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Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 12635

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Haichao Li

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Guest Editor

Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics; biochar; resources recycling; animal waste management

Dr. Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Sciences, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
Interests: soil fertility; organic fertilizers; soil organic matter; compost; waste valorization; soil biodiversity; plant bio stimulants; sustainable vegetable intensification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil fertility management is crucial to produce food, feed, and biomass for renewable energy in a desired quantity and quality that meets the needs of more than 10 billion people, estimated by the end of the 21^st century. In addition, soil fertility management practices play significant roles in achieving climate change and sustainable development goals. FAO recently reported that about 95% of our food nutrients are from soils. However, due to a decline in soil fertility, more than 2 billion people across the globe are suffering from hidden hunger caused by a lack of micronutrients in food products. Over recent decades, advancing soil fertility management practices has been proposed and implemented as an essential tool for sustainable agriculture and fulfilling current and future human needs. Soil fertility management practices, such as conservation tillage, straw return, cover crops, biochar, and compost application have been used to maintain soil structure, sequester carbon, reduce nutrient leaching and erosion, alleviate soil compaction and improve beneficial soil microbial community. These microorganisms are the basis for enhancing soil fertility and ensuring sustainable agriculture. Moreover, the interest and advances in valorizing agri-food waste streams as agricultural inputs in the form of compost, compost extract, biofertilizers, and bio-stimulants are rapidly growing. Nonetheless, more studies are still needed to fully understand the benefits and adverse effects of soil fertility management practices for sustainable agriculture.

This Special Issue, “Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture,” aims to collect original research articles and review papers and to expand our knowledge related to the following advances in:

Application of novel biobased fertilizers and soil improvers;
Application of plant biostimulants in crop production;
Improving the availability and plant uptake of micronutrients;
Understanding the roles of soil organisms in soil fertility;
Converting biowastes into biofertilizers;
Application of biochar to improve soil fertility;
Reduced tillage, cover cropping, and intercropping practices in agriculture;
Soil organic matter and soil fertility management in a sustainable agricultural system.

Dr. Haichao Li
Dr. Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 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

soil fertility
sustainable agriculture
conservation tillage
straw return
cover crop
organic farming
biochar
biofertilizers, plant bio-stimulants, micronutrients

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties

by Vaida Steponavičienė, Aušra Rudinskienė, Giedrius Žiūraitis and Vaclovas Bogužas

Plants 2023, 12(19), 3386; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12193386 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012

Abstract

A long-term field experiment has been ongoing since 1999 at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University’s Agriculture Academy. According to the latest edition of the International Soil Classification System, the soil in the experimental field can be classified as Planosol, with a silty medium-loam texture at a depth of 0–20 cm and a silty light-loam texture at a depth of 20–40 cm. Studies were carried out on winter wheat crops in 2014, 2017, and 2023. This research aimed to assess how different long-term tillage systems impact soil shear strength and aggregate stability, their interconnection, and the effect of crop residues on soil stability. The treatments were arranged using a split-plot design. In a two-factor field experiment, straw was removed from one part of the experimental field, while the entire straw yield was chopped and spread at harvest in the other part (Factor A). The subplot factor (Factor B) included three different tillage systems: conventional deep ploughing, cover cropping for green manure with no tillage, and no tillage. The soil samples were analyzed at the Laboratory of Agrobiology at Vytautas Magnus University’s Agriculture Academy. The findings indicated that the long-term application of reduced tillage significantly increased the soil shear strength. Shallower tillage depths led to a higher soil shear strength, while the effect of spreading plant residues was relatively lower. The long-term tillage of different intensities, spreading plant residues, and catch crop cultivation for green manure did not significantly affect the soil structure. However, the soil structural stability was found to be highly dependent on soil tillage. Cover cropping for green manure with no tillage and no tillage alone positively affected the soil aggregate stability in the upper 0–10 cm and 10–25 cm layers. The correlation–regression analysis showed that, in the top 0–10 cm and 10–25 soil layers, there were moderate to strong correlations between the soil structural stability, soil shear strength, and the effect of crop residues on soil stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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14 pages, 1293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Bio-Fertilizers Improves Forage Quantity and Quality of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Intercropped with Soybean (Glycine max L.)

by Elnaz Sadafzadeh, Abdollah Javanmard, Mostafa Amani Machiani and Adriano Sofo

Plants 2023, 12(16), 2985; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12162985 - 18 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1193

