We are pleased to announce the winner of the Agronomy 2022 Young Investigator Award—Dr. Leontina Lipan.

Name: Dr. Leontina Lipan

Affiliation: Miguel Hernández University, Spain

Interests: food quality; food safety; bioactive compounds; sensory analysis; consumer acceptance of food products; almonds; nuts; tropical fruits; water stress; stress markers; water scarcity; deficit irrigation strategies; spray drying; microencapsulation; probiotic bacteria

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting one winner from a large number of exceptional candidates, Dr. Leontina Lipan. We will continue to reward scholars with the Young Investigator Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Leontina Lipan:

1. How did you become interested in your current area of research?

My interest in research in the agro-food area increased gradually, beginning when I enrolled in the proteomics research group led by Prof. Dr. Ramona Suharoschi during the second year of my bachelor’s degree in food engineering at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I was fascinated by the idea of exploring new ways to enhance food safety and quality through scientific research.

Then, in the third year of my bachelor's degree, I obtained an Erasmus scholarship at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain, where I gained valuable international experience and exposure to different research methods. This experience motivated me to apply for an internship in the US, where I worked as a scientific assistant at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. During my internship, I contributed to several projects that combined different fields, including agronomy, horticulture, and food science applied to apples, cherries, pears, and peaches.

After this enriching experience, I chose to enroll in a Ph.D. program at Miguel Hernández University, Spain, with the research group led by renowned professor and scientific researcher Prof. Dr. Ángel Carbonell, where I focused on studying the effects of water deficit irrigation strategies on almond quality and the opinion of European consumers' regarding hydro-sustainable almonds.

Finally, my interest in science drove me as a young researcher, and currently I am pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship (founded by the Ministerio de Universidades and European Union—Next Generation EU) in Fruit Production Program (IRTA—Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology), with a focus on advanced techniques to predict the behavior of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) in industrialization processes among others.
 
2. What are the struggles that come with being an early career researcher?

When it comes to struggles there are plenty of them, but I will list 3 of the most important in my opinion: (i) limited funding, which can make it challenging to conduct research and compete with more established researchers; (ii) stability; and (iii) publication record. Managing all these struggles can be time-consuming, and can lead to burnout and a loss of motivation, which can cause early career researchers to abandon their research careers altogether.
 
3. Could you describe any particularly interesting or unexpected results that you have discovered in your research so far?

One of the most interesting and unexpected results I have discovered in my research so far was during my doctoral thesis, where we found that certain water deficit irrigation strategies led to an improvement in almond quality and also in processed almonds, despite the decreased water availability. This was unexpected because it is commonly believed that water stress negatively affects crop yield and quality; however, the level of stress makes the difference in this case. Additionally, we found that consumers were willing to pay more for hydro-sustainable almonds, indicating a growing interest in environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices. These results were not only surprising, but also have significant implications for the agricultural industry and highlight the importance of sustainable water management practices in agriculture.
 
4. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far?

The most valuable lesson I've learned so far is the importance of collaboration and networking in scientific research. All my publications are co-signed by many authors (and this is another struggle, because sometimes you can be penalized/receive a lower score in a competition if you have more than x authors) because my research involved many collaborators from different areas. I have learned that by working with others, we can develop more robust research projects and gain insights that we may have overlooked on our own. Networking has also allowed me to connect with other researchers and industry professionals, providing an opportunity to know some wonderful people.
 
5. What is your motivation for research?

My motivation for research is driven by my passion for finding solutions that can help industries and sectors to produce food in a sustainable manner, ensuring that everyone has access to safe and healthy food. I know they are big words, and kind of difficult to fulfill, but I believe that research is to create a better world, and every researcher contributes to this goal.
 
6. We hope that the Young Investigator Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an Award like this one help to support the career of a young/early career researcher like you?

Winning the Young Investigator Award has been a great surprise, honor, and significant achievement for me. We all seek validation and approval for our actions, whether it is from our parents, relatives, friends, or supervisors (in this case). In my case, winning this award was a validation that I was on the right track with my research, and that my work has been recognized by the scientific community. You were asking me before about what my motivation for research is, so this recognition has been incredibly motivating and encouraging for me. Additionally, this will support my career, because this award has provided me with greater visibility and exposure within the scientific community, which can lead to new collaborations and opportunities for funding and research partnerships.
 
7. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

There are plenty of qualities required, but I believe the most important is to have a passion for their field of research and a dedication to make meaningful contributions to science and society; in this way, they can handle the struggles I have commented on before. Besides, they must have a strong work ethic, they need to be open-minded and receptive to feedback, and finally, possess the ability to manage their time effectively.
 
8. What are your plans for the future, and how do you hope to build upon your current work?

As a young researcher, I am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills. In the future, I plan to continue my research in these fields, particularly in the area of sustainable food production, nuts quality and industry, as well as consumer science. I hope to have the chance to build upon my current work by exploring new research questions and methods, collaborating with other scientists, and applying my findings to real-world problems.
 
9. As the winner of this award, would you like to take a moment to share your thoughts with the readers, or express gratitude towards those who have played a significant role in your research accomplishments?

Yes, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Agronomy for awarding me the young investigator award, and of course to the scientific committee for their evaluation.

I would also like to thank:

• Dr. Ramona Suharoschi, who was the one initiating me in the research field;
• Dr. Ángel Carbonell, who gave me the chance to learn from the best and the responsibility to carry out my own research;
• Dr. Esther Sendra and Dr. Agustí Romero, who are my mentors in this new chapter of my research career;
• Dr. Francisca Hernández, Prof. Dr. David López Lluch, Dr. Arturo Torrecillas, Dr. Laura Vázquez, Dr. Iván García Tejero, Dr. Mireia Corell, Dr. Xavier Miarnau, Dr. Mercè Rovira, Dr. Ignasi Batlle, and Dr. Luis Asin, among others, who were/are always open to answer my numerous questions.

I would also like to thank Dr. Marina Cano, Hanán Issa and all my colleagues for their support and guidance throughout my career. Their encouragement and feedback have been and continue to be instrumental in shaping my research, helping me to achieve this award.

Lastly, I would like to thank José A. Granero and my family and friends for their unwavering support and encouragement, which have been critical in keeping me motivated and focused on my research goals.

The International Day for Biological Diversity will be celebrated on 22 May 2023, under the theme “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues. Biodiversity refers to the diversity of all life forms on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Biological diversity resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations; however, the loss of biodiversity threatens everything, including our health. We hope that the established MDPI journals on life sciences and biology, including Biology, Diversity, Fishes, Birds, Insects, Water, Forests, Grasses, Life, Seeds, Agriculture, and Agronomy, will provide suitable communication platforms. The aim is to strengthen scientific cooperation in response to the International Day for Biological Diversity and to embrace the potential to promote sustainable development.

“Avifaunal Diversity and Abundance in the Proposed Sarasalai Mangrove Reserve, Jaffna, Sri Lanka”
by Nitharsan Aloysius, Shashi Madhushanka and Chathuri Chandrika
Birds 2023, 4(1), 103-116; https://doi.org/10.3390/birds4010009

“Perils of Underestimating Species Diversity: Revisiting Systematics of Psammocambeva Catfishes (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Rio Paraíba do Sul Basin, South-Eastern Brazil”
by Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo Mattos, Paulo J. Vilardo, Pedro F. Amorim and Axel M. Katz
Taxonomy 2022, 2(4), 491-523; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy2040032

“Environmental DNA Metabarcoding: A Novel Contrivance for Documenting Terrestrial Biodiversity”
by Shahnawaz Hassan, Sabreena, Peter Poczai, Bashir Ah Ganai, Waleed Hassan Almalki, Abdul Gafur and R. Z. Sayyed
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1297; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091297

“Dam Construction Impacts Fish Biodiversity in a Subtropical River Network, China”
by Xiongjun Liu, Julian D. Olden, Ruiwen Wu, Shan Ouyang and Xiaoping Wu
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060476

“Human Communities in Protected Natural Areas and Biodiversity Conservation”
by Elizabeth Olmos-Martínez, Heidi Leticia Romero-Schmidt, María del Carmen Blázquez, Camilo Arias-González and Alfredo Ortega-Rubio
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060441

“Effects of Habitat Fragmentation on the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Erythroneurini in the Typical Karst Rocky Ecosystem, Southwest China”
by Chen Xiaoxiao, Jia Jiang, Ni Zhang, Xiao Yang, Yongkuan Chi and Yuehua Song
Insects 2022, 13(6), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060499

“Application of Ecological Restoration Technologies for the Improvement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem in the River”
by Li Pushuang, Dan Li, Xiaoqing Sun, Zhaosheng Chu, Ting Xia and Binghui Zheng
Water 2022, 14(9), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14091402

“Conservation-Status Gaps for Marine Top-Fished Commercial Species”
by Imanol Miqueleiz, Rafael Miranda, Arturo Hugo Ariño and Elena Ojea
Fishes 2022, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes7010002

International Day for Biological Diversity

Date and time: 22 May 2023, 9–11 a.m. (CEST)

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.

Conference: 19^th Annual International Conference of the Metabolomics Society

Date: 18–22 June 2023

Place: Niagara Falls Convention Centre, 6815 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2G 3Y9

Booth: #T12

MDPI will be attending the 19^th Annual International Conference of the Metabolomics Society, which will be held from 18 to 22 June 2023 in downtown Niagara Falls, Canada, at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre.

The conference is the official annual meeting of the Metabolomics Society, and the largest metabolomics meeting worldwide. It will cover the major scientific themes of: technology advances; computational metabolomics, statistics, and bioinformatics; metabolomics in health and disease; and metabolomics of plants, food, environment and microbes. A special theme for this conference will focus on mental health, drug addiction and medicinal cannabis. The scientific program will include plenary and keynote talks, three parallel scientific sessions, interactive poster sessions, sponsor lunches, other networking events and a specially organized parallel session to promote metabolomics research in industry. A strong line-up of both introductory and advanced workshops will take place on Sunday, 18 June, and the morning of Monday, 19 June. To complement the exciting scientific program, the conference will offer a welcome reception, vibrant early career events, a conference dinner and other engaging social activities.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Metabolites;
• Agronomy;
• Antioxidants;
• Applied Biosciences;
• BioMed;
• BioMedInformatics;
• Biomolecules;
• Cancers;
• Cells;
• Children;
• CIMB;
• Diseases;
• Foods;
• Genes;
• JPM;
• Nutrients;
• Plants.

Please do not hesitate to reach out (metabolites@mdpi.com) if you plan on attending this conference. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you might have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.metabolomics2023.org/.

To commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together, take action, and highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts to raise awareness of all life.

Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms. We aim to encourage connection and collaboration among biological scientists and the international open access community to share and show support for biodiversity.

The webinar aims to encourage connections and collaboration among biological researchers and the international open access community to share and celebrate the role biological diversity plays in our lives.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Day for Biological Diversity Webinar 2023.

Conference secretariat: Ms. Shun Li
Date and time: 22 May 2023, 9:00 a.m. CEST

Register now for free!

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch. 

Keynote Speakers:

• Prof. Dr. Luca Sebastiani, Crop Science Research Centre – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Pisa, Italy;
• Dr. P. C. Abhilash, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, India;
• Dr. Vittorio Capozzi, Department of Agricultural, University of Foggia, Italy.

