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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 12283

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jun Fan

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Guest Editor

Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: water and nutrient cycling in dryland farming; rapid improvement and maintenance of soil fertility in agricultural fields

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The international journal Agronomy (IF₂₀₂₀=3.417; ISSN, 2073-4395) is running a Special Issue entitled “Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient”. This Special Issue invites original research papers on soil water and nutrient cycling and management of dryland farming.

Dryland farming plays an esenssial role in agricultural production and global food supply security. However, shortage of water resources, low precipitation and asynchrony between crop growth and distribution limit crop production. Simultaneously, dryland agriculture is facing a great challenge of a growing world population and increasing extreme weather events in recent years. Modern dryland agriculture must respond to the new challenge to meet the agricultural Sustainable Development Goals. Hence, understanding the effect of various agricultural practices on soil quality (microbial diversity, soil organic matter, structure, physico-chemical properties, etc.) is urgently needed to better assess the role of dryland agriculture.

This Special Issue’s topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) Optimized fertilization practices, cropping systems and agronomic strategies for improving the limited water resource use efficiency and crop productivity;

(ii) Evaluation of the effects of fertilizer management on the soil nutrient cycle and water cycle;

(iii) Modeling of soil water and nutrient cycling and availability in dryland farming;

(iv) Innovation in dryland farming technologies, such as climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and precision agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Jun Fan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

dryland farming
water use efficiency
land productivity
fertilizing
soil properties
grain yield
rainfed agriculture
conservation tillage

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1469 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Yield and Economic Value of Upland Rice Using Inorganic Fertilizer and Poultry Manure in Dryland

by Sutardi, Miranti Dian Pertiwi, Raden Heru Praptana, Markus Anda, Heni Purwaningsih, Joko Triastono, Kristamtini, Untung Susanto, Setyorini Widyayanti, Mahargono Kabarsih, Dewi Sahara, Afrizal Malik, Renie Oelviani, Forita Dyah Arianti, Elisabeth Srihayu Harsanti, Anicetus Wihardjaka, Intan Gilang Cempaka, Damasus Riyanto and Sugeng Widodo

Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2829; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12112829 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2309

Abstract

Rice production in the karst dryland is still low, due to soil characteristics that lack nutrient availability. Meanwhile, upland rice has received less attention, and it has not been used to its full potential. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various combinations of inorganic fertilizers, poultry manure, and upland rice varieties on the production and economic value of karst dryland in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta. This experiment was arranged in a factorial design, with inorganic fertilizers, poultry manure, and upland rice varieties set in a randomized block design with three replications. The first factor was a combination of inorganic and organic fertilizer rates: 72 N kg ha⁻¹ + 26 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 25 K₂O ha⁻¹ + 3 t ha⁻¹ organic, 92 N kg ha⁻¹ + 36 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 30 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 2 t ha⁻¹ organic, 112 N kg ha⁻¹ + 46 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 35 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 1 t ha⁻¹ organic. The second factor is the upland varieties of Inpago 8, Inpago 10, and Inpago 12 and lowland variety Inpari 42 Agritan GSR, as checked. Based on the study, we concluded that the combination of 92 N kg ha⁻¹ + 36 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 30 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 2 t ha⁻¹ poultry manure fertilizers with Inpago 8 resulted in an IDR profit of 23,586,000 ha⁻¹, and it is the most recommendable fertilizer and variety combination to be developed in the karst dryland, in consideration of land fertility and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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15 pages, 4168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Nitrogen on the Viscosity of the Erosive Sediment-Laden Flows

by Yuanyuan Zhang, Jianen Gao, Zhe Gao, Zhaorun Wang, Lu Wang, Youcai Kang and Rafiq Ahmad

Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2029; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12092029 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012

