challenges involved in translating laboratory-based discoveries into effective field applications are also discussed. Collectively, current advances highlight the growing potential of microbial biotechnology to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilisers, while supporting sustainable and integrated crop management under climate-change scenarios.