Program

 Relevant Special Issues:

Agronomy 
"Wild Crop Relatives and Associated Biocultural and Traditional Agronomic Practices for Food and Nutritional Security"
Edited by: Purushothaman Chirakkuzhyil Abhilash, Ajeet Singh,Rama Kant Dubey, Hailin Zhang and Othmane Merah
Submission deadline: 23 June 2023 

Insects
"Pollinator Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services"
Edited by: Daniele Sommaggio and María Pérez-Marcos
Submission deadline: 30 September 2023

"Arthropod Trophic Associations in Natural, Urban, Agricultural, Aquatic and Forest Ecosystems: Destabilizing Agent"
Edited by: Erifili P. Nika and Nickolas G. Kavallieratos
Submission deadline: 31 December 2023

Forests
"Wildlife in Forest Habitats"
Edited by: Jakub Borkowski
Submission deadline: 10 July 2023

"Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Forests"
Edited by: Margarita Arianoutsou, Nikolaos Fyllas and Josep Peñuelas
Submission deadline: 5 August 2023

Land
"Feature Papers for Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing Section"
Edited by: Sean Sloan, Andrea Belgrano and Stephen Blake
Submission deadline: 5 July 2023

"Perspective on Habitat Degradation, Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, and Landscape Change"
Edited by: Vanessa Adams
Submission deadline: 26 September 2023

Water
"Biodiversity and Functionality of Plankton Communities"
Edited by: Natalia Kuczyńska-Kippen and Maria Špoljar
Submission deadline: 30 June 2023

"Impacts of Human Activities and Climate Change on Freshwater Fish, Volume II"
Edited by: Pietro Volta, Erik Jeppesen, Vanessa De Santis and Mustafa Korkmaz
Submission deadline: 25 September 2023

JoF
"Fungal Biodiversity and Ecology, 3rd Edition"
Edited by: Lei Cai
Submission deadline: 1 September 2023

"Macromycetes of the Northern Hemisphere: Phylogeny, Taxonomy, Diversity, Distribution, Ecology, Conservation"
Edited by: Vladimír Antonín
Submission deadline: 20 August 2023

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The Editor’s Choice Articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles that have recently been published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to authors, or important in this field. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

We are pleased to present the Editor’s Choice Articles published in Q4 of 2022, and we hope that these papers can help and provide a reference for your academic research. A carefully curated list of high-quality articles can be found below:

1. “How Much Phosphorus Uptake Is Required for Achieving Maximum Maize Grain Yield? Part 1: Luxury Consumption and Implications for Yield”
by Chiara Di Lorenzo, Francesca Colombo, Simone Biella, Creina Stockley and Patrizia Restani
Agronomy 2023, 13(1),95; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010095
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/1/95

2. “Impacts of Biochar on Trifolium incarnatum and Lolium multiflorum: Soil Nutrient Retention and Loss in Sandy Loam Amended with Dairy Manure”
by Cosette B. Taggart, James P. Muir, Jeff A. Brady, Eunsung Kan, Adam B. Mitchell and Olabiyi Obayomi
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010026
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/1/26

3. “Evaluation of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation for Environmentally Sustainable Weed Management”
by Ram B. Khadka, Andres D. Sanabria-Velazquez, John Cardina and Sally A. Miller
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3147; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123147
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3147

4. “Honey Bee Exposure to the Fungicide Propiconazole in Lowbush Blueberry Fields”
by Francis Andrew Drummond
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3081; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123081
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3081

5. “Toxicity and Preventive Activity of Chitosan, Equisetum arvense, Lecithin and Salix Cortex against Plasmopara viticola, the Causal Agent of Downy Mildew in Grapevine”
by Diego Llamazares De Miguel, Amaia Mena-Petite and Ana María Díez-Navajas
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3139; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123139
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3139

6. “Development of a Low-Cost Open-Source Platform for Smart Irrigation Systems”
by Francisco Puig, Juan Antonio Rodríguez Díaz and María Auxiliadora Soriano
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 2909; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12122909
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/2909

7. “Metabolism Reorganization in Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var acephala) Populations with Divergent Glucosinolate Content under Thermal Stresses”
by María Díaz-Urbano, Pablo Velasco, María Elena Cartea and Víctor M. Rodríguez
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2652; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112652
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/11/2652

8. “Growth and Forage Value of Two Forage Rice Cultivars According to Harvest Time in Reclaimed Land of South Korea”
by Yeongmi Jang, Khulan Sharavdorj, Priscilla Nadalin, Suhwan Lee and Jinwoong Cho
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3118; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123118
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3118

9. “Edge-Compatible Deep Learning Models for Detection of Pest Outbreaks in Viticulture”
by João Gonçalves, Eduardo Silva, Pedro Faria, Telmo Nogueira, Ana Ferreira, Cristina Carlos and Luís Rosado
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3052; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123052
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3052

10. “Yield Predictive Worth of Pre-Flowering and Post-Flowering Indicators of Nitrogen Economy in High Yielding Winter Wheat”
by Witold Szczepaniak, Witold Grzebisz and Jarosław Potarzycki
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010122
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/1/122

11. “The Response of Weeds and Apple Trees to Beneficial Soil Microorganisms and Mineral Fertilizers Applied in Orchards”
by Jerzy Lisek, Lidia Sas-Paszt, Augustyn Mika and Anna Lisek
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2882; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112882
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/11/2882

12. “Impacts of Alexandrian Clover Living Mulch on the Yield, Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Capacity of Leek and Shallot”
by Andrzej Sałata, Renata Nurzyńska-Wierdak, Andrzej Kalisz and Héctor Moreno-Ramón
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2602; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112602
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/11/2602

13. “Diversity of Polish Oat Cultivars with a Glance at Breeding History and Perspectives”
by Aneta Koroluk, Edyta Paczos-Grzęda, Sylwia Sowa, Maja Boczkowska and Joanna Toporowska
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102423
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/10/2423

14. “Assessment of a Low-Cost Portable Device for Gas Concentration Monitoring in Livestock Housing”
by Provvidenza Rita D’Urso, Claudia Arcidiacono and Giovanni Cascone
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010005
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/1/5

15. “Different Suitability of Olive Cultivars Resistant to Xylella fastidiosa to the Super-Intensive Planting System”
by Salvatore Camposeo, Anna Maria Stellacci, Cristina Romero Trigueros, Salem Alhajj Ali and Gaetano Alessandro Vivaldi
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3157; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123157
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3157

16. “Characterization of Leaf Transcriptome of Grafted Tomato Seedlings after Rhizospheric Inoculation with Azospirillum baldaniorum or Paraburkholderia graminis”
by Federica Caradonia, Matteo Buti, Alessia Flore, Roberto Gatti, Caterina Morcia, Valeria Terzi, Domenico Ronga, Lionel Moulin, Enrico Francia and Justyna Anna Milc
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2537; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102537
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/10/2537

17. “Water Stress Effects on the Morphological, Physiological Characteristics of Maize (Zea mays L.), and on Environmental Cost”
by Maria Laskari, George Menexes, Ilias Kalfas, Ioannis Gatzolis and Christos Dordas
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2386; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102386
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/10/2386

18. “Simulation of Multi-Species Plant Communities in Perturbed and Nutrient-Limited Grasslands: Development of the Growth Model ModVege”
by Francesca Piseddu, Raphaël Martin, Ermes Movedi, Frédérique Louault, Roberto Confalonieri and Gianni Bellocchi 
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2468; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102468
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/10/2468

19. “Special Microbial Communities Enhanced the Role of Aged Biochar in Reducing Cd Accumulation in Rice”
by Xueyun Deng, Changzhi Long, Le Chen, Yanli Du, Zhengwei Zhang, Li Gan and Yongjun Zeng
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010081
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/1/81

20. “Genetic Diversity and Population Differentiation of Dongxiang Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) Based on SNP Markers”
by Yuanyuan Nie, Guihua Hou, Hui Xia, Lei Wang, Jianguo Lei, Hong Chen, Liang Chen and Lijun Luo
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3056; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123056
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/12/3056

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the research groups that submitted to Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). We would appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues and network. Furthermore, the following opportunities for collaboration may be of interest:

Submitting a manuscript:

Agronomy is an open access journal that publishes spotlights, reviews, original research contributions, and short communications. Papers may be submitted via the following link: https://susy.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload/1e711d8559383072b59ba95a24676a90?form%5Bjournal_id%5D=34.

Launching a Special Issue:

You have the opportunity to propose hot topics and edit a Special Issue together with experts in the field: https://www.mdpi.com/journalproposal/sendproposalspecialissue/agronomy.

Joining the Editorial Board:

If you are an active researcher in the field of agronomy science and are interested in joining the Editorial Board, please do not hesitate to get in touch (agronomy@mdpi.com).

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative—the MDPI Special Issue Mentor Program.

This program will enable early career researchers (who must hold a Ph.D. in a related field) to experience editing a Special Issue in MDPI journals, under the mentorship of our experienced Editorial Board Members or other experienced scientists. The mentor program will provide an excellent opportunity for early career scientists to gain editorial experience, and to cultivate their ability to edit scientific research.

The mentee’s responsibilities include:

• Proposing a Special Issue title and assisting the mentor in preparing a summary (around 200–400 words) and 3–10 keywords describing the background, importance, and goal of the Issue;
• Writing a brief promotion plan for the Special Issue;
• Preparing a list of scholars who may be interested in the Issue and personally e-mailing invitations on behalf of Guest Editors;
• Writing an editorial for the online Special Issue together with the mentor.

The mentor’s responsibilities include:

• Conducting a final check before the Special Issue is published online;
• Performing editorial control of the Special Issue and quality control of the publications, both of which must be carried out in a timely manner;
• Providing suggestions to younger scholars if they have any doubts or concerns regarding submissions;
• Organizing video calls with young scholars and the Editorial Office regularly to discuss problems and improvement suggestions for the Special Issue;
• Making and submitting decisions regarding submissions with the assistance of mentees.

Certificates and awards:
After the Special Issue closes, the Editorial Office will provide official certificates for all the mentors and early career researchers.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your Special Issue proposal to the Editorial Office of a journal you choose, and we will discuss the process (i.e., mentor collaboration, Special Issue topic feasibility analysis, etc.) in further detail. The full list of MDPI journals is as follows: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

In addition to the new Special Issue Mentor Program, we will continue to welcome all Special Issue proposals focusing on hot research topics.

MDPI has just become the first open access (OA) publisher to reach the milestone of one million articles published. That is one million articles freely available to all, to circulate and build upon! We are proud to share this special moment with the global scientific community.

This landmark has been reached thanks to the immeasurable support of more than 600,000 expert reviewers, 66,000 editorial board members and 6700 hard-working colleagues across MDPI’s global offices.

Within more than 25 years of publishing, our journals received 2.1 million manuscripts and generated 4.6 million peer review reports to get to one million papers published.

Reaching the milestone of one million articles published reinforces our mission to remove any existing barriers and to make scientific research accessible to all. Since its inception, MDPI’s goal has been to create reliable processes to make science open. This is a path towards facilitating the dissemination of novel insights in scientific communities.

Regular feedback from authors and reviewers shows that our service is greatly appreciated and needed. At the same time, the feedback helps us identify areas for further improvement.

