Strategies　aimed　at　defining,　discovering,　and　developing　alternatives　to　traditional　antibiotics　will　underlie　the　development　of　sustainable　agricultural　systems.　Among　such　strategies,　antimicrobial　peptides　(AMPs)　with　broad-spectrum　antimicrobial　activity　and　multifaceted　mechanisms　of　action　are　recognized　as　ideal　alternatives　in　the　post-antibiotic　era.　In　particular,　AMPs　derived　from　microbes　with　active　metabolisms　that　can　adapt　to　a　variety　of　extreme　environments　have　long　been　sought　after.　Consequently,　this　review　summarizes　information　on　naturally　occurring　AMPs,　including　their　biological　activity,　antimicrobial　mechanisms,　and　the　preparation　of　microbial-derived　AMPs;　it　also　outlines　their　applications　and　the　challenges　presented　by　their　use　in　the　agroindustry.　By　dissecting　the　research　results　on　microbial-derived　AMPs　of　previous　generations,　this　study　contributes　valuable　knowledge　on　the　exploration　and　realization　of　the　applications　of　AMPs　in　sustainable　agriculture.　(c)　2022　THE　AUTHORS.　Published　by　Elsevier　LTD　on　behalf　of　Chinese　Academy　of　Engineering　and　Higher　Education　Press　Limited　Company.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).