Abstract

Viscosity is a fundamental hydrodynamic property of erosive flow, but except for the effect of sediment on viscosity, the effect of other erosive substances such as agricultural nitrogen on the characteristics of erosive flow has rarely been studied. This in turn is likely to be an important factor affecting the erosive transport mechanism. In this study, the effect of nitrogen on the viscosity of sediment-laden flow with different levels was investigated by using a self-made dual vertical tube rheometer. It was found that: (i) the viscosity coefficient (μ) of nitrogen-bearing erosive flow is affected by the nitrogen concentration, sediment content, and the physical and chemical properties of the sediment; (ii) the calculation model of the relative viscosity coefficient with the effects of nitrogen, concentration, sediment gradation, and temperature, was constructed, and the validation showed that the model not only has a clear physical meaning but also has a simple calculation method and good calculation accuracy. The results of the study are of great significance for the in-depth understanding of the erosion transport mechanism of erosive flow. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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16 pages, 2823 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Activated Water Irrigation on the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat under Irrigation Deficit

by Huan Wang, Jun Fan and Wei Fu

Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12061315 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1784

Abstract

Activated water irrigation has been widely investigated as an effective production increasing measure. However, the response of activated water irrigation in plant growth and water use efficiency (WUE) with the irrigation amount is not well understood. Here, a pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of activated water irrigation on winter wheat growth, yield, and WUE under irrigation amount. Twelve treatments included four irrigation water types, (i) tap water (TW), (ii) tap water with magnetization (MW), (iii) tap water with oxygenation (OW), (iv) tap water with magnetization and oxygenation (M&OW), and three irrigation amounts, (1) 80% of the field capacity (FC), (2) 65%FC, and (3) 50%FC. The results indicated that activated water irrigation improved the plant height, leaf area, aboveground biomass, and photosynthetic characteristics at each growth stage of winter wheat. However, the yield and WUE varied with water type and irrigation amount. With 80%FC, the yield and WUE of MW were significantly greater by 35.7% and 53.9% than TW. The yield and WUE of OW were greater by 11.4% and 23.1% than TW. With 65%FC, the yield of MW, OW, and M&OW were greater by 43.9%, 46.3%, and 14.6% than TW, respectively. WUE of MW, OW, and M&OW were greater by 37.0%, 37.0%, and 11.1% than TW, respectively. With 50%FC, the yield of OW and M&OW were significantly greater by 77.3% and 122.7% than TW. WUE of OW and M&OW were significantly greater by 41.4% and 75.9% than TW (p < 0.05). Overall, the research provides clear evidence that OW is an effective way to increase yield and WUE, MW and M&OW should be applied in suitable soil water conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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15 pages, 1235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Irrigation with Activated Water on Root Morphology of Hydroponic Rice and Wheat Seedlings

by Xueting Yang, Jun Fan, Jiamin Ge and Zhanbin Luo

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1068; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12051068 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2197

Abstract

Raising yields and agricultural production efficiency is the primary goal of realizing modern agriculture. As a low-cost and environmentally friendly technology, activated water has the potential to increase crop yields and improve water and fertilizer use efficiency, but much research is still needed to make this technology widely available in the field. Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of magnetized water, aerated water, and magnetized aerated water on rice and wheat seedling and root growth. The results showed that aerated water irrigation significantly increased plant height by 5.1–9.6%, leaf area by 21.1%, and aboveground biomass by 14.8–16.3%, respectively. Aerated water irrigation also significantly promoted rice root biomass, maximum root length, total root length, total root surface area, and especially the proportion of roots less than 0.5 mm in diameter, indicating that aerated water enhances the growth of rice seedlings mainly by promoting root growth, especially fine root (D ≤ 0.5 mm) growth. The maximum root length and total root volume of wheat roots under magnetized water irrigation treatment were increased by 7.7–8.6% and 17.2%, respectively, resulting in a significant increase in aboveground dry biomass by 13.6%. Magnetized water and magnetized aerated water irrigation also promoted the growth of rice seedlings and roots. In contrast, aerated water and magnetized aerated water irrigation exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of wheat seedlings and roots. Therefore, activated water has different effects on different crops in hydroponics, and more research is needed in the future to determine the conditions for the application of activated water in agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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15 pages, 1357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Environmentally Friendly Soil Amendment for Enhancing Soil Water Availability in Drought-Prone Soils

by Ting Yang, Xuguang Xing, Yan Gao and Xiaoyi Ma

Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12010133 - 06 Jan 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2007