As it stands, a significant share of published research findings remain closed access. More than half of the content published with the most well-known legacy publishers stays behind a paywall, and that is not including articles published in hybrid OA journals, or made available months or years after publication.

A new policy announced by the US administration in August 2022 requires that, as of January 2026, all US federally funded research be made freely and immediately available after publication. While the new policy does not mandate articles be published under an open access license, it is aligned with the open access movement in removing all barriers to research. Similarly, some of the most advanced research institutions in the world intend to have all funded research articles published in open access by 2025.

MDPI is proud to be the leading agent of the transition to open access.

"Thanks a Million" to all the contributors!

We are pleased to announce that the website of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation has been revamped! For the past couple of months, our UX UI team and front-end developers have been working hard to launch the website in time for the opening of the Sustainability Awards nominations.

The website is not the only thing that has had a remodeling. Indeed, the format of the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) has been updated. ESLA is now a competition open to individual researchers or start-ups founded by researchers under the age of 35. Nominee applications will go through 2 rounds of selection until the final 3 are decided. The finalists will then be invited to give pitch presentations during the Award Ceremony to win either first place (10,000 USD) or runner-up (2 x 5000 USD).

The World Sustainability Award, on the other hand, remains the same: a total prize money of 100,000 USD is up for grabs by senior individual researchers or groups of researchers from the international research community.

Nominations for both the World Sustainability Award and the Emerging Sustainability Leader award are now open! Check out our new website for more information on how to nominate.

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative—The Special Issue Mentor Program.

This program will enable early career researchers (required to hold a Ph.D. in a related field) to gain experience editing a Special Issue in MDPI journals under the mentorship of our experienced Editorial Board Members or other experienced scientists. The mentor program will provide an excellent opportunity for early career scientists to cultivate their ability to edit and process scientific research.

The mentee’s responsibilities include:

• Proposing a Special Issue title and, with the assistance of the mentor, preparing a summary (around 200–400 words) and 3–10 keywords describing the background, importance, and goal of the Special Issue;
• Writing a brief promotion plan for the Special Issue;
• Preparing a list of scholars who may be interested in the Special Issue and personally e-mailing the invitations on behalf of Guest Editors;
• Writing an editorial for the online Special Issue together with the mentor.

The mentor’s responsibilities include:

• Conducting a final check before the Special Issue is published online;
• Performing editorial control of the Special issue and quality control of the publications in a timely manner;
• Providing suggestions to younger scholars if they have any doubts or concerns regarding submissions;
• Organizing video calls with young scholars and the Editorial Office regularly to discuss problems and improvement suggestions for the Special Issue;
• Making and submitting decisions for the submissions under the assistance of mentees.

Certificates and Awards:
After the Special Issue closes, the Editorial Office will provide official certificates for all the mentors and early career researchers.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your Special Issue proposal to the Agronomy Editorial Office (agronomy@mdpi.com), and we will discuss the process (i.e., mentor collaboration, Special Issue topic feasibility analysis, etc.) in further detail.

In addition to the new Special Issue Mentor Program, the Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) will continue to welcome all Special Issue proposals focusing on hot research topics.

Recently, Clarivate^TM revealed its 2022 list of Highly Cited Researchers™—Individuals at universities, research institutes and commercial organizations.

The scientists who were selected into this year’s list of Highly Cited Researchers have published highly cited papers in the 11-year period from January 2011 to December 2021, with citation frequency in the top 1% of academic subjects and the same year of publication in the Web of Science^TM database. Based on Web of Science Citation data, 6,938 researchers from across the globe who have demonstrated a disproportionate level of significant and broad influence in their chosen field or fields over the last decade have been awarded Highly Cited Researcher 2022 designations. The list is truly global, spanning 69 countries or regions and spread across a diverse range of research sciences and social sciences.

According to statistics, seven members of the Editorial Board of Agronomy (ISSN: 2076-3921) have been selected into the list of Highly Cited Researchers of Clarivate in 2022. They are being recognized for their high-quality scientific research achievements and outstanding contributions to professional fields. The Agronomy journal office sincerely congratulates all elected Editorial Board Members and hopes that they continue to have an academically productive relationship with the journal.

Scientists at Stanford University have recently published an update of the list of the top 2% most widely cited scientists—The World’s Top 2% Scientists.

The timeframe of the statistical data of this list is from 1960 to 2022, and it is divided into two lists: "Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking" and "2022 Annual Scientific Influence Ranking". The "Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking" includes a comprehensive influence performance of scientists during their careers, and the "2022 Annual Influence Ranking" highlights the academic influence of scientists in the previous year. This ranking, considered the most prestigious worldwide, is based on the bibliometric information contained in the Scopus database and includes more than 200,000 researchers from the more than 10 million scientists considered to be active worldwide, with 22 scientific fields and 176 subfields taken into account.

We are pleased to share that 116 Editorial Board Members from MDPI’s journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) were featured in Stanford’s List of the World's Top 2% Scientists.

The Editor’s Choice Articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles that have recently been published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to authors, or important in this field. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

We are pleased to present the Editor’s Choice Articles published in Q3 of 2022 and we hope that these papers can help and provide a reference for your academic research. A carefully curated list of high-quality articles can be found below:

1. “Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Carrot Genotypes through Phenotypically and Genetically Detailed Germplasm Collection”
by Singh, Davinder, Tarsem Singh Dhillon, Talha Javed, Rajinder Singh, Jalpa Dobaria, Surender Kumar Dhankhar, Farzad Kianersi, Baber Ali, Peter Poczai and Uttam Kumar
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081921
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1921

2. “Suitability of Early Blight Forecasting Systems for Detecting First Symptoms in Potato Crops of NW Spain”
by Meno, Laura, Isaac Kwesi Abuley, Olga Escuredo and M. Carmen Seijo
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071611
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1611

3. “Comparison of the Effects of Chemical Topping Agent Sprayed by a UAV and a Boom Sprayer on Cotton Growth”
by Dou, Zechen, Zhihao Fang, Xiaoqiang Han, Yapeng Liu, Li Duan, Muhammad Zeeshan and Muhammad Arshad
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1625; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071625
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1625

4. “The Problem of Weed Infestation of Agricultural Plantations vs. the Assumptions of the European Biodiversity Strategy”
by Kubiak, Adrianna, Agnieszka Wolna-Maruwka, Alicja Niewiadomska and Agnieszka A. Pilarska
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1808; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081808
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1808

5. “Chitosan and Titanium Dioxide Are More Effective in Improving Seed Yield and Quality in Nanoparticle Compared to Non-Structured Form: A Case Study in Five Milk Thistle Ecotypes (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.)”
by Jafari, Samira, Sadegh Mousavi-Fard, Abdolhossein Rezaei Nejad, Hasan Mumivand, Karim Sorkheh, Nikolaos Nikoloudakis and Dimitrios Fanourakis
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1827; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081827
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1827

6. “Interactive Effects of Tillage Systems and Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates on the Performance of Mustard-Boro-aman Rice Cropping Systems under Conservation Agriculture Practices”
by Salahin, Nazmus, Md. Khairul Alam, Nirmal Chandra Shil, Abu Taher Mohammad Anwarul Islam Mondol, Md. Jahangir Alam, Mohamed I. Kobeasy, Ahmed Gaber and Sharif Ahmed
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1671; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071671
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1671

7. “Effect of Soil Regenerative Practice on Selected Soil Physical Properties and Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Yield”
by Adamczewska-Sowińska, Katarzyna, Wiesław Wojciechowski, Magdalena Krygier and Józef Sowiński
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1686; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071686
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1686

8. “From an Introduced Pulse Variety to the Principal Local Agricultural Industry: A Case Study of Red Kidney Beans in Kelan, China”
by Ma, Jiliang, Nawab Khan, Jin Gong, Xiaopeng Hao, Xuzhen Cheng, Xin Chen, Jianwu Chang and Huijie Zhang
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1717; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071717
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1717

9. “Tillage and Urea Fertilizer Application Impacts on Soil C Fractions and Sequestration”
by Vilakazi, Bonginkosi S., Rebecca Zengeni and Paramu Mafongoya
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1725; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071725
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1725

10. “Mobile Plant Disease Classifier, Trained with a Small Number of Images by the End User”
by Petrellis, Nikos, Christos Antonopoulos, Georgios Keramidas and Nikolaos Voros
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1732; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081732
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1732

11. “Germplasm Innovation and Establishment of Comprehensive Evaluation System for Hedgerow Garden Chrysanthemum”
by Yong Zhao et al.
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081736
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1736

12. “Real-Time Localization and Mapping Utilizing Multi-Sensor Fusion and Visual–IMU–Wheel Odometry for Agricultural Robots in Unstructured, Dynamic and GPS–Denied Greenhouse Environments”
by Yan, Yaxuan, Baohua Zhang, Jun Zhou, Yibo Zhang and Xiao’ang Liu
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1740; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081740
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1740

13. “Soil Available Nitrogen and Yield Effect under Different Combinations of Urease/Nitrate Inhibitor in Wheat/Maize Rotation System”
by Cui, Xiumin, Jingquan Wang, Jiahui Wang, Yun Li, Yanhong Lou, Yuping Zhuge and Yuxiu Don
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1888; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081888
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1888

14. “Soil Salinity Prediction Using Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems under Semi-Arid Environments Irrigated with Salty Non-Conventional Water Resources”
by Pedrero Salcedo Francisco, Pedro Pérez Cutillas, Faissal Aziz, Marina Llobet Escabias, Harm Boesveld, Harm Bartholomeus and Anas Tallou
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2022; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092022
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2022

15. “The Effect of Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates, Sowing Density, and Plant Growth Regulator Application on the Quality and Milling Value of Triticum durum Desf. Grain”
by Bożek Kamila Sabina, Krystyna Żuk-Gołaszewska, Jarosław Bojarczuk and Janusz Gołaszewski
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071622
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1622

16. “Grain Dehydration Characteristics of Old and Modern Maize Hybrids and Their Response to Different Planting Densities”
by Guo, Huaihuai, Xiaofang Yu, Julin Gao, Daling Ma, Shuping Hu and Xian Wang
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071640
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1640

17. “Hydraulic Trait Variation with Tree Height Affects Fruit Quality of Walnut Trees under Drought Stress”
by Chen, Tuqiang, Guiqing Xu, Jinyao Li and Haifang Hu
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1647; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071647
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/7/1647

18. “High-Resolution Mapping and Assessment of Salt-Affectedness on Arable Lands by the Combination of Ensemble Learning and Multivariate Geostatistics”
by Hateffard Fatemeh, Kitti Balog, Tibor Tóth, János Mészáros, Mátyás Árvai, Zsófia Adrienn Kovács, Nóra Szűcs-Vásárhelyi, Sándor Koós, Péter László and Tibor József Nováket
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1858; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081858
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1858

19. “New Flowering and Architecture Traits Mediated by Multiplex CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing in Hexaploid Camelina sativa”
by Bellec Yannick, Anouchka Guyon-Debast, Tracy François, Lionel Gissot, Eric Biot, Fabien Nogué, Jean-Denis Faure and Mark Tepfer
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1873; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081873
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1873

20. “Performance of Forage Cactus Intercropped with Arboreal Legumes and Fertilized with Different Manure Sources”
by Saraiva Felipe Martins, José Carlos Batista Dubeux Jr., Márcio Vieira da Cunha, Rômulo Simões Cezar Menezes, Mércia Virginia Ferreira dos Santos, Dayanne Camelo and Ivan Ferraz
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1887; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081887
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1887

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the research groups that submitted to Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). We would appreciate it if you would circulate this document among your colleagues and network. Furthermore, the following opportunities for collaboration may be of interest:

Submitting a manuscript:
Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) is an open access journal that publishes spotlights, reviews, original research contributions, and short communications. Papers may be submitted via the following link: 
https://susy.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload/1e711d8559383072b59ba95a24676a90?form%5Bjournal_id%5D=34.

