Harnessing ozone for agriculture and the agrifood sector: an interdisciplinary roadmap from current applications to future perspectives

Ozone is increasingly recognized as a versatile and sustainable tool in agriculture and the agrifood sector due to its high oxidative potential and rapid decomposition into oxygen, leaving no persistent residues. Despite these potentials, critical knowledge gaps remain regarding optimal dosage protocols, crop physiological responses, species-specific ozone effects, the overall impact on soil fertility and a lack of harmonized regulatory framework hampering a wide adoption of this strategy. This article provides a critical roadmap, transitioning from consolidated applications to innovative research frontiers. Established uses include equipment sanitation, postharvest shelf-life extension, and the effective removal of pesticide residues. Beyond these, the manuscript explores emerging applications such as field pest and weed control, where ozone exhibits mechanistic overlaps with conventional herbicides, and its role as a biostimulant capable of triggering beneficial responses in crops. Collectively, these applications offer significant potential for advancing agricultural sustainability. The integration of ozone with digital innovations, including precision agriculture and digital twins, is highlighted as a key driver to optimize delivery and minimize variability. Gaining further insight into these aspects is essential for to optimize application strategies. By adopting a One Health perspective and utilizing Life Cycle Assessment data, the study underscores ozone's potential to significantly improve the sustainability of agricultural systems. Ultimately, this work emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary research and policy tools to bridge existing knowledge gaps and ensure the safe, efficient, and sustainable adoption of ozone-based technologies in modern farming.