Ritishree Mallick, Ashirbad Sarangi, Bhabani Shankar Das and Ghanashyam Behera
Abstract
The persistent challenges of industrial wastewater contamination, diminished agricultural yield from climate change, overuse of pesticides, and heightened crop vulnerability to pests jeopardise the ecosystem and global food security. The versatility of photosynthetic microalgae indicates a possible solution to these various challenges. This review examines the symbiotic link between microalgae-based wastewater treatment (phyco-remediation) and biomass growth from food industry effluents. Food-processing wastewater serves as a secure and highly organic substrate for biomass cultivation. Microalgae cultivated in wastewater serve as reservoirs for carbohydrates, lipids, micronutrients, macronutrients, and phytohormones. This biomass facilitates the creation of microalgae based agricultural bio-productsto enhance plant growth, augment production, biocontrol agents for pests and preserve soil fertility. The ongoing advancements in this field increase the availability of biomass for downstream processing and its efficient utilisation in agriculture. Thus,this research meticulously analyses the principal aspects of advanced cultivation of microalgae. The paper also highlights the use, legislation, and market demand for plant based extract microalgae bioproducts (biofertilizer, bio-stimulant, and biocontrol agent) for sustainable agriculture.