Launching a Special Issue:
You have the opportunity to propose hot topics and edit a Special Issue together with experts in the field: https://www.mdpi.com/journalproposal/sendproposalspecialissue/agronomy.

Joining the Editorial Board:
If you are an active researcher in the field of agronomy science and are interested in joining the Editorial Board, please do not hesitate to get in touch (agronomy@mdpi.com).

Agronomy Editorial Office

Peer Review Week began 19 September 2022 under the theme of “Research Integrity: Creating and Supporting Trust in Research”. Through various blog articles, podcast, and webinar, we discussed this crucial subject throughout the week, celebrating the essential role peer review plays in maintaining research quality.

To begin, we held a Webinar on the topic. Professor Peter W. Choate and Dr. Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi joined Dr. Ioana Craciun, one of MDPI’s scientific officers, for an in-depth discussion.

We invite you to view the event recording:

During the week, the MDPI Blog in a series articles highlighted how good Peer Review safeguards research integrity. The following topics were covered:

• Peer Review Week 2022
• Research Integrity
• What We’ve Learned About Peer Review Reports
• 4 Steps to the Perfect Peer Review Report
• How to Write the Perfect Peer Review Report: An Interview
• Inviting Great Peer Reviewers

In a new edition of Insight Faster, an MDPI podcast, we were delighted to talk to the co-chairs of the Peer Review Week committee, Jayashree Rajagopalan (Senior Manager of Global Community Engagement for CACTUS) and Danielle Padula (Head of Marketing and Community Development at Scholastica) to get their take on this year’s event and its related topics.

You can find the Podcast here.

We hope you enjoy the contents!

MDPI will be attending the 2022 Joint Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, from 13 to 16 November 2022.

The 2022 Joint Annual Meeting will be hosted by the Entomological Society of America (ESA), Entomological Society of Canada (ESC), and the Entomological Society of British Columbia (ESBC). The theme for the Joint Meeting is “Entomology as Inspiration: Insects through Art, Science, and Culture”.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Agriculture (leading journal);
• Insects (leading journal);
• Crops;
• Agronomy;
• Animals;
• Biology;
• JZBG.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth: #616. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.entsoc.org/events/annual-meeting, or contact the Insects Editorial Office at insects@mdpi.com.

1. “Plant Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis and Transcriptional Regulation in Response to Biotic and Abiotic Stress Conditions”
by Rahmatullah Jan et al.
Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050968
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/968

2. “Intercropping—A Low Input Agricultural Strategy for Food and Environmental Security”
by Sagar Maitra et al.
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/2/343

3. “Factors That Influence Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agricultural Soils as Well as Their Representation in Simulation Models: A Review”
by Cong Wang et al.
Agronomy 2021; 11(4), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040770
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/4/770

4. “Plant Growth Stimulation by Microbial Consortia”
by Gustavo Santoyo et al.
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020219
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/2/219

5. “Biochar and Its Broad Impacts in Soil Quality and Fertility, Nutrient Leaching and Crop Productivity: A Review”
by Hiba M. Alkharabsheh et al.
Agronomy 2021; 11(5), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050993
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/993

6. “From Smart Farming towards Agriculture 5.0: A Review on Crop Data Management”
by Verónica Saiz-Rubio et al.
Agronomy 2020, 10(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020207
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/207

7. “Remote Sensing for Precision Agriculture: Sentinel-2 Improved Features and Applications”
By Joel Segarra et al.
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 641; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050641
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/5/641 

8. “Insights into the Physiological and Biochemical Impacts of Salt Stress on Plant Growth and Development”
by Muhammad Adnan Shahid et al.
Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10070938
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/7/938

9. “Is Phytomelatonin a New Plant Hormone?”
by Marino B. Arnao et al.
Agronomy 2020, 10(1), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010095
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/1/95

10. “Using YOLOv3 Algorithm with Pre- and Post-Processing for Apple Detection in Fruit-Harvesting Robot”
by Anna Kuznetsova et al.
Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10071016
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/7/1016

To develop different research areas and continue to attract high-quality papers, Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) is recruiting Section Editors-in-Chief (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/sections). At present, the following Sections have not yet found suitable scholars to lead them:

• “Water Use and Irrigation”;
• “Precision and Digital Agriculture”;
• “Agroecology Innovation: Achieving System Resilience”;
• “Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry”.

We are now recruiting Section Editors-in-Chief (SEiC) for these Sections. If you are an active researcher in one of the aforementioned fields and are passionate about publishing cutting-edge research, please do not hesitate to contact us at: agronomy@mdpi.com. You can find more information on our homepage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy.

The Section Editor-in-Chief has the following responsibilities:

• Making decisions on whether a manuscript can be accepted based on the reports we collect;
• Reviewing a small number of papers per year and managing the Section together with other journal editors;
• Promoting Agronomy and increasing its visibility at related academic conferences.

Agronomy is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal published monthly online by MDPI. The Spanish Society of Plant Physiology (SEFV) is affiliated with Agronomy and their members receive a discount on the article processing charges.

We believe that by combining our rigorous editorial policies with your expertise, we can build a high-quality journal. We thank you in advance for your interest and look forward to collaborating with you in the future.

Agronomy Editorial Office

We welcome you to the 18th meeting of the EUCARPIA Biometrics in Plant Breeding, organized by the GQE-Le Moulon Research Unit (INRAE, Paris-Saclay University, CNRS and AgroParisTech), which will take place from 21 to 23 September 2022 in Paris-Saclay University Campus, France. More information and a preliminary program will be available soon. Below is a first glimpse into the main scientific topics of the meeting:

• Gene–environment interaction and crop growth modeling;
• Multi-omics data integration;
• Deep learning;
• Non-additive genetic effects;
• Diversity management;
• High-throughput phenotyping.

Leading scientists in all these areas have been invited to present inspiring lectures. We also welcome contributions from participants on these topics. The meeting will provide great opportunities for discussions with leading experts and to meet researchers and breeders from a variety of companies and research institutes. The conference will be preceded by the Satellite Workshop on Phenomic Selection, which will also be held at ENS Paris-Saclay.

For more information, you can access the conference website at the following link: https://eucarpiabiom22.sciencesconf.org.

We look forward to seeing you in France in September 2022!

Seminar name: Joint Seminar of the FAO CIHEAM Networks on Pasture and Forage Crops and on Sheep and Goat Nutrition
Date: 27–29 September 2022
Place: Catania, Italy
Link: https://faociheam2022.org/

The Mediterranean Basin is highly affected by climate change, while certain countries still need to increase livestock production in order to achieve food self-sufficiency. Producing better is an urgent issue.

In this respect, ruminants have an asset: they can be fed on plants, plant parts, and agroindustrial byproducts that are not directly recoverable for humans.

Mediterranean landscapes are composed of an agro-silvo-pastoral mosaic, which offers opportunities for interactions between livestock production, agriculture, and natural areas. Mediterranean grasslands are an important source of forage; cultivated forage, possibly associated with perennial or annual crops, provides high-quality feed for periods of high nutrient requirements; agroindustry produces a variety of typical byproducts which may be included in ruminant diets.

This joint seminar on ruminant nutrition and Mediterranean pastures and forage crops subnetworks aims at exploring various opportunities in terms of novel or underexploited local feed resources, which could be valued better in the future and used to secure small ruminant feeding systems and boost animal production. Joining these two subnetworks gives the opportunity to consider the question from two complementary points of view, thus encouraging system approaches.

The 2021 citation metrics have been released in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), and we’re pleased to announce the following results for MDPI journals:

For more information on Impact Factors and what it means to index academic journals, please visit our related blog posts.

* Journals given their first Impact Factor in 2022

Source: 2021 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2022)

The 15th International Conference on Precision Agriculture will highlight significant research and applications in precision agriculture and showcase emerging technologies and information management for agriculture. Oral and poster presentations and exhibits will be taking place to foster discussion and the exchange of the latest findings in precision agriculture. Sessions will present information on key topics for scientists, crop consultants, advisors, extension personnel, agronomists, producers, and other practitioners.

The ISPA aims to:

• Organize and conduct international conferences related to precision agriculture, such as the International Conference on Precision Agriculture, European Conference on Precision Agriculture, and other related events;
• Develop and maintain a web portal to communicate the latest developments in precision agriculture;
• Maintain a member list server to connect with society members;
• Publish regular ISPA e-newsletters for members and other subscribers;
• Provide members with opportunities for publication of original scientific research in the society’s sponsored, peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Precision Agriculture).

We look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis from 26 to 29 June 2022!

Social Media Handles:
Twitter: @IntoSoPA
LinkedIn: International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA)

The 2021 citation metrics have been officially released in Scopus!

We are pleased to announce that 182 MDPI journals are included, of which:

● 21 journals received their first CiteScore.
● 85% of journals increased their CiteScore from 2020.
● 155 journals (85%) ranked above average, in at least one category.

The following 65 MDPI journals (36%) ranked among the top 25% of journals, in at least one category:

Source: 2021 CiteScores™ (Elsevier)

In order to acknowledge our reviewers, who so generously dedicate their time to reviewing papers and demonstrate diligence, professionalism, and timeliness when reviewing manuscripts, MDPI journals regularly offer outstanding reviewer awards to scholars who participate in the peer-review process.

We are proud to recognize winners for the year 2021 in the “Biology & Life Sciences” category for their outstanding contributions among extensive competition by presenting them with an Outstanding Reviewer Award.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners on their achievement.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community.

Biology:

• Enrico Vito Perrino, CIHEAM, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Italy
• Dhirendra Kumar, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, USA
• Carlos A. Viegas, Univesity of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
• Yuri Shavrukov, Flinders University, Australia
• Bipin Gaihre, Mayo Clinic, USA

Brain Sciences:

• Craig D. Workman, University of Iowa, USA
• Vivian Ciaramitaro, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA
• Yang Zhang, University of Minnesota, USA

Cells:

• Bonam Srinivasa Reddy, Université de Paris, France
• Homma Takujiro, Yamagata University, Japan
• Hwang, In Koo, Seoul National University, South Korea
• Kobeissy Firas, University of Florida, USA
• Rebelo, Sandra, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Diversity:

• Günter Gollmann, University of Vienna, Austria
• Stephan Koblmüller, University of Graz, Austria
• Emiliano Mori, Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Italy

Horticulturae:

• Joshua D. Klein, Agricultural Research Organization—The Volcani Center, Israel
• Ana Cristina S Figueiredo, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Insects:

• Carmelo Peter Bonsignore, Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Italy
• Klaus H. Hoffmann, University of Bayreuth, Germany
• Ivan Milosavljević, University of California, USA

Metabolites:

• Remigiusz Bachor, University of Wrocław, Poland
• Nguyen Phuoc Long, Inje University College of Medicine, South Korea
• Chi Chen, University of Minnesota, USA

Nutrients:

• Jadwiga Hamułka, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland
• Grace Campbell, University of Sydney, Australia
• Nicholas Norwitz, Harvard Medical School, USA
• Stefan Kabisch, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany
• Luis Rodrigo, University of Oviedo, Spain

Veterinary Sciences:

• Carlos Viegas, Univesity of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
• Arvind Sharma, The University of Queensland, Australia

MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising junior researchers, acknowledge their contributions, and enhance communication among scientists. We are proud to present the 2021 winners in the “Biology & Life Sciences” category. The winners were selected by the journals’ editors.