Abstract

In recent years, application of bio-fertilizers (BFs) in intercropping systems has become known as one of the main sustainable and eco-friendly strategies for improving the quantity and quality of forage crops. In order to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of sorghum intercropped with soybean, a two-year field experiment was carried out as factorial based on a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications. The first factor was different cropping patterns including soybean monocultures with densities of 40 and 50 plants m⁻² (G40 and G50), sorghum monocultures with densities of 10 and 15 plants m⁻² (S10 and S15) and intercropping of two plants with the mentioned densities. The second factor was non-application (control) and application of bio-fertilizers. The results demonstrated that the highest dry forage yield of sorghum (21.22 t ha⁻¹) was obtained in monoculture conditions with density of 15 plants m⁻² and inoculation with bio-fertilizer (S15+BF). The maximum crude protein (CP = 149.6 g kg⁻¹ DM), ash (113.2 g kg⁻¹ DM), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC = 251.16 g kg⁻¹ DM), dry matter intake (DMI = 26.83 g kg⁻¹ of body weight), digestible dry matter (DDM = 668.01 g kg⁻¹ DM), total digestible nutrients (TDN = 680.42 g kg⁻¹ DM), relative feed value (RFV = 142.98%) and net energy for lactation (NEL = 1.625 Mcal kg⁻¹) were observed in the intercropping of S10G50 inoculated with BF. Interestingly, application of bio-fertilizers enhanced the content of CP, ash, WSC, DMI, DDM, TDN, RFV and NEL by 7.5, 8, 11.7, 3.6, 2.3, 12.3, 5.9 and 3.5% when compared with the control (non-application of bio-fertilizers). In all intercropping patterns, the total land equivalent ratio (LER) value was greater than one, representing the advantage of these cropping patterns in comparison with sorghum monoculture. The highest total LER was recorded in the intercropping of S15G40 and S10G50 following application of BF. Additionally, the highest monetary advantage index (MAI) was calculated in the intercropping of S15G40+BF. Generally, it can be concluded that the intercropping of S10G50 along with bio-fertilizer inoculation could be suggested as an eco-friendly strategy for improving the forage quantity and quality under low-input conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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11 pages, 3865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Application of Organic Fertilizer with Microbial Inoculum Improved Aggregate Formation and Salt Leaching in a Secondary Salinized Soil

by Yuanyuan Peng, He Zhang, Jinshan Lian, Wen Zhang, Guihua Li and Jianfeng Zhang

Plants 2023, 12(16), 2945; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12162945 - 15 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1222

Abstract

Greenhouse vegetable production provides significant quantities of vegetables throughout the year and improves farmers’ income. However, over-fertilization with mineral fertilizer causes soil secondary salinization and decreases the stability of the soil structure. To improve aggregate formation and decrease salt accumulation in the soil profile, bio-organic fertilizers (Protaetia brevitarsis larvae frass with Bacillus amyloliticus and/or Trichoderma harziensis) were applied to partially substitute mineral fertilizer in a salinized vegetable soil. Soil nutrient condition, aggregate stability, and salt movement in the soil profile were measured in a greenhouse double-cucumber system. The results showed that soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorus (AP) increased significantly under bio-organic fertilizer treatments compared with control. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) and total salt content (TSC) decreased by 15.74–24.20% and 19.15–29.05%, respectively, with bio-organic fertilizers (p < 0.05). Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, and SO₄²⁻ content under double inoculation with B. amyloliticus and T. harziensis reduced by 31.19%, 26.30%, and 53.11%, respectively, compared to CK (p < 0.05). In addition, double inoculation was more efficient in reducing nitrate content in the soil profile than single inoculation. Soil microaggregates of 0.25–0.053 mm increased by 75.87–78.51% with bio-fertilizers compared with control, and double inoculation was the best for aggregate formation. In conclusion, the inoculation of plant-growth-promoting and salt-tolerant microorganisms with high humic acid larvae frass can alleviate salinization in vegetable soil, enhance soil nutrient content, and improve the soil structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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17 pages, 14027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Intensive and Super-Intensive Olive Grove Management on Soil Quality—Nutrients Content and Enzyme Activities

by Marino Pedro Reyes-Martín, Emilia Fernández-Ondoño, Irene Ortiz-Bernad and Maria Manuela Abreu

