Impacts of soil degradation on the severity of soil-borne diseases and sustainable management strategies: A review

Land degradation is a significant environmental challenge that impacts over 1.5 billion people globally. Recent assessments indicate that approximately 23% of the Earth's surface is degraded, with alarming projections suggesting this could increase by up to 50% by 2050. Regions particularly vulnerable to severe degradation include Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, largely due to socio-economic and climatic changes. Soil degradation is classified into three main forms: physical, chemical, and biological. These forms often interact and influence one another in various ways. Notably, biological degradation is frequently overlooked, despite the critical role of soil biology in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Soil microorganisms are essential for facilitating vital nutrient cycles, including nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, and water, and they also play a crucial antagonistic role against soil-borne plant pathogens. The virulence, growth, motility, and survival of these pathogens are significantly affected by soil degradation, thereby impacting the prevalence and severity of soil-borne diseases. This paper provides insights into soil degradation, focusing mainly on biological degradation and the processes and human activities that contribute to it. It discusses the impacts of biological degradation and other forms on soil-borne diseases and explores their interactions, while also outlining specific management strategies for sustainable soil health improvement.