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Plants
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Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management
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Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 6824

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lin Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
Interests: Biofortification; crop science; food chemistry; forage production; fruit quality; greenhouse gases; ornamental plants; phytoremediation; plant abiotic stress; plant nutrition; plant physiology; rhizosphere microbiology; soil fertility; trace elements; wetlands

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth. Fertile soil provides a habitat with essential nutrients; favorable chemical, physical, and biological characteristics; and no toxic substances which may inhibit plant development. Essential plant nutrients are critical for plant growth and reproduction; deficiency of those may cause the failure of the plant growth cycle. If the soil is cropped, it is necessary to supplement soil fertility through the addition of fertilizer to satisfy crop growth demand and increase or sustain yield. Appropriate nutrient management is crucial to beneficial agronomic systems and environmentally safe crop production. The form of each element that plants absorb from soil, the relative amount of nutrients needed for optimum economic yield, the quantity removed via crop harvest, nutrient transformations and interactions within the soil, and the potential mobility of nutrients are advantageous for rational fertilization strategies. Nutrient diagnosis along with soil testing, plant analysis, and crop canopy sensing as main methods