Abstract

Applying soil amendments plays a critical role in relieving water stress in arid and semiarid areas. The natural clay mineral attapulgite (ATP) can be utilized to adjust the balance of water and soil environment. In this study, we investigated four different particle size distribution typical soils in the Loess Plateau: (1) lou soil (LS), (2) dark loessial soil (DS), (3) cultivated loess soil (CS), (4) sandy soil (SS). Five ATP application rates (0, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) were selected to test the effect of ATP on the soil water retention curve, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, and soil structure. The results showed that applied ATP significantly increased the soil clay content, and the relative change of SS with 3% ATP applied increased by 53.7%. The field water holding capacity of LS, DS, CS, and SS with 3% ATP applied increased by 8.9%, 9.6%, 18.2%, and 45.0%, respectively. Although applied ATP reduced the saturated hydraulic conductivity, the values of CS and SS were opposite when the amount of ATP applied was >3%. The relative change in the amount of 0.25–1 mm soil water-stable aggregates of SS was 155.9% when 3% ATP was applied. Applied ATP can enhance soil water retention and soil stability, which may improve limited water use efficiency and relieve soil desiccation in arid and semiarid areas or similar hydrogeological areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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17 pages, 3699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Irrigation with Activated Water Promotes Root Growth and Improves Water Use of Winter Wheat

by Guoqing Zhao, Beibei Zhou, Yan Mu, Yanhui Wang, Yuqi Liu and Li Wang

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2459; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122459 - 02 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1549

Abstract

Magnetic or oxidation treatment of irrigation water can promote the transport of water and nutrients by the root system, improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer use and potentially increase yields. Hydroponic and field experiments were conducted to explore how irrigation with magnetized and/or oxidized water affects grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat with an emphasis on physiological changes in the root system. Hydroponic cultivation of winter wheat with pure groundwater and brackish water included the following treatments: control group (CK−G, CK−B); magnetization (GM, BM); oxidation (GO, BO); and the combination of magnetization and oxidation (G(M+O), B(M+O), G(O+M), B(O+M)). Field experiments only tested irrigation with various types of groundwater, including the control group (IG), magnetization treatment (IGM), oxidation treatment (IGO), and the combination of the two treatment methods (IG(M+O), IG(O+M)). Hydroponic cultivation revealed that the magnetic treatment and oxidation of both groundwater and brackish water can significantly improve the root vigor of winter wheat, i.e., improvements of 100.5–253.7% and 100.4–213.9% were seen in the groundwater and brackish treatment groups, respectively, relative to the control group. The root length density (RLD) of wheat increased by 67.6% (GM), 79.4% (GO), 7.5% (BM), and 40.0% (BO) relative to the respective control groups (CK−G and CK−B). Moreover, the root weight density (RWD) for BO and B(O+M) treatments improved significantly (66.7% and 55.4%, respectively) relative to CK−B. The maximal increases in root surface area density (RSD) were observed in treatments GO and B(O+M), which showed values 125% and 100%, respectively, higher than what was measured for the control groups. The root/shoot ratios of the GO and G(O+M) treatments improved significantly (by 75.3% and 62.0%, respectively) relative to CK−G. The results of field experiments showed that wheat in the IGO and IG(O+M) plots absorbed more water from the soil than wheat in the of IG plots (increases of 13.9% and 16.9%, respectively). Furthermore, the IGO and IG(O+M) treatments produced significantly higher grain yields and WUE than the IG plots, with IGO producing the maximum yield (11.7 × 10³ kg ha⁻¹) and IG(O+M) the highest observed WUE (30.3 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹). Hence, the research provides clear evidence that the irrigation of winter wheat with magnetized and/or oxidized water can increase grain yields and WUE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dryland Agriculture and Farming Techniques: From Soil to Plant Nutrient)

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