Sustainable Soil Disinfestation Approaches in Crop Production: From Chemical Dependency to Ecological Resilience

Soil management is crucial for addressing soil-borne pathogens, weeds, and pests, ensuring sustainable crop productivity. Traditional chemical fumigants, such as methyl bromide, have been effective but pose serious environmental risks, including ozone depletion and reduced soil biodiversity. Consequently, attention has shifted toward more sustainable alternatives. Techniques like soil solarization, anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), biofumigation, and the use of biological control agents (BCAs) offer environmentally friendly options for managing soil-borne diseases. Steam and microwave disinfestation are also promising techniques; however, further development is required to improve their practical efficiency. Integrated management approaches, which combine multiple interventions, have proven particularly effective, offering flexibility and enhancing control through complementary techniques. Additionally, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and hyperspectral imaging provide new opportunities for real-time monitoring and decision-support to optimize the timing and targeting of pest management interventions. This review emphasizes the potential of sustainable soil pest control methods to reduce reliance on chemical fumigants, improve crop yield and quality, and support environmentally responsible farming practices. It also examines the challenges associated with scalability, cost, and variable effectiveness, while outlining the strengths, weaknesses, and mechanisms of each method. Further research on regional adaptation, technological integration, and long-term impacts is essential to fully optimize these innovative solutions for food security and sustainable agriculture.