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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agroecology Innovation: Achieving System Resilience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 10162

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Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Szczepanek

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Department of Agronomy, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Kaliskiego 7 Str., 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Interests: field crops; grasses; sustainable agriculture; cropping systems; seed production; biostimulants; nutrient management; crop quality
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Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable agricultural practices are intended not only to maintain but also improve the environment and reduce the use of natural resources. These goals are achieved by protecting biodiversity and improving soil fertility. To avoid the potentially harmful effects of conventional pesticides, integrated pest management methods are used. Sustainable agriculture involves practices that reduce the rate of nutrient loss and reduce the amount of chemicals used. Reduced tillage is extremely important for sustainable agriculture as it can have a stabilizing effect on the agroecosystem. Promising practices in sustainable agriculture are organic farming, agroforestry, precision farming, conservation agriculture, crop rotation and intercropping, cover crops, and mulching. Plant nutrient management is also critical for the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Fertilizers stimulate plant growth, which prevents soil erosion, builds organic matter, and maintains soil fertility. The adoption of new sustainable practices with which to increase agricultural productivity and reduce the impact on the environment includes the introduction and integration of knowledge from different disciplines, such as soil management, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, information technology, and digitalization.

In this regard, this Special Issue will deal with the recent insights into sustainable agriculture and nutrient management. All types of contributions (reviews, original research, and meta-analyses) that offer new insights into sustainable crop production systems are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Szczepanek
Guest Editor

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

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

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

Keywords

sustainable agricultural practices
integrated crop protection
sustainable fertilization
agricultural digitalization
reduced tillage
crop rotation
plant nutrition
soil fertility
plant–soil relationships
agroecosystems

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5487 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Irrigation with Wastewater Affect the Physical Soil Properties and the Root Growth of Sugarcane under Subsurface Drip?

by Oswaldo Palma Lopes Sobrinho, Leonardo Nazário Silva dos Santos, Marconi Batista Teixeira, Frederico Antônio Loureiro Soares, Ivo Zution Gonçalves, Eduardo Augusto Agnellos Barbosa, Aline Azevedo Nazário, Edson Eiji Matsura, Luciana Cristina Vitorino, Mateus Neri Oliveira Reis and Layara Alexandre Bessa

Agronomy 2024, 14(4), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040788 - 11 Apr 2024

Viewed by 402

Abstract

Studies on the development of the root system can provide important information about responses to different management strategies, such as the use of lower quality water, also evaluating the interaction between plants and the physical properties of the soil. This study tested the hypothesis that irrigation with treated sewage effluent (TSE) supplies the water needs of sugarcane plants, increasing root growth and improving the physical properties of the soil. We evaluated the effects of subsurface dripping with TSE or surface reservoir water (SRW) on the root development of first ratoon cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and the physical properties of dystrophic red latosol. Irrigation treatments were applied at 20 and 40 cm and soil properties were evaluated at soil depth layers of 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–80 cm. We verified that under irrigation with TSE and SRW, shallower soil layers present better porosity, soil aggregation, and aggregate stability conditions, parameters that improve the root system development and plant growth. On the other hand, deeper soil layers have lower macroporosity and higher total clay volume, indicating the possibility of compaction and greater limitations for sugarcane root growth. These results are important for understanding soil quality and provide significant information for agricultural management and for the implementation of sustainable soil conservation practices. This study shows the efficiency of TSE as an alternative water source for sugarcane crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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14 pages, 2283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Foliar Application of Biostimulant Mitigates Water Stress Effects on Soybean

by Gabriel Bressiane Melo, Alessandro Guerra da Silva, Alan Carlos da Costa, Adnan Alves da Silva, Márcio Rosa, Layara Alexandre Bessa, Carlos Ribeiro Rodrigues, Gustavo Castoldi and Luciana Cristina Vitorino

Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030414 - 21 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1300

