Water, Fertilizer and Soil Management in Fruit and Vegetable Production

Dear Colleagues,

Vegetable production requires water, as well as the use of fertilizers and products, to control insects and diseases. To maintain soil productivity, sustainable soil management, water management, and fertilizer sources are essential. Sustainable soil use considers the improvement of properties and characteristics, as reflected in soil quality indicators. Areas requiring improvement include permeability, microorganisms and their organic compounds, organic matter content, and concentration of macro- and micronutrients.

In order to increase the efficiency of water use, we must couple water demand or transpiration with irrigation and do the same with fertilizer. For this, it will be necessary to monitor the water condition in the soil, water status in the plant, and the availability of nutrients from the soil itself or from mineral or organic sources. The incorporation of protective structures such as greenhouses protects crops against insects and decreases transpiration. However, they can activate fungal diseases if weather conditions, such as relative humidity, are high. Additionally, even these conditions may stress the plant if temperature and relative humidity increase the vapor pressure deficit. In the field, it is possible to control water and fertilizer supply if high-frequency drip irrigation control is available. However, the control of light, temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure deficit is almost impossible. Thus, it is important to expose plants to environmental stress and train them by using soil amendments, plant relief stress as biostimulants, and other mineral or organic compounds, as well as by employing advanced agricultural practices.

Dr. Manuel Sandoval-Villa
Dr. Joel Pineda-Pineda
Dr. Libia Trejo-Téllez
Guest Editors

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• plant physiology
• plant nutrition
• fertilizers
• water and fertilizer management
• soil analysis