• Chandra Shekar CH

Feeding a global population projected to reach 8 to 10 billion by 2050 presents critical challenges for agriculture, demanding innovative strategies to enhance crop resilience and conserve natural resources. Traditional agricultural practices, heavily reliant on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, have significantly increased food production but at the cost of environmentdegradation,ion contributing to soil erosion, water pollution, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions. To ensure sustainable food production, it is crucial to adopt next-generation agricultural systems that reduce dependence on harmful inputs while boosting crop productivity and resilience. Environmental biotechnology offers transformative solutions through advanced genetic engineering and the utilization of plant-beneficial microbes. These methods help make crops that are better able to handle biotic stresses, like pests and diseases, and abiotic stresses, like drought, saltiness, and heat that are made worse by climate change. Furthermore, practices like the incorporation of cover crops and microbial inoculants play a pivotal role in improving soil health by enhancing nutrient cycling, reducing erosion, and controlling pathogens, thus supporting sustainable farming practices. This review looks at three case studies in small grain, tomato, and oilseed rape production to show how cover crops and microbial technologies can help improve soil fertility, control weeds, and lower the amount of chemicals that are used. Although these systems approximate conventional yields, further advancements are needed to significantly increase agricultural productivity. Developing new crop varieties with enhanced tolerance to environmental stresses and improved nutritional profiles will be essential. Achieving this requires the integration of cutting-edge biotechnology, including intensified genetic engineering and sustainable farming techniques. By harnessing the power of environmental biotechnology, we can address the dual challenges of global food security and natural resource conservation for future generations.

Environmental biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, crop resilience, genetic engineering, plant-beneficial microbes, soil health, cover crops, microbial inoculants, biotic stress, abiotic stress, nutrient cycling, chemical inputs, food security, natural resource conservation.

"Environmental Biotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Crop Resilience and Conserving Natural Resources", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 12, page no.b677-b691, December-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2412169.pdf

"Environmental Biotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Crop Resilience and Conserving Natural Resources", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 12, page no. ppb677-b691, December-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2412169.pdf