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as a challenge for soybean cultivation around the world, stimulating the development of technological alternatives that aim to mitigate the damage caused by water deficit. From this perspective, algae extract-based biostimulants have been tested to reduce water stress in several crops, but little is known about their effects on soybean. Thus, we hypothesize that a commercial biostimulant based on Ascophyllum nodosum can improve the physiological performance and water relations of Glycine max plants subjected to water deficit. To test this hypothesis, we set up an experiment in controlled conditions in a greenhouse, considering five treatments (control; application of biostimulant; water deficit (WD); WD + application of biostimulant; and WD + split application of biostimulant). The experiment was designed in completely randomized blocks with four replications per treatment and conducted in polyethylene pots containing 10 L of soil and three plants per pot. The irrigation was carried out daily; the water deficit was 50% soil moisture at field capacity, starting at the R₁ stage (beginning of flowering, where there is at least one flower open at any node on the plant) and maintained for ten days. The biostimulant was applied concurrently with the onset of water deficit. We confirmed the hypothesis that foliar application of 1.0 L ha⁻¹ of the biostimulant reduces the deleterious effects of the common water deficit at the beginning of the reproductive stage of soybean through the reduction of damage from oxidative stress (reduction of malondialdehyde synthesis by 31.2% in relation to the WD plants), maintenance of water potential and cellular homeostasis (10.2% increase in relative water content when compared with WD plants), and conservation of the contents of chlorophyll in leaves and stimulation of photosynthesis and carboxylation (68% increase in net photosynthetic rate and 49.3% increase in carboxylation efficiency in relation to WD plants). However, when applied in installments, the biostimulant was not efficient in reducing soybean water stress. Therefore, we conclude that the application of a biostimulant based on A. nodosum can help reduce the harmful effects of water deficit on soybean plants, opening up perspectives for the mass use of this extract in agricultural crops produced on a large scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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22 pages, 2015 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Content of Antioxidant Compounds and VOCs in Sorghum Grain Grown in Central and Eastern Europe

by Anna Przybylska-Balcerek, Jakub Frankowski, Dominika Sieracka, Tereza Sázavská, Stanisław Wacławek, Barbara Klaudia Raczak, Lidia Szwajkowska-Michałek, Maciej Buśko, Małgorzata Graczyk, Grażyna Niedziela and Kinga Stuper-Szablewska

Agronomy 2024, 14(1), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010217 - 19 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 673

Abstract

Sorghum is a plant belonging to the Poaceae family. It is drought-resistant and has low soil requirements. In the face of climate change, it is increasingly cultivated in Europe. Poland is a country with great agricultural potential; it is thus important to develop effective and economic methods of agricultural production, which is confirmed by the introduction of sorghum into cultivation. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of bioactive compounds (i.e., phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, and phytosterols) and VOCs in sorghum grain of two varieties, i.e., white ‘Sweet Caroline’ and red ‘Sweet Susana’ grown in the temperate climate (Pętkowo, Poland (52°12′40″ N 17°15′31″ E)). The following tests were carried out: analysis of phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytosterols, antioxidant activity (ABTS), free phenolic acids (FPAs); elemental analysis; and water, fat and starch content analysis. Based on the conducted research, it was concluded that Poland has appropriate conditions for growing sorghum, as the content of bioactive (antioxidant) compounds was at a similar level to those grown in tropical and subtropical climates. Of the nine phenolic acids and seven flavonoids determined, the highest concentrations in both sorghum grain varieties were found for ferulic, p-coumaric and protocatechuic acids. The content of ferulic acid was three times higher in Sweet Caroline grains than in Sweet Susana grains. Differences in the content of these compounds may be the result of genetic differences between the Sweet Susana and Sweet Caroline varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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16 pages, 1338 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacterial Inoculation and Extracts of Opuntia Rackets or Marine Algae Trigger Distinct Proline Balances in Tomato Salt Stress Alleviation

by Abdelwahab Rai, Margarida M. Santana, Rodrigo Nascimento Maia, João Tavares, Elhafid Nabti and Cristina Cruz

Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 2921; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13122921 - 28 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1157

Abstract

High salt levels in soil can severely limit plant development and diminish the positive effect of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). However, extracts of organisms adapted to high salinity, such as Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and Enteromorpha intestinalis (EI), can restore the growth of PGPR. Therefore, we used OFI or EI extracts and their combination with the PGPR Achromobacter xylosoxidans BOA4 to evaluate salt stress relief in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The experimental setup consisted of a plant pot trial under greenhouse conditions with 12 treatments: control, irrigation with OFI extract; EI extract; BOA4-inoculated plus OFI extract and BOA4-inoculated plus EI extract under no salinity or salinity conditions (150 mM NaCl). The percentage of germination, and plant’s fresh and dry weight were registered 30 and 46 days after sowing. At 46 days, the ratio between proline and glutamic acid concentration (PR/GA) was determined, expecting high PR/GA ratios in plants more responsive to salt stress since proline is an osmolyte mainly synthesized from glutamate. The results showed that 52% of the control seeds under salt stress germinated, a figure that was increased to 92% in OFI-treated seeds. Tomato plants were shown to be very sensitive to salt stress since the dry weight was ca. one fourth that of the plants grown without salinity. However, EI or BOA4 plus EI stimulated plant biomass by ca. 3 times compared to the control with salt, restoring plant biomass to values comparable to those of control plants grown without salinity. The joint treatments with BOA4 and EI or OFI caused distinct PR/GA levels in plant tissues. An inverse relationship between the sum of relative shoot proline and glutamic acid contents and shoot biomass accumulation was observed, namely in treatments accumulating more biomass under no salinity and salinity conditions. This indicates that the proline/glutamate pathway represents a carbon sink that is needed to fight stress and is competing with the carbon flow used for growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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22 pages, 7853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Reduced Nitrogen Fertilization on the Chemical and Biological Traits of Soils under Maize Crops

by Agnieszka Wolińska, Artur Banach, Anna Kruczyńska, Anna Sochaczewska, Weronika Goraj, Andrzej Górski, Jacek Podlewski, Andrzej Słomczewski and Agnieszka Kuźniar

Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 2913; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13122913 - 27 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1119

Abstract

The European Commission’s “Farm to Folk” strategy recommends reducing fertilizers by at least 20% by 2030. In this context, the aim of this study was to verify whether a 20 and 40% reduction of nitrogen (N) fertilization rate will be sufficient to maintain soil chemical features, fertility, and yields in monoculture maize cultivation in the no-tillage (NT) system versus the traditional plowing (PL) system. We also examined which tillage system (PL, NT) allows the reduction of fertilization while maintaining good yields of the tested soils. Two fields (10 ha each) were established for PL and NT maize cultivation, and soils (0–20 cm) were sampled twice per year—before maize sowing and after maize harvesting. A broad range of chemical and biological parameters were monitored (i.e., pH, forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon, content of selected macronutrients and humic substances, and respiration activity). It was concluded that the 20% reduction in N fertilization (after 4 years of use) did not have an adverse effect on the soil’s chemical and biological features, which mainly depended on the season of the year. The maize yield seemed to be higher in the PL system, which was mostly the result of the tillage system rather than the N dose. The study will be continued in the next vegetation season to further verify our findings, especially with regard to the maize tillage system and yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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20 pages, 4859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Different Response of Carbon and P-Related Soil Properties toward Microbial Fertilizer Application

by Jacek Długosz and Anna Piotrowska-Długosz

Agronomy 2023, 13(11), 2751; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13112751 - 31 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 887

Abstract

While some studies regarding the effect of biofertilizers on plants, including their yield and quality, less is known about how they affect the soil properties, especially the microbial and enzymatic properties. Biofertilizers are promising for enhancing the nutrient availability in agricultural soils and reducing the reliance on inorganic fertilizers. The aim of this four-year-long field experiment was to assess the influence of the use of UGmax biofertilizer, which contains bacterial strains enhancing the soil phosphorus availability, e.g., the Pseudomonas spp. strains from Azotobacter and Penicillium genera, on the soil P forms and acid and alkaline phosphatase activity (AcP, AlP) in the surface soil horizon (Ap). Winter wheat was cultivated in 2005, 2006, and 2008, while winter rapeseed was cultivated in 2007 in a research area (2 hectare) that was selected for the investigation. These plants were selected because they are the main agricultural crops in Poland. UGmax was applied in three successive years after the plants had been harvested. One dose of the biofertilizer (0.7 L per hectare) was applied after the harvesting of wheat had been harvested (2005–2007), while the second dose (0.3 L per hectare) was applied as a top dressing in the spring, when the plants were beginning to grow (2006–2008). Forty soil samples were taken in 2005 (the control year without the application of UGmax). In the following years (2006–2008), 20 soil samples were taken from the area after the UGmax had been applied in the previous year, as well as 20 soil samples from the control area. A grid soil sampling technique (40 m × 25 m) was used to assess the changes in the soil properties across both of the studied areas. The soil samples were taken from the surface (Ap) horizon. Only at the end of the experiment (2008) did the application of UGmax remarkably increase the organic carbon (Corg) and total nitrogen (Nt) content, while the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content was notably higher in the field with UGmax than in the control. The available P content (Pavail) was significantly higher in the field with UGmax compared to these without the biofertilizer in 2006 and 2008, while no considerable relation was noted for the total phosphorus (Ptot) and water soluble P (Pwater) content in any of the study years. Over the entire period of the experiment, the AcP and AlP were notably lower in the soil samples that were collected from the UGmax field compared to that of the control soil. It was concluded that the application of UGmax exhibited a phosphate-solubilizing activity that could be an encouraging attitude for increasing P bioavailability in arable fields and that further studies ought to be carried out under different soil and climatic conditions in order to confirm such a phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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13 pages, 2834 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fodder Galega—Persistence as a Special Asset in Sustainable Agriculture

by Stanisław Ignaczak, Jadwiga Andrzejewska and Katarzyna Sadowska

Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2587; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102587 - 09 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1080

