Fungal Nanoparticles Formed in Saline Environments Are Conducive to Soil Health and Remediation

Abstract

Sodium salt-affected, heavy metal-contaminated, chemical fertilizer-overused, and other hazardous constituents-caused poor quality soils are collectively called unhealthy soils. These unhealthy soils ultimately result in yield reduction, quality decline, and loss of income for farmers. The saline environment-derived fungi have the ability to resist or tolerate certain high concentrations of salts no matter how halotolerant or halophilic they are. And several mechanisms to alleviate the damages of salt, heavy metal, or other hazardous chemicals have been reported in the halotolerant or halophilic fungi. Among these mechanisms, nanoparticle-mediated bioremediation is proposed to be important. These nanoparticles are formed from the reductive products of soil metal cations or from fungal-secreted metabolites, enzymes, or hydrolysates that are beneficial to soil physical properties, fertility, activity, and health. This chapter will focus on the following aspects: identification of halotolerant or halophilic fungi, nanoparticles synthesized by halotolerant or halophilic fungi, mycoremediation, and health maintenance for saline-affected soils. The current advances of nanoparticle-mediated technology in soil health improvement are also discussed.