We warmly congratulate the awarded young investigators for their outstanding contributions.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community.

Agriculture:

• Carlos Guzmán, University of Cordoba, Spain

Animals:

• Katharina Hohlbaum, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Cells:

• Uri Ben-David, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Diversity:

• Enrico Lunghi, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China

Foods:

• Guodong Zhang, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Horticulturae:

• Luke Bell, Temperate Horticulture, University of Reading, UK

International Journal of Molecular Sciences:

• Alessandro D’Urso, University of Catania, Italy.
• Apostolos Zaravinos, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
• Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez, University of Pennsylvania, USA
• Maria Teresa Caccamo, Messina University, Italy
• Tiziana Bonifacino, University of Genoa, Italy

Journal of Fungi:

• Federico Baltar, University of Vienna, Austria
• Rebecca Drummond, University of Birmingham, UK
• Miriam Oses-Ruiz, Public University of Navarre, Spain

Life:

• João Pedro da Silva Machado Lobo, University of Porto, Portugal
• Vincenzo Russo, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy

Metabolites:

• Gabriele Rocchetti, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Italy

Nutrients:

• Fiona Lavelle, Queen's University Belfast, UK
• Matthew Snelson, Monash University, Australia

Pathogens:

• Si Ming Man, Australian National University, Australia
• Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, University of Hong Kong, China

Plants:

• Stefania Sut, University of Padova, Italy
• Mohamed Ahmed El-Esawi, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

Vaccines:

• Nicholas M. Provine, University of Oxford, UK

Viruses:

• Nicholas S. Heaton, Duke University, USA

We are proud to recognize the winners of MDPI’s 2021 Travel Awards in the “Biology & Life Sciences” category for their outstanding presentations and to present them with the prize.

MDPI journals regularly offer travel awards to encourage talented junior scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences in specific fields, which helps to increase their influence.

The winners mentioned below were carefully selected by the journal editors based on an outline of their research and the work to be presented at an academic conference.

We would like to warmly congratulate the winners of 2021 Travel Awards and wish them the greatest success with their future research endeavors. MDPI will continue to enhance communication among scientists.

Agriculture:

• Zahra Bitarafan, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norway
• Nikolaos Tsoulias, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Germany

Fermentation:

• Michela Verni, University of Bari, Italy
• Philipp Demling, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

Horticulturae:

• Jagveer Singh, Punjab Agricultural University, India
• Ibrar Hussain, State University of Londrina, Brazil

Microorganisms:

• Francis Muchaamba, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Methods and Protocols:

• Tanja Eisemann, SBP Medical Discovery Institute, USA

Nutrients:

• Mrinalini Dey, National Institute for Health Research, UK
• Ben Kirk, University of Melbourne, Australia
• Kirrilly Pursey, University of Newcastle, Australia
• Dieuwertje Kok, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
• Hanna Huber, University of Bonn, Germany
• Marlene Lages, University of Porto, Portugal
• Zohra S. Lassi, University of Adelaide, Australia
• Rik Olde Engberink, Amsterdam University Medicial Center, the Netherlands
• Sarah Warkentin, University of Porto (ISPUP), Portugal
• Álvaro Hernáez, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
• Leila Abdelhamid, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, USA
• Maria Michela Cesare, University of Siena, Italy
• Kaisa Hiippala, University of Helsinki, Finland

Pathogens:

• Vanessa Silva, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal
• Hejun Liu, Scripps Research Institute, USA
• Tomokazu Tamura, Princeton University, USA

Toxins:

• Cecilie Knudsen, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
• Laura Biessy, Cawthron Institute, New Zealand
• Marcelo Mendes Rabelo, University of Florida, USA

Vaccines:

• Hee Chun Chung, Seoul National University, South Korea
• Alejandro Marin Lopez, Yale University, USA

The purpose of our Best Paper Awards is to promote and recognize the most impactful contributions published within MDPI journals.

The editors of each journal carefully selected reviews and research papers through a rigorous judging process based on criteria such as the scientific merit, overall impact, and the quality of presentation of the papers published in the journal last year.

We are honored to present the winners in the subject areas of “Biology & Life Sciences”, who were selected amongst extensive competition, and congratulate the authors for their outstanding scientific publications.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community.

Animals:

• “Effects of Dietary Betaine on Growth Performance, Digestive Function, Carcass Traitsand Meat Quality in Indigenous Yellow-Feathered Broilers under Long-Term Heat Stress”

by Wenchao Liu, Yilin Yuan, Chenyu Sun, Balamuralikrishnan Balasubramanian, Zhihui Zhao and Lilong An

Animals 2019, 9(8), 506, doi 10.3390/ani9080506

• “The Ethics of Human–Animal Relationships and Public Discourse: A Case Study of Lions Bred for Their Bones”

by Peter Coals, Dawn Burnham, Andrew Loveridge, David W. Macdonald, Michael ’t Sas-Rolfes, Vivienne L. Williams and John A. Vucetich

Animals 2019, 9(2), 52; doi 10.3390/ani9020052

• “The Potential Role of Insects as Feed: A Multi-Perspective Review”

by Giovanni Sogari, Mario Amato, Ilaria Biasato, Silvana Chiesa and Laura Gasco

Animals 2019, 9(4), 119; doi 10.3390/ani9040119

Antibodies:

• “Antibody Structure and Function: The Basis for Engineering Therapeutics”

by Mark L. Chiu; Dennis R. Goulet; Alexey Teplyakov and Gary L. Gilliland

Antibodies 2019, 8(4), 55; doi 10.3390/antib8040055

Antioxidants:

• “Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Flavanones from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (licorice) Leaf Phytocomplexes: Identification of Licoflavanone as a Modulator of NF-kB/MAPK Pathway”

by Luca Frattaruolo, Gabriele Carullo, Matteo Brindisi, Sarah Mazzotta, Luca Bellissimo, Vittoria Rago, Rosita Curcio, Vincenza Dolce, Francesca Aiello and Anna Rita Cappello

Antioxidants 2019, 8(6), 186; doi 10.3390/antiox8060186

• “LC-ESI-QTOF/MS Characterisation of Phenolic Acids and Flavonoids in Polyphenol-Rich Fruits and Vegetables and Their Potential Antioxidant Activities”

by Chunhe Gu, Kate Howell, Frank R. Dunshea and Hafiz A. R. Suleria

Antioxidants 2019, 8(9), 405; doi 10.3390/antiox8090405

• “Nutritional Value, Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Properties of Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) in Relation to Harvesting Stage and Plant Part”

by Spyridon A. Petropoulos, Ângela Fernandes, Maria Inês Dias, Ioannis B. Vasilakoglou, Konstantinos Petrotos, Lillian Barros and Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira

Antioxidants 2019, 8(8), 293; doi 10.3390/antiox8080293

• “A Comprehensive Review on Lipid Oxidation in Meat and Meat Products”

by Rubén Domínguez, Mirian Pateiro, Mohammed Gagaoua, Francisco J. Barba, Wangang Zhang and José M. Lorenzo

Antioxidants 2019, 8(10), 429; doi 10.3390/antiox8100429

Biology:

• “The Mammalian Circadian Timing System and the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus as Its Pacemaker”

by Michael H. Hastings, Elizabeth S. Maywood and Marco Brancaccio

Biology 2019, 8(1), 13; doi 10.3390/biology8010013

• “Combined Effects of Acute Temperature Change and Elevated pCO₂ on the Metabolic Rates and Hypoxia Tolerances of Clearnose Skate (Rostaraja eglanteria), Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), and Thorny Skate (Amblyraja radiata)”

by Gail D. Schwieterman, Daniel P. Crear, Brooke N. Anderson, Danielle R. Lavoie, James A. Sulikowski, Peter G. Bushnell and Richard W. Brill

Biology 2019, 8(3), 56; doi 10.3390/biology8030056

Biomolecules:

• “Flagella-Driven Motility of Bacteria”

by Shuichi Nakamura and Tohru Minamino

Biomolecules 2019, 9(7), 279; doi 10.3390/biom9070279

• “Systematic FTIR Spectroscopy Study of the Secondary Structure Changes in Human Serum Albumin under Various Denaturation Conditions”

by Dmitrii Usoltsev, Vera Sitnikovaandrey Kajava and Mayya Uspenskaya

Biomolecules 2019, 9(8), 359; doi 10.3390/biom9080359

• “Quantification of Fecal Short Chain Fatty Acids by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry—Investigation of Pre-Analytic Stability”

by Gerhard Liebisch, Josef Ecker, Sebastian Roth, Sabine Schweizer, Veronika Öttl, Hans-Frieder Schött, Hongsup Yoon, Dirk Haller, Ernst Holler, Ralph Burkhardt and Silke Matysik

Biomolecules 2019, 9(4), 121; doi 10.3390/biom9040121

• “Cytotoxicity of Dendrimers”

by Anna Janaszewska, Joanna Lazniewska, Przemysław Trzepiński, Monika Marcinkowska and Barbara Klajnert-Maculewicz

Biomolecules 2019, 9(8), 330; doi 10.3390/biom9080330

Cells:

• “Combined Inhibition of TGF-β Signaling and the PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Is Differentially Effective in Tumor Models”

by Heng Sheng Sow, Jiang Ren, Marcel Camps, Ferry Ossendorp and Peter ten Dijke

Cells 2019, 8(4), 320; doi 10.3390/cells8040320

• “Exosome Treatment Enhances Anti-Inflammatory M2 Macrophages and Reduces Inflammation-Induced Pyroptosis in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy”

by Dinender K. Singla, Taylor A. Johnson and Zahra Tavakoli Dargani

Cells 2019, 8(10), 1224; doi 10.3390/cells8101224

• “Overview of Extracellular Vesicles, Their Origin, Composition, Purpose, and Methods for Exosome Isolation and Analysis”

by Laura M. Doyle and Michael Zhuo Wang

Cells 2019, 8(7), 727; doi 10.3390/cells8070727

• “Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine”

by Yu Han, Xuezhou Li, Yanbo Zhang, Yuping Han, Fei Chang and Jianxun Ding

Cells 2019, 8(8), 886; doi 10.3390/cells8080886

Genes:

• “A High-Quality De novo Genome Assembly from a Single Mosquito Using PacBio Sequencing”

by Sarah B. Kingan, Haynes Heaton, Juliana Cudini, Christine C. Lambert, Primo Baybayan, Brendan D. Galvin, Richard Durbin, Jonas Korlach and Mara K. N. Lawniczak