Abstract

Perennial crops, especially legumes, have a crucial role in the development of sustainable agriculture. One such species may be fodder galega (Galega orientalis Lam.), whose utility values, including persistence and multi-directional use, are still not sufficiently known and appreciated. The aim of this study was to evaluate fodder galega yield dynamics, taking into account some indices of fodder value and the accumulation of mineral components in long-term use in light soil under moderate climate conditions with periodic shortages of precipitation. The results of six long-term experiments conducted at the Mochełek Research Station (53°120′ N, 17°510′ E) were evaluated. The dynamics of dry matter, total protein yield, and accumulation of minerals were best reflected by trend lines in the form of logarithmic functions, where during the first 4–5 years of use, a significant increase in the assessed values was noted, and in subsequent years, the increase continued but at a lower rate. The advancement in plant development in the establishment year had a significant impact on yields in the first production year. On average, during 10 production years, the dry matter yield obtained was 936 g m², and the total protein yield was 177 g m². Between 50% and 60% of the yield was determined by herbage accumulation in the first cut. Among minerals, the highest accumulation level was achieved for potassium. The height of shoots and the content of crude fiber in the plants increased linearly in the following years. The shoot density, leafiness, and content of minerals did not depend on the age of the galega stand, and their values were different among growth periods within a season. The number of shoots per 1 m² in successive cuts was 170, 139, and 92, and their height was 79, 67, and 31 cm, respectively. The share of leaves in the first cut yield was 50%, and in the second and third cuts, it was 65% on average. In these conditions, over 10 years of use, galega turned out to be a valuable, persistent, and reliably yielding fodder crop. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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21 pages, 2048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of the Farming System and Amino-Acid Biostimulants on the Content of Carotenoids, Fatty Acids, and Polyphenols in Alternative and Common Barley Genotypes

by Rafał Nowak, Małgorzata Szczepanek, Karolina Błaszczyk, Joanna Kobus-Cisowska, Anna Przybylska-Balcerek, Kinga Stuper-Szablewska, Jarosław Pobereżny, Mohammad Bagher Hassanpouraghdam and Farzad Rasouli

Agronomy 2023, 13(7), 1852; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13071852 - 13 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1465

Abstract

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain stands out among other cereals due to its high nutritional value. It results mainly from the high content of fiber and antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds. Barley grains can also be an important source of unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids that are beneficial to health. This study assessed the effect of the foliar application of an amino-acid biostimulant on the content of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and the composition of fatty acids in the grain of alternative, black-grain barley genotypes, and the commonly used ‘Soldo’ cultivar, grown in conventional and organic farming systems. The dark-pigmented grains contained significantly more phenolic acids and flavonoids than the yellow seed of the traditional cultivar and were characterized by a significantly higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. The application of the biostimulant significantly increased the concentration of phenolic compounds in grains, especially of alternative genotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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16 pages, 3071 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Changes in Various Physio-Biochemical Parameters and Yield Traits of Faba Bean Due to Humic Acid Plus 6-Benzylaminopurine Application under Deficit Irrigation

by Khaled M. A. Ramadan, Hossam S. El-Beltagi, Taia A. Abd El-Mageed, Hani S. Saudy, Hala Hazam Al-Otaibi and Mohamed A. A. Mahmoud

Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1227; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051227 - 26 Apr 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 1478

Abstract

Implementing the deficit irrigation pattern has become a major strategy in crop production systems. However, using less water than is required to irrigate crops is associated with changes in plant physiology and lower productivity. Therefore, the current research aimed to assess the integrated effect of humic acid and cytokinin on faba bean under water deficit. Under two irrigation levels (full irrigation, FI and deficit irrigation, DI), two humic acid treatments (without addition, H₀ and with addition of 10 kg ha⁻¹, H₁₀) and two cytokinin concentrations (without spray, C₀ and spraying with 25 mg L⁻¹, C₂₅), faba bean growth, physiology, and productivity were evaluated. The experiment was implemented for two winter seasons of 2019/20 and 2020/21 and performed in a split–split plots design with three replicates. The findings revealed that under low water supply (DI), H₁₀ plus C₂₅ was the most efficient treatment for enhancing faba bean growth. All physiological faba bean traits estimated under DI showed remarkable increases with the application of H₁₀ plus C₂₅ in both seasons. The increases in proline, catalase, and total soluble sugars under DI due to H₁₀ plus C₂₅ were 31.4 and 31.8%, 51.9 and 55.1% as well as 43.8 and 46.6%, in the first and second seasons, respectively. There was no significant difference between FI × H₁₀ plus C₂₅ and DI × H₁₀ plus C₂₅ in phosphorus content in both seasons. FI × H₁₀ plus C₂₅ and DI × H₁₀ plus C₂₅ in the second season produced a similar number of pods plant⁻¹ and seed yield of faba bean. Conclusively, the combined application of humic plus cytokinin achieved physiological and nutrient homeostasis, adjusting the biochemical compounds in faba bean under water deficit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Insights in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrient Management)

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