Plants 2023, 12(15), 2779; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12152779 - 26 Jul 2023

Viewed by 913

Abstract

Agricultural soil quality is an issue that has been widely debated in the literature in recent decades. Three olive grove areas (one in Lisbon and the others in Santarém, Portugal) with different management techniques (intensive and super-intensive) were selected. Nutrient concentrations and enzyme activities of soils were determined, as well as the C and N of litter and pruning waste (mulch) to estimate the influence of management techniques on the quality of olive grove soils and to assess the extent to which they are affected by organic covers and different cultivation intensities. Organic C and total N concentrations in soils of the intensive olive grove in Lisbon were the highest when compared with those in the intensive and super-intensive olive groves soils of Santarém. The concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, and K were the main differences between the Lisbon olive groves and the other two from Santarém. Phosphatase, cellulase, and urease activities were related to the Na, extractable K, extractable P, Zn, Mn, organic C, and total N soil concentrations. Soil management and agricultural practices are determining factors for these enzymatic activities of Santarém olive groves, although climate conditions and soil properties play an important role in the soil enzymatic activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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15 pages, 1521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Various Forms of Sulfur on Soil Organic Matter Fractions and Microorganisms in a Pot Experiment with Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

by Elżbieta G. Magnucka, Grzegorz Kulczycki, Małgorzata P. Oksińska, Jolanta Kucińska, Katarzyna Pawęska, Łukasz Milo and Stanisław J. Pietr

Plants 2023, 12(14), 2649; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12142649 - 15 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1698

Abstract

This article focuses on the agronomic evaluation of the supplementation of mineral NPKMg fertilizers with elemental sulfur, magnesium, potassium, or ammonium sulfates in pot experiments with ryegrass growing in a sandy Arenosol with very low sulfur content. A benefit evaluation was carried out on the basis of biomass production, crop nutritional status, and changes in the content of soil organic matter fractions. Furthermore, the total number of bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and fungi was estimated using the qPCR technique in soil samples after 60 days of ryegrass growth. The combined application of NPKMg and sulfur or sulfate fertilizers significantly increased the summary yield of three cuttings of fresh ryegrass biomass in the range of 32.3% to 82.7%. The application, especially in the form of sulfates, significantly decreased the content of free phenolic acids. Furthermore, compared to the control, i.e., soil with NPKMg applied alone, an increase in the content of glomalin-related proteins and a decrease in the amount of water-soluble organic carbon compounds were observed. Neither the number of DNA marker copy numbers of the total bacterial community nor the nitrogen-fixing bacteria were noticeably different. In turn, the total number of genetic markers for fungi was significantly higher in soils with potassium or ammonium sulfates compared to the control soil. The general results suggest that the application of sulfur fertilizers with NPKMg mineral fertilizer can benefit crops and support soil fertility due to the stabilization of aggregates and the decrease in water-soluble organic compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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23 pages, 5439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Efficiency and Crop Productivity of Two-Rowed Barley under Different Crop Production Systems

by Dimitrios Beslemes, Evangelia Tigka, Ioannis Roussis, Ioanna Kakabouki, Antonios Mavroeidis and Dimitrios Vlachostergios

Plants 2023, 12(9), 1908; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12091908 - 08 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1834

Abstract

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) constitute a ubiquitous group of soil microorganisms, affecting plant and soil microorganism growth. Various crop management practices can have a significant impact on the AM association. This study investigated the AMF inoculation contribution on growth and productivity of two-rowed barley crop by identifying the underlying mechanisms both in conventional and organic cropping systems. A two-year field trial was set up as a split-plot design with 2 main plots [AMF inoculation: with (AMF+) and without (AMF−)] and five sub-plots (fertilization regimes: untreated, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form, and 60% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form) in three replications. According to the results, AMF+ plants presented higher plant height and leaf area index (LAI), resulting in increased biomass and, as a result, higher seed yield. With regard to the quality traits, including the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and their utilization indices, the AMF inoculated plants showed higher values. Furthermore, the level of fertilization, particularly in an inorganic form, adversely affected AMF root colonization. Consequently, it was concluded that substitution of inorganic inputs by organic, as well as inputs reduction, when combined with AMF inoculation, can produce excellent results, thus making barley crop cultivation sustainable in Mediterranean climates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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14 pages, 1986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Availability of Nitrogen in Soil for Irrigated Cotton Following Application of Urea and 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole Phosphate-Coated Urea in Concentrated Bands

by Pamela A. Pittaway, Diogenes L. Antille, Alice R. Melland and Serhiy Marchuk

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1170; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12051170 - 03 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1425