Genes 2019, 10(1), 62; doi 10.3390/genes10010062

• “Eukaryotic 5-methylcytosine (m⁵C) RNA Methyltransferases: Mechanisms, Cellular Functions, and Links to Disease”

by Katherine E Bohnsack, Claudia Höbartner and Markus T Bohnsack

Genes 2019, 10(2), 102; doi 10.3390/genes10020102

• “Tree Lab: Portable Genomics for Early Detection of Plant Viruses and Pests in Sub-Saharan Africa”

by Laura M. Boykin, Peter Sseruwagi, Titus Alicai, Elijah Ateka, Ibrahim Umar Mohammed, Jo-Ann L. Stanton, Charles Kayuki, Deogratius Mark, Tarcisius Fute, Joel Erasto, Hilda Bachwenkizi, Brenda Muga, Naomi Mumo, Jenniffer Mwangi, Phillip Abidrabo, Geoffrey Okao-Okuja, Geresemu Omuut, Jacinta Akol, Hellen B. Apio, Francis Osingada, Monica A. Kehoe, David Eccles, Anders Savill, Stephen Lamb, Tonny Kinene, Christopher B. Rawle, Abishek Muralidhar, Kirsty Mayall, Fred Tairo and Joseph Ndunguru

Genes 2019, 10(9), 632; doi 10.3390/genes10090632

• “Transcription Factors Associated with Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance and Their Potential for Crops Improvement”

by Elamin Hafiz Baillo, Roy Njoroge Kimotho, Zhengbin Zhang and Ping Xu

Genes 2019, 10(10), 771; doi 10.3390/genes10100771

Horticulturae:

• “Recent Advances in Hormonal Regulation and Cross-Talk during Non-Climacteric Fruit Development and Ripening”

by Lida Fuentes, Carlos R. Figueroa and Monika Valdenegro

Horticulturae 2019, 5(2), 45; doi 10.3390/horticulturae5020045

• “Evaluation of Two Wild Populations of Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop.) as a Potential Leafy Vegetable”

by Marta Guarise, Gigliola Borgonovo, Angela Bassoli and Antonio Ferrante

Horticulturae 2019, 5(1), 13; doi 10.3390/horticulturae5010013

Insects:

• “Olfactory Preference of Drosophila suzukii Shifts between Fruit and Fermentation Cues over the Season: Effects of Physiological Status”

by Rik Clymans, Vincent Van Kerckvoorde, Eva Bangels, Wannes Akkermans, Ammar Alhmedi, Patrick De Clercq, Tim Beliën and Dany bylemans

Insects 2019, 10(7), 200; doi 10.3390/insects10070200

• “Telenomus remus, a Candidate Parasitoid for the Biological Control of Spodoptera frugiperda in Africa, is already Present on the Continent”

by Marc Kenis, Hannalene du Plessis, Johnnie Van den Berg, Malick Niango Ba, Georg Goergen, Koffi Eric Kwadjo, Ibrahim Baoua, Tadele Tefera, Alan Buddie, Giovanni Cafà, Lisa Offord, Ivan Rwomushana and Andrew Polaszek

Insects 2019, 10(4), 92; doi 10.3390/insects10040092

• “Symbiotic Plant Biomass Decomposition in Fungus-Growing Termites”

by Rafael R. da Costa, Haofu Hu, Hongjie Li and Michael Poulsen

Insects 2019, 10(4), 87; doi 10.3390/insects10040087

International Journal of Molecular Sciences:

• “Aging, Melatonin, and the Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Networks”

by Rüdiger Hardeland

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(5), 1223; doi 10.3390/ijms20051223

• “Causative Links between Protein Aggregation and Oxidative Stress: A Review”

by Elise Lévy, Nadine El Banna, Dorothée Baïlle, Amélie Heneman-Masurel, Sandrine Truchet, Human Rezaei, Meng-Er Huang, Vincent Béringue, Davy Martin and Laurence Vernis

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(16), 3896; doi 10.3390/ijms20163896

• “Immunobiology of Atherosclerosis: A Complex Net of Interactions”

by Beatriz Herrero-Fernandez, Raquel Gomez-Bris, Beatriz Somovilla-Crespo and Jose Maria Gonzalez-Granado

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(21), 5293; doi 10.3390/ijms20215293

• “Development of a Gut-on-a-Chip Model for High Throughput Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery”

by Claudia Beaurivage, Elena Naumovska, Yee Xiang Chang, Edo D. Elstak, Arnaud Nicolas, Heidi Wouters, Guido van Moolenbroek, Henriëtte L. Lanz, Sebastiaan J. Trietsch, Jos Joore, Paul Vulto, Richard A.J. Janssen, Kai S. Erdmann, Jan Stallen and Dorota Kurek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(22), 5661; doi 10.3390/ijms20225661

• “Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with High Levels of Annexin A1 Expression Is Associated with Mast Cell Infiltration, Inflammationand Angiogenesis”

by Maiko Okano, Masanori Oshi, Ali Linsk Butash, Eriko Katsuta, Kazunoshin Tachibana, Katsuharu Saito, Hirokazu Okayama, Xuan Peng, Li Yan, Koji Kono, Toru Ohtake and Kazuaki Takabe

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(17), 4197; doi 10.3390/ijms20174197

• “CGRP Induces Differential Regulation of Cytokines from Satellite Glial Cells in Trigeminal Ganglia and Orofacial Nociception”

by Shaista Afroz, Rieko Arakaki, Takuma Iwasa, Masamitsu Oshima, Maki Hosoki, Miho Inoue, Otto Baba, Yoshihiro Okayama and Yoshizo Matsuka

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(3), 711; doi 10.3390/ijms20030711

Life:

• “Characterization of Resistance in Gram-Negative Urinary Isolates Using Existing and Novel Indicators of Clinical Relevance: A 10-Year Data Analysis”

by Márió Gajdács, Zoltán Bátori, Marianna Ábrók, Andrea Lázár and Katalin Burián

Life 2020, 10(2), 16; doi 10.3390/life10020016

• “Neuroprotection or Neurotoxicity of Illicit Drugs on Parkinson’s Disease”

by Carla Ferreira, Catarina Almeida, Sandra Tenreiro and Alexandre Quintas

Life 2020, 10(6), 86; doi 10.3390/life10060086

Nutrients:

• “Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease”

by Ronald D. Hills, Benjamin A. Pontefract, Hillary R. Mishcon, Cody A. Black, Steven C. Sutton and Cory R. Theberge

Nutrients 2019, 11(7), 1613; doi 10.3390/nu11071613

• “Vitamin C Can Shorten the Length of Stay in the ICU: A Meta-Analysis”

by Harri Hemilä and Elizabeth Chalker

Nutrients 2019, 11(4), 708; doi 10.3390/nu11040708

• “Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans”

by Humaira Jamshed, Robbie A. Beyl, Deborah L. Della Manna, Eddy S. Yang, Eric Ravussin and Courtney M. Peterson

Nutrients 2019, 11(6), 1234; doi 10.3390/nu11061234

Pathogens:

• “Alteration of Gut Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Cause or Consequence? IBD Treatment Targeting the Gut Microbiome”

by Israr Kha, Naeem Ullah, Lajia Zha, Yanrui Bai, Ashiq Khan, Tang Zhao, Tuanjie Che and Chunjiang Zhang

Pathogens 2019, 8(3), 126; doi 10.3390/pathogens8030126

• “Candida albicans Interactions with Mucosal Surfaces during Health and Disease”

by Spyridoula-Angeliki Nikou,Nessim Kichik, Rhys Brown, Nicole O. Ponde, Jemima Ho, Julian R. Naglik and Jonathan P. Richardson

Pathogens 2019, 8(2), 53; doi 10.3390/pathogens8020053

• “Bacteriophages in Natural and Artificial Environments”

by Steven Batinovic, Flavia Wassef, Sarah A. Knowler, Daniel T.F. Rice, Cassandra R. Stanton, Jayson Rose, Joseph Tucci, Tadashi Nittami, Antony Vinh, Grant R. Drummond, Christopher G. Sobey, Hiu Tat Chan, Robert J. Seviour, Steve Petrovski and Ashley E. Franks

Pathogens 2019, 8(3), 100; doi 10.3390/pathogens8030100

Plants:

• “Plant Disease Detection and Classification by Deep Learning”

by Muhammad Hammad Saleem, Johan Potgieter and Khalid Mahmood Arif 

Plants 2019, 8(11), 468; doi 10.3390/plants8110468

• “Involvement of Phenolic Acids in Short-Term Adaptation to Salinity Stress is Species-Specific among Brassicaceae”

by Ida Linić, Dunja Šamec, Jiří Grúz, Valerija Vujčić Bok, Miroslav Strnad and Branka Salopek-Sondi

Plants 2019, 8(6), 155; doi 10.3390/plants8060155

• “Isoform-Specific NO Synthesis by Arabidopsis thaliana Nitrate Reductase”

by Marie Agatha Mohn, Besarta Thaqi and Katrin Fischer-Schrader

Plants 2019, 8(3), 67; doi 10.3390/plants8030067

• “GWAS for Starch-Related Parameters in Japonica Rice (Oryza sativa L.)”

by Chiara Biselliandrea Volante, Francesca Desiderio, Alessandro Tondelli, Alberto Gianinetti, Franca Finocchiaro, Federica Taddei, Laura Gazza, Daniela Sgrulletta, Luigi Cattivelli and Giampiero Valè

Plants 2019, 8(8), 292; doi 10.3390/plants8080292

Dear Colleagues,

Authors are increasingly interested in having their papers published as a cover story in Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). There were a total of 12 cover stories published in 2021. These cover stories reported important research results or innovative methods and presented impressive images. To reward the authors who have published important research results in Agronomy, we are announcing the Agronomy 2021 Best Cover Award.

One cover story will be chosen from the stories published in 2021 and will receive CHF 100.

The criteria that will be considered for selection are as follows:

• Importance, or innovation of the research;
• Quality of the cover image.

The vote will be open from 10 May 2022 to 30 June 2022.

Please cast your vote here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PBHWY28.

The winners will be announced on the journal website on 30 June 2022.

Agronomy Editorial Office

We are pleased to announce the 2nd International Electronic Conference on Agronomy (IECAG2022), which will take place from 26 to 28 October 2022. The e-conference format is designed to facilitate the dissemination and discussion of advances in agronomy research and innovation in a post-pandemic environment, where travelling is likely to remain a challenge for many of us.

Scientists working in the agriculture and agronomy fields (from breeding/selection technologies to sustainable soil management, sustainable resilient horticultural production and/or arable farming systems, but also exploring sustainable management of permanent and rotational grassland and weed management, precision and digital agriculture or organic and regenerative farming systems, among other topics) are encouraged to join this event and share their findings with colleagues from all over the world.

Only abstracts will be accepted for the 2nd International Electronic Conference on Agronomy. All accepted abstracts will be available online for discussion during the time of the conference (26–28 October 2022). During the 3-day event, a program for oral presentations will be organized from selected abstracts. After the conference, participants of IECAG2022 are encouraged to contribute with a full manuscript to our Special Issue related to the conference in the journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). Full manuscript submissions will undergo the usual process of each journal, including peer review. The conference participants will be granted a 20% discount on the publishing fees. 

Important Dates:

• Abstract submission: 1 July 2022;
• Acceptance notification: 29 July 2022;
• Early bird registration: 2 September 2022;
• Covering author registration: 23 September 2022. 

