Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.6
3.6
Journals
Agriculture
Special Issues
Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties
share announcement

Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Soils".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 9418

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sylwia Andruszczak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Herbology and Plant Cultivation Techniques, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Interests: plant production; tillage; soil; weeds; fertilization; yield quality; environment; plant protection
Prof. Dr. Monika Skowrońska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Interests: soil; plant; carbon; nitrogen; nutrients; sequestration; biomass; fertilization; manure; wastes; water quality; environment; greenhouse gases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue of the journal Agriculture entitled “Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-chemical and Biological Properties” under the Section Agricultural Soils.

The growing world population, which is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, coupled with changing dietary preferences is expected to drive fertilizer industry expansion. Currently, half of all food globally is produced using mineral fertilizers, and nitrogen is usually a major limiting factor for crop production. The continuous application of fertilizers and/or their excessive rates, however, could lead to undesirable consequences, such as reduced crop yields and a deterioration in soil health, i.e., its capacity to function, within ecosystem and land use boundaries, to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. This Special Issue focuses on the physico-chemical and biological properties of soils governed by applied fertilizers, with an emphasis both on the negative impacts and the management of the maintenance or improvement of soil quality. This Special Issue particularly invites highly interdisciplinary studies embracing disciplines from agriculture and soil science to the environment and humans. All types of articles, such as original research and reviews, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Sylwia Andruszczak
Prof. Dr. Monika Skowrońska
Guest Editors

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. Agriculture 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

  • soil quality indicators
  • soil health
  • macroelement
  • microelement
  • enzyme activities
  • physico-chemical properties
  • biological properties
  • soil pH
  • acidity
  • soil organic carbon