Abstract

Low nitrogen (N) fertilizer use efficiency for irrigated cotton has been attributed to the limited ability of tap roots to access N from concentrated subsurface bands, or the preferential root uptake of microbially-mineralized dissolved organic N. This work investigated how applying high-rate banded urea affects the availability of N in soil and the capacity of cotton roots to take up N. Soil was analyzed for water-extractable total dissolved N and inorganic N species after urea or urea coated with 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) was applied at concentrations of 261, 455, 461, and 597 mg N kg⁻¹ of (air-dry) soil (mean bulk density: 1.01 g cm⁻³). A mass balance was used to compare N applied as fertilizer and in unfertilized soil (supplied N) with the N recovered from soil within the cylinders (recovered N) at five plant growth phases. Root uptake was estimated by comparing ammonium-N (NH₄-N) and nitrate-N (NO₃-N) in soil sampled from within cylinders with soil sampled from immediately outside. Recovered N was up to 100% above supplied N within 30 days of applying urea above 261 mg N kg⁻¹ of soil. Significantly lower NO₃-N in soil sampled from immediately outside the cylinders suggests urea application stimulates cotton root uptake. The use of DMPP-coated urea prolonged high NH₄-N in soil and inhibited the mineralization of released organic N. These results imply the release of previously sequestered soil organic N within 30 days of applying concentrated urea enhances the availability of NO₃-N in the rhizosphere, reducing N fertilizer use efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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28 pages, 3229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Sugarcane Leaf Return and Fertilizer Reduction on Maize Growth, Yield and Soil Properties in Red Soil

by Yufeng Liu, Yumo Tan, Dan Liang, Chengruo Pei and Zhenhua Zhang

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1029; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12051029 - 24 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1926

Abstract

In order to make better use of the vast sugarcane leaf straw resources and reduce the overuse of chemical fertilizers in the subtropical red soil region of Guangxi, this study aimed to determine the effects of sugarcane leaf return (SLR) and fertilizer reduction (FR) on maize growth, yield component and yield, and soil properties. A pot experiment with three SLR amounts (full SLR (FS), 120 g/pot; half SLR (HS), 60 g/pot; and no SLR (NS) with three FR levels including full fertilizer (FF), 4.50 g N/pot, 3.00 g P₂O₅/pot, and 4.50 g K₂O/pot; half fertilizer (HF), 2.25 g N/pot, 1.50 g P₂O₅/pot, and 2.25 g K₂O/pot; and no fertilizer (NF)), without nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium added, was conducted to assess the effects of different SLR amounts and chemical FR levels on maize growth, yield, and soil properties. Compared with no sugarcane leaf return and the no-fertilizer treatment (CK), SLR and FR could increase maize plant height, stalk diameter, number of fully developed maize plant leaves, total leaf area and chlorophyll content, soil alkali–hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), soil organic matter (SOM), and electrical conductivity (EC). The maize yield component factors of FS and HS were higher in NF treatment than those in NS treatment. The relative increase rate of treatments retained FF/NF and HF/NF under FS or HS condition on 1000 kernel weight, ear diameter, plant air-dried weight, ear height, and yield than that under NS condition. FSHF had not only the largest plant air-dried weight but also the highest maize yield (3225.08 kg/hm²) among nine treatment combinations. The effects of SLR on maize growth and yield and soil properties were lower than those of FR. SLR and FR combined treatment did not affect maize growth but affected maize yield significantly. Soil properties improved more with SLR + FR treatment than with SLR or FR application alone. The plant height, stalk diameter, number of fully developed maize plant leaves, and total leaf area, as well as AN, AP, AK, SOM, and EC levels in soil, were enhanced by SLR and FR incorporation. The experimental results indicated that applying reasonable FR combined with SLR increased AN, AP, AK, SOM, and EC, which improved maize growth and yield and enhanced soil properties in red soil. Hence, FSHF might be a suitable combination of SLR and FR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture)

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