While our virtual conference will be a different experience from traditional in-person meetings, it will ensure that we (1) can meet irrespective of the COVID-19 situation, (2) allow access for those who for other reasons are unable to travel, and (3) can have a carbon-neutral event. Your presentation will be accessible to researchers around the world and will be more inclusive because of the absence of registration fees and travel costs. Any questions may be addressed to the conference secretariat (iecag2022@mdpi.com).

We thank you in advance for attending this conference, and we look forward to a fruitful event. 

IECAG2022 Conference Secretariat

Email: iecag2022@mdpi.com

Conference website: https://iecag2022.sciforum.net/

The Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395) editorial team is pleased to announce the launch of a new Section, “Agroecology Innovation: Achieving System Resilience”. This Section aims to rapidly publish original articles, critical reviews, and short communications in agroecology-related knowledge across all disciplines.

The topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

• Agroecosystem management;
• Agroecosystem function (including soil health and degradation);
• Agroecosystem biogeochemistry;
• Agroecosystem ecology;
• Agroecosystem processes;
• Agroecosystem services;
• Agricultural systems (including sustainable landscapes and land use);
• Agroecological policies and economics;
• Agroecology environment (including greenhouse gas, climate change);
• Ecological modelling;
• Agrometeorology;
• Agroecosystem biodiversity, agroecosystem conservation and restoration of agricultural plants;
• Crop ecophysiology.

We are currently recruiting Editorial Board Members and Guest Editors for this new Section. If you would like to build a platform to provide the scientific community in your area with the opportunity to work on an interconnected set of papers on an innovative topic(s), please do not hesitate to join us.

To apply for these positions, recommend potential candidates, or request further information, please contact the Agronomy Editorial Office (agronomy@mdpi.com).

We also welcome you to submit related work in our sections: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/sections.

Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395, https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy) is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal published monthly online by MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The journal has been indexed by the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE: Web of Science), Scopus, PubAg, AGRIS, and many other databases. Citations are available on PubMed; full texts are archived in PubMed Central. Agronomy has a Journal Impact Factor of 3.417, ranking Q2 (“Agronomy and Crop Science”) in the Web of Science.

31 March—First day of the Conference

Managing agriculture with less water and fewer pesticides: the promises of precision agriculture are attractive—but is it a dream or reality? 

Some experts believe it is possible, given that precision agriculture encompasses a set of techniques and practices that rely on the integration of information and communication technologies to observe, monitor, and manage farming activities as well as other links in the supply chain. 

The central feature of precision agriculture is that it is based on the search for agronomic optimization at the level of the cultivated plant (or animal in the case of livestock), notably using new technologies. 

However, other experts argue that while precision farming seeks to optimize its use of water and inputs (with good intentions), it is, in fact, an extension of the logic of so-called “conventional” agriculture, which seeks to treat symptoms rather than restore natural balances at a larger scale. For these experts, agroecological farms generally offer farmers better medium-term economic results than so-called “conventional” farms. This is particularly the case for organic farms at the end of their transition. They, therefore, advocate public impact studies, which are necessary to verify the announced benefits and to measure the environmental and social impacts. 

Faced with an ecological and social emergency, it is necessary to initiate a real transition of systems towards agroecological practices and to take advantage of the know-how of precision agriculture while advocating environmental preservation. 

The first day of the Conference titled “Precision Agriculture for Transition: How to Drastically and Effectively Reduce the Use of Pesticides”, will address precision agriculture and the ecological transition. Experts in the field will debate this issue and identify the best alternatives and solutions for the future. 

1 April—Second day of the Conference

Modern agriculture is facing several major challenges, including how to substantially increase agricultural production by at least 50% by 2050 to feed the growing world population while preserving the environment. In other words, the question remains on how to feed present generations without compromising the future. Given the development of increasingly virulent strains of plant diseases and the resistance of some of these diseases to agrochemicals, it is crucial to develop integrated plant protection strategies for effective and timely phytosanitary treatments to ensure sustainable and profitable farming activities.

The Colloquium “Precision Farming at the Service of Transition” aims at promoting and encouraging scientific debates and sharing of experiences around various themes, including recent scientific and technological research in precision agriculture and the factors involved in adopting these technologies. We should also not forget the use and development of data, which are becoming increasingly numerous and diverse in the digital world, and the various challenges linked to a rapid transition to sustainable digital/precision agriculture.

Presentation and discussion of these topics will undoubtedly allow experts participating in the conference to discuss all of these issues.

On behalf of the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palearctic Regional Section (IOBC-WPRS), we are happy to invite you to the next meeting of the Working Group on Integrated Control in Citrus Fruit Crops, which will take place from 4 to 6 April 2022 in Napflio, Greece (http://web.nitlab.inf.uth.gr/iobc_citrus). 

The meeting is co-organized by IRTA, HAO-DEMETER, the University of Thessaly, the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, and the Directorate of Rural Development and Veterinary of Argolida. 

The meeting includes three keynote speakers, invited presentations by prominent scientists in plant pathology, insect biological control, and climatic population modeling (http://web.nitlab.inf.uth.gr/iobc_citrus/index.php/keynote-speakers/#page-content). In addition, the scientific program includes roundtable discussions on hot topics in citrus plant protection, such as new and emerging pests and diseases. The program includes oral and poster presentations that span across the whole continuum of the biological control and integrated pest management of citrus, and it is expected to bring together scientists from Europe, the Mediterranean, and other countries. 

The participation of students is highly supported, with special registration fees. Scientists from African countries may also receive special registration prices (http://web.nitlab.inf.uth.gr/iobc_citrus/index.php/registration-and-fees/#page-content). 

The venue of the meeting will be in the landmark hotel of Amalia Nafplio (https://amalia.gr/amalia-nafplio). There will be special accommodation prices only for participants of the IOBC meeting Working Group on Integrated Control in Citrus Fruit Crops (http://web.nitlab.inf.uth.gr/iobc_citrus/index.php/accommodation/#pagecontent). 

Finally, the Organizing Committee has developed an appealing social program that includes several events and visits to some of the most renowned, ancient ruins of the Peloponnese, such as Mycenae. 

Please note that the deadline for abstract submissions and early registration is on 15 February 2022. Cancellations until 15 March will be refunded 100%, except for EUR 20 of the administration fee. 

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Nafplio. 

Dr. Antonios Avgoustinos—Local Organizing Committee Chairman, antoniosaugustinos@gmail.com

Dr. María Teresa Martínez Ferrer—Convenor of the IOBC Working Group Integrated Control in Citrus Fruit Crops, teresa.martinez@irta.cat

Prof. Dr. Nikolaos Papadopoulos—IOBC-WPRS Liaison Officer, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece, nikopap@uth.gr

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Carlo Leifert has been appointed Editor-in-Chief for the Section “Innovative Cropping Systems” in Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). 

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Carlo Leifert, who shared his vision for the Section with us, as well as his views of the research area:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?

The opportunity and the ability to support rapid Open Access Publishing of information on Agronomic innovations. Providing rapid free-of-charge access to such information is essential to address the massive challenges for agricultural production and food security.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

To become the leading academic journal for high quality agronomic research focused on reducing the environmental impacts, improving the resilience, resource use efficiency, and maintaining and/or increasing yields of crop production systems in order to provide food security for future generations. To become a principal source of agronomic information for agricultural advisors, agricultural input, technology, and service providers. 

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

Extremely challenging, given that agronomic research is increasingly driven by the interest and objectives of agricultural input providers, food processors, traders, retailers, and not the interests/needs of farmers and consumers. 

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?

I think it is essential to provide fair access to information globally and should become the “ethical norm” for the publication of research. The publication fees can be a barrier preventing participation by scientists especially those based in developing countries. This barrier could be effectively lowered by a “fee waiver for excellence” scheme for contributions from academics in developing countries.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Carlo Leifert as the Editor-in-Chief for this Section, and we look forward to him leading Agronomy to achieve many more milestones.

Agronomy Editorial Office

We would like to extend a warm welcome to the following 39 recognized researchers, who recently joined the Editorial Board of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395):

Dr. Juliette Bloor—French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRAE), Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), France;

Dr. Hongliang Wang—China Agricultural University, China;

Prof. Dr. Jin Zhao—China Agricultural University, China;

Prof. Dr. Di Wu—China Agricultural University, China;

Prof. Dr. Ganghua Li—Nanjing Agricultural University, China;

Prof. Dr. Carlo Leifert—Southern Cross University, Australia;

Dr. Peng Fu—University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA;

Dr. Dimitrios D. Alexakis—Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Greece;

Dr. Michela Janni—Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica e il Magnetismo (IMEM-CNR)–Parco Area delle Scienze, Italy;

Dr. Qi Deng—Chinese Academy of Sciences, China;

Dr. Roberto Marani—Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, National Research Council of Italy, Italy;

Prof. Dr. Shulan Zhang—Northwest A&F University, China;

Prof. Dr. Fuyong Wu—Northwest A&F University, China;

Prof. Dr. Guijun Yang—Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, China;

Prof. Dr. Fenliang Fan—Chinese Academy of Agricultral Science, China;

Dr. Sheng Chen—The University of Western Australia, Australia;

Dr. Hussein Abdel-Haleem—USDA-ARS, US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USA;

Prof. Dr. Pedro A. Aguilera—University of Almería, Spain;

Prof. Dr. Shan Lin—China Agricultural University, China;

Dr. Thomas E. Marler—University of Guam, USA;

Dr. David O'Connor—Royal Agricultural University, UK;

Dr. Sergey Blagodatsky—Institute for Plant Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, Germany;

Dr. Jinyang Wang—Nanjing Agricultural University, China;

Dr. Fatima Maria De Souza Moreira—Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brazil;

Prof. Dr. Aying Zhang—Nanjing Agricultural University, China;

Prof. Dr. Xiaobing Liu—Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China;

Prof. Dr. Marcelo Menossi—University of Campinas, Brazil;

Prof. Dr. Juan Moral—University of Córdoba, Spain;

Dr. Fengjie Sun—Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, USA;

Dr. Yash Dang—The University of Queensland, Australia;

Dr. Ilias Travlos—Agricultural University of Athens, Greece;

Prof. Dr. Søren Kjærsgaard Rasmussen—University of Copenhagen, Denmark;

Dr. Martin J Wubben—Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research, USDA-ARS, USA;

Dr. Ivan Ingelbrecht—International Atomic Energy Agency, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Austria;

Dr. María Ángeles Ferrer Ayala—Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain;

Dr. Ainong Shi—University of Arkansas, USA;

Dr. Nicolas Desneux—INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, France;

Prof. Dr. Francisco A. P. Campos—Federal |University of Ceara, Brazil;

Dr. Yuanming Zhang—Huazhong Agricultural University, China.

It is our pleasure to announce that five Agronomy Editorial Board Members have been listed as 2021 Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate. This corresponds to being in the top 1% of the most-cited researchers for that publication year.

1. Name: Prof. Dr. David Edwards

Affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Australia
Interests: genomics; bioinformatics; wheat; brassica; and legumes

2. Name: Dr. Bhupinder Pal Singh

Affiliation: NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Australia
Interests: soil organic matter; soil biogeochemistry; soil carbon and nutrient cycling; greenhouse gas emissions; plant–soil interaction; biochar; soil carbon functionality; tillage and stubble management; and organic amendments

3. Name: Dr. Wei Zhang

Affiliation: South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Interests: soil carbon, nitrogen, and/or phosphorus cycles; atmospheric N deposition; greenhouse gas (e.g., CO2, CH4, and N2O) fluxes from soil; soil ecological process and environmental change; and soil fertility

4. Name: Dr. Nicolas Desneux

Affiliation: INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, France
Interests: arthropod ecology; community ecology; ecotoxicology; biological control; integrated pest management; sublethal effects; and parasitoid specialization

5. Name: Dr. Rajeev K. Varshney

Affiliation: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India
Interests: molecular markers; molecular breeding; gene discovery; applied genomics; legumes; and abiotic stresses

The 2021 Highly Cited Researchers list has been announced by the Web of Science at: https://recognition.webofscience.com/awards/highly-cited/2021/.

It is our great honor to congratulate the Editorial Board Members and Editors in MDPI's journals who have been distinguished as 2021 Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate, according to Web of Science data. We herewith express our gratitude for the immense impact the named researchers continue to make on scientific progress and on our journals' development.

Clarivate's annual list of Highly Cited Researchers^TM identifies the most highly cited scientists for the past decade. Their impactful papers are among the top 1 per cent in the citation distribution of one or more of 22 fields analyzed in the "Essential Science Indicators", distinguishing them as hugely influential among their peers.

The full list of 2021 Highly Cited Researchers  can be accessed at the following webpage in the Web of Science^TM https://recognition.webofscience.com/awards/highly-cited/2021/.

--- Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) is a Clarivate product.

Academic editors play a crucial role in leading our journals and ensuring that each article undergoes a robust and timely peer-review. With the launch of Topics this year and addition of Topic Editors to our family of academic editors, we decided it would be a good time to restructure our academic boards, thus providing more clarity and support for each role. MDPI is pleased to announce the launch of a new position—Topical Advisory Panel Member, that will replace the previous position of Topics Board Member. The Topical Advisory Panel will be comprised of early career researchers eager to gain experience in editorial work.

The main responsibility of the new members of the Topical Advisory Panel is to regularly provide support to Guest Editors, Topic Editors, and Section Board Members. The responsibilities of the Topical Advisory Panel are available here: https://www.mdpi.com/editors.

Each year, the members’ performances are evaluated, and outstanding members are promoted to the Editorial Board by the Editor-in-Chief.

To qualify as a Topical Advisory Panel Member, applicants must:

• Have expertise and experience in the field related to the journal;
• Have received a Ph.D. in the last 10 years, approximately;
• Have at least 6-8 published papers in the last 5 years as first author or corresponding author;
• Currently hold an independent research position in academia or a government institute.

If you are interested in this role, please contact the editorial office by email.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Founded in 1996, MDPI was one of the first fully Open Access publisher. Over 25 years MDPI has grown to become the largest Open Access publisher globally, publishing over 160,000 articles across more than 350 journals in 2020. At the core, MDPI was founded in response to a pressing need of fast publication and inclusion. The scholar was set at the centre of the publication process for the first time. Acting as a service provider, rather than a product provider, MDPI exists to help scientists achive their objective to disseminate research results. At MDPI, we believe scientists deserve a better service from the publishing world.

The International Open Access Week (Open Access Week), founded by the SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) Alliance and student partners in 2008, has been successfully running for 13 years. As an advocate and pioneer of open access publishing, MDPI actively responds to the call of International Open Access Week. This year’s theme of “It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity” highlights the Recommendation’s call for equitable participation from all authors and readers.

For the last 25 years, MDPI has been committed to disseminating open research. Here is a video showing MDPI’s Commitment to Equity, Inclusion and Diversity for More than 25 Years.

International Open Access Week is an important opportunity to catalyze new conversations, create connections across and between communities that can facilitate this co-design, and advance progress in the building of more equitable foundations for opening knowledge—discussions and actions that need to be continued, year in and year out. MDPI has always aimed to provide professional and efficient publishing services to scholars around the world.

Our mission is to make scientific research accessible to everyone; this year, we interview and hold discussions with open science ambassadors on how to build an equal and inclusive environment for open science. Academic editors help us collaborate with more institutions to advocate for open access ideas.

Read our anniversary blog post: "Sharing 'Collective Human Knowledge': The Benefits of Open Access Publication"

Besides this, our scientific community is a key driver of our success and MDPI’s remarkable growth. Despite the pandemic, we have prepared online conferences and workshops to gather scholars from different communities.

The Basel Sustainable Publishing online forum provides an equal opportunity for stakeholders and researchers from multi-cultural environments to exchange ideas and eliminate barriers to participation.

Conference date: 25 October 2021, online
Conference website: https://bspf2021.sciforum.net/
Main topics: MDPI discusses the current dilemma of open access science from various perspectives such as governments, libraries, and publishers, and related measures on how to change the status quo of discrimination from a global perspective.

We aim to support equality, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in scholarly communications. We collaborate with universities and key laboratories and have scholarly communications with researchers, teachers, and students on open access workshops.

• 25 October 2021
  Energies journal and Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

• 28 October 2021
  Machines journal and State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University

• 29 October 2021
  Processes journal and Beijing Institute of Technology

• 29 October 2021
  Coatings journal and Wuhan University of Technology

MDPI is committed to providing open access and high-quality publishing services for scholars and promoting rapid dissemination of academic achievements. We hope to promote the practices and policies of open access publishing and diversify the dissemination of academic achievements.

Rigorous peer-review is the cornerstone of high-quality academic publishing. Over 369,916 scholars served as reviewers for MDPI journals in 2020. We are extremely appreciative of all those who made a contribution to the editorial process in this capacity. At the beginning of every year, journal editorial offices publish a list of all reviewers’ names to express our gratitude. In addition, this year, the MDPI Top Reviewer Award was announced, to recognize the very best reviewers for their expertise and dedication, and their high-quality, and timely review reports. We are pleased to announce the following winners of the 2020 MDPI Top Reviewer Award:

• Adriana Burlea-Schiopoiu;
• Alban Kuriqi;
• Álvaro González-Vila;
• Alessandro Alaimo;
• Alexey Beskopylny;
• Alexander Yu Churyumov;
• Alberto Fernández-Isabel;
• Andrea Mastinu;
• Antonios N. Papadopoulos;
• Anton Rassõlkin;
• Antonio Humberto Hamad Minervino;
• Arkadiusz Matwijczuk;
• Artur Słomka;
• Baojie He;
• Bartłomiej Potaniec;
• Bojan Đurin;
• Camilo Arturo Rodriguez Diaz;
• Carmelo Maria Musarella;
• Chiachung Chen;
• Chiman Kwan;
• Cristian Busu;
• Danil Pimenov;
• Dan-Cristian Dabija;
• Delfín Ortega-Sánchez;
• Demetrio Antonio Zema;
• Denis Butusov;
• Elena Lucchi;
• Gaurab Dutta;
• Livia Anastasiu;
• M. R. Safaei.

For more information about how to become a reviewer of MDPI journals, please see: www.mdpi.com/reviewers.

The journal Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395) is recruiting Reviewer Board Members. The main responsibility of the new members of the Reviewer Board is to regularly provide timely, high-quality reports on the submitted manuscripts. The responsibilities of the reviewers are available at https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.

Agronomy is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal published monthly online by MDPI. The Spanish Society of Plant Physiology (SEFV) is affiliated with Agronomy, and their members receive a discount on the article processing charges. The Impact Factor of Agronomy recently increased to 3.417, and the journal was ranked 18/91 (Q1) in the "Agronomy" category. The aims and scope of the journal can be found here.

The benefits of joining the Reviewer Board of Agronomy are as follows:

• We will announce your entry information on the journal's reviewer board;
• We will offer you a discount code (up to CHF 100) if a comprehensive and timely report is provided. The voucher can be used for your future publications in all MDPI journals;
• You will receive a personalized reviewer certificate;
• You will have the ability to adjust your review frequency based on your schedule in our system;
• Reviewer Board Members may be presented with the possibility of joining the Editorial Board of the journal (subject to the approval of the Editor-in-Chief).

If you are interested in becoming a Reviewer Board Member (RBM) of Agronomy, please send your application, including a full academic CV, to the Agronomy Editorial Office (agronomy@mdpi.com).

For more information about Agronomy, please visit the website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy.

UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. In 2020 the SDG Publishers Compact was launched, aimed to inspire publishers and accelerate progress to achieve the 17 goals by 2030. Members of the programme are committed to support the publication of materials that will promote and inspire actions towards SDGs.

MDPI is an eager advocate of SDGs and has already been supporting the programme by creating Special Issues and publishing a series of books on SDGs prior to joining the Compact in 2021. MDPI's Sustainability Foundation initiated the World Sustainability Awards in 2016. We fully support UN's goals to promote sustainable actions that make the world a better place for all and, as part of its commitment, we will focus our actions on SDG10: Reduced Inequalities whilst promoting all 17 SDGs. For more details, please visit the programme’s website: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sdg-publishers-compact/.

Joining this initiative was a unanimous decision. MDPI has in its core values the dissemination of science for all, breaking the wall between research access and under-represented members of the scientific community and the general population. To support this initiative further and continue to support under-represented scientists, MDPI will take a series of actions that will be announced once ready.

The first action MDPI takes is to nominate Dr. Liliane Auwerter as the coordinator of the programme. Dr. Auwerter studied Environmental Process Technology (UTFPR, Brazil), obtained her MSc degree in Water and Environmental Engineering (University of Surrey, UK) and in 2020 completed her PhD in self-healing low-friction materials for water transport (Imperial College London, UK), always focusing on diverse scientific projects that would potentially bring sustainability to industrial processes. As a student in Brazil, she engaged in volunteering activities focused on environmental education and took part in the Millennial Development Goals meetings held at the university.

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Liliane Auwerter
Scientific Officer
liliane.auwerter@mdpi.com

We are pleased to announce the Topic “Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition for Sustainable Agriculture” (https://www.mdpi.com/topics/Fertility_Nutrition_Agriculture).

This collection invites contributions on new agricultural practices that maintain or restore soil life and fertility; new methods and technologies for mineral and organic feeding and plant fertilization; new sources of, and processes for, providing healthy food without negative impacts on the soil; the use of cultivars that efficiently valorize soil resources; and the use of plant cover or crop associations. Contributions concerning biocontrol and soilborne disease are also welcome.

The relevant journals are Horticulturae, Plants, Agronomy, Agriculture, and Sustainability. The submission deadline is 31 December 2022. Contributions to the topic are welcome.

This serves to announce to our valued authors based in Japan that value-added tax, or consumption tax will now be imposed on article processing fees and other service fees for all papers submitted, or resubmitted (assigned new paper IDs), effective from 15 August 2021. The change is in accordance with the Japanese "Act for Partial Revision of the Income Tax Act and Other Acts" (Act No. 9 of 2015), which includes a revision of consumption taxation on cross-border supplies of services such as digital content distribution.

For additional information from the National Tax Agency please see here ("Cross-border supplies of electronic services").

Contact: Setsuko Nishihara, MDPI Tokyo

The 2020 citation metrics have been officially released in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR)!

We are pleased to announce that 85 MDPI journals are included, of which:

• 10 journals received their first impact factor
• 96% of journals increased their impact factor from 2019
• 32 journals (38%) ranked among the top 25% of journals, in at least one category