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 668 KiB  
Article
Enzymatic Activity of Soil after Applying Mineral Fertilizers and Waste Lignite to Maize Grown for Silage
by Barbara Symanowicz, Rafał Toczko and Martyna Toczko
Agriculture 2022, 12(12), 2146; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122146 - 13 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1442
Abstract
This paper examines the effect of mineral fertilizers and waste lignite, the latter applied to the preceding crop, on the enzymatic activity of soil. The research was conducted between 2014 and 2016 at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the Siedlce University of Natural [...] Read more.
This paper examines the effect of mineral fertilizers and waste lignite, the latter applied to the preceding crop, on the enzymatic activity of soil. The research was conducted between 2014 and 2016 at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Zawady (Poland). The following treatment combinations were involved: 1—control; 2—NPKMgS; 3—NPKMgS + 20 N; 4—NPKMgS + 40 N; 5—NPKMgS + 60 N. Three varieties of maize grown for silage constituted the second research factor. Mineral fertilizers were applied at the following doses (pre-sowing): N-100, P-35, K-125, Mg-12 and S-14 kg ha−1. Nitrogen was additionally applied as top dressing with 3, 4, and 5 treatment combinations at 20, 40, and 60 kg ha−1. Waste lignite was applied to the preceding crop on two plots (3 and 4), in 1 and 5 t ha−1 doses. In the subsequent years, the significantly highest content of soil organic carbon was recorded on the NPKMgS + 60 N plot (1.12%; 0.98% and 1.16%). With 49.25 and 51.95 mg NH4-N h–1 kg–1 DM, urease activity in the soil treated with NPKMgS + 20 N and NPKMgS + 40 N was 56.95% and 65.55% higher than in the control plot soil. Throughout the experimental years, acid phosphatase activity did not vary much and amounted to 3.51–3.53 mmol PNP h–1 kg–1 DM. Mineral fertilizers significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenases in relation to the control. To ensure the high enzymatic activity of the soil and a high biochemical index of soil fertility, pre-sowing fertilizers at the level of 100 kg N, 35 kg P, 125 kg K, 12 kg Mg, and 14 kg S per hectare and top dressing of 20 kg N or 40 kg N per hectare are recommended. At the same time, it is advisable to use 1 t ha–1 or 5 t ha–1 of waste lignite of low energy value on the preceding crop. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1292 KiB  
Article
Chemical and Biological Properties of Agricultural Soils Located along Communication Routes
by Elżbieta Zawierucha, Monika Skowrońska and Marcin Zawierucha
Agriculture 2022, 12(12), 1990; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12121990 - 24 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1295
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the quality of agricultural soils, which accumulate additional amounts of heavy metals from fertilization and modify their bioavailability, with the use of interdependencies between their biological and chemical properties conditioned by the distance from communication [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to assess the quality of agricultural soils, which accumulate additional amounts of heavy metals from fertilization and modify their bioavailability, with the use of interdependencies between their biological and chemical properties conditioned by the distance from communication routes. Our results indicated that heavy metals had an impact on enzyme activity in soils and their accumulation was significantly related to the distance from the edge of the road, location of sampling sites, date of soil sampling, and years of research. It was found that the greatest amounts of zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper were accumulated at a distance of 5–20 m from the edge of the road. The highest enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index values were recorded for Pb, followed by Zn, Cu, and Cd. Principal component analysis and regression models showed that the activities of phosphatase and dehydrogenases seem to be the best bioindicators of contamination of roadside soils used for agricultural purposes. Since their activity is related to soil’s organic carbon content, inputs of organic fertilizers and crop residues should be ensured in the agroecosystems along roadsides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1897 KiB  
Article
Consequences of the Long-Term Fertilization System Use on Physical and Microbiological Soil Status in the Western Polissia of Ukraine
by Oksana Puzniak, Natalia Hrynchyshyn, Tetiana Datsko, Sylwia Andruszczak and Bohdan Hulko
Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1955; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111955 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1742
Abstract
The response of soil microbial diversity to long-term fertilization is still not well understood in the context of different soil types. The purpose of this research was to reveal the impact of fertilization systems on soil parameters and life activity of the main [...] Read more.
The response of soil microbial diversity to long-term fertilization is still not well understood in the context of different soil types. The purpose of this research was to reveal the impact of fertilization systems on soil parameters and life activity of the main taxonomic and physiological groups of microorganisms responsible for nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus transformation. Reported results were obtained in the course of a 55-year-long experiment on fertilization of sod-podzolic soil in a grain-flax-potato crop rotation. Soil sampling was conducted within a 0–20 cm depth in five sites: without fertilizer (C); organic fertilization system, manure (O1FS); mineral fertilization system, NPK (MFS); organic-mineral fertilization system, manure + NPK (O1MFS); and organic-mineral fertilization system, siderate + NPK (O2MFS). Long-term use of various fertilization systems has led to changes in the soil properties. Bacteria dominated the microbial community in all examined areas. Soil fertilization supported bacteria development in all variants, except for MFS, and negatively affected the micromycetes content. A strong relationship between the change of the main soil indicators and the number of microorganisms from the main taxonomic groups was found between the soil pH KCl and the number of micromycetes. The O1FS option had the most beneficial effect on the development of soil nitrifiers and denitrifiers. The O1MFS fertilization system was the most favorable for the development of non-symbiotic anaerobic nitrogen-fixing, cellulose-degrading and phosphate-mobilizing microorganisms. In turn, the least favorable conditions for the development of physiological groups of microorganisms were found in cases of continuous use of mineral fertilizers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5652 KiB  
Article
Effects of Shelterbelt Transformation on Soil Aggregates Characterization and Erodibility in China Black Soil Farmland
by Tongwei Kong, Binhui Liu, Mark Henderson, Wanying Zhou, Yuanhang Su, Shuai Wang, Ligang Wang and Guibin Wang
Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1917; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111917 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1712
Abstract
Farmland shelterbelts are widely used to reduce wind erosion, maintaining the ecological and food security of the black soil plain region of northeast China. In recent years, the protective effect of shelterbelts has been reduced due to tree degeneration. Efforts have been made [...] Read more.
Farmland shelterbelts are widely used to reduce wind erosion, maintaining the ecological and food security of the black soil plain region of northeast China. In recent years, the protective effect of shelterbelts has been reduced due to tree degeneration. Efforts have been made to transform the construction of shelterbelts to conserve the stability of soil aggregates and enhance protection against erosion, however, the results are not well understood. To evaluate the impact of shelterbelt transformation on the stability of farmland soil aggregates and soil erodibility, three transformation modes of shelterbelts were selected, including pure Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (ZC), pure Picea asperata (YS), and mixed Populus × xiaohei–Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica (ZY), with a degraded Populus × xiaohei shelterbelt (TYC) used as a control. We set up soil sampling points at 0.5H, 1H, 1.5H, 3H, 5H, 7H, and 9H from the shelterbelts and analyzed aggregate composition, mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), fractal dimension (D), soil erodibility (K-value), and their relationships to soil properties of the 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil layers and the shelterbelt structure by using dry and wet sieving and equation estimation methods. The results show that dry (d) sieved soil samples from the transformed shelterbelt-protected farmlands are mainly composed of 2–5 mm and >5 mm grain size aggregates; the sum of the two particle sizes ranged from 48.67% to 51.27%, significantly larger than in the degraded shelterbelts (15.37%), decreasing with increasing distance from the shelterbelts. The effect is most obvious in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Wet (w) sieved soil samples are all dominated by <0.25 mm and 0.25–0.5 mm grain size aggregates; the sum of the two particle sizes ranged from 78.25% to 80.82%, which do not vary significantly with the mode of shelterbelts. The dMWD and dGMD show significantly higher mean values in samples from transformed shelterbelt-protected farmland than in soil from degraded shelterbelt-protected farmland; their magnitudes differ depending on the transformation mode, showing a pattern of ZC > ZY > YS and decreasing with increasing distance from shelterbelts, while the opposite is true for D and K. The difference between wMWD and wGMD for different shelterbelts protected farmland is not significant and is significantly lower than that between dMWD and dGMD. Clay and silt content was highly significantly positively correlated with aggregates dMWD and dGMD, weakly positively correlated with wMWD, wGMD and wD, and highly significantly negatively correlated with dD and K values. This shows that particle composition parameters can be used to reflect the sensitivity of agricultural soils to wind erosion. Farmland shelterbelt porosity is the main factor driving changes in soil aggregates stability, soil erodibility, and other soil properties. The transformation of degraded farmland shelterbelts can decrease the porosity and reduce wind speed, resulting in improved stability and erosion resistance of the farmland soil aggregates by increasing the clay content of the farmland soils. These results are useful in renovating degraded shelterbelts, providing novel insights into how to regulate the stability of soil aggregates and soil erodibility characteristics at the shelterbelt network scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 5194 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Effects of Soil Fertilization with Spent Mushroom Substrate in the Context of Microbial Nitrogen Transformations and the Potential Risk of Exacerbating the Greenhouse Effect
by Jolanta Joniec, Edyta Kwiatkowska and Cezary A. Kwiatkowski
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1190; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081190 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2217
Abstract
The intensification of agriculture leads to worrying changes in agro-ecosystems. Research has been conducted to bridge the gap between the desire to maintain ecological balance and harmful interference with ecosystems. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) can become the basis of a farming system that [...] Read more.
The intensification of agriculture leads to worrying changes in agro-ecosystems. Research has been conducted to bridge the gap between the desire to maintain ecological balance and harmful interference with ecosystems. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) can become the basis of a farming system that improves soil quality. The aim of the study was to assess the potential of SMS in improving the following soil quality indicators: abundance and activity of microorganisms, and to assess the impact of SMS and manure (M) on the increase in the greenhouse effect. The plots were fertilized with SMS, M, and SMS in combination with NPK mineral fertilization. The application of SMS had a varied but generally positive effect on the parameters studied, particularly on the number of proteolytic microorganisms, urease activity but also ammonification and nitrification. In contrast, inhibition of protease activity was observed. The stimulation of most of the indicators was recorded in the first and second years, followed by a weakening of their effect. M also positively influenced the tested parameters, especially nitrification, where this effect lasted longer than for SMS. This indicates that the application of manure contributes more to the formation of products from which denitrification can potentially generate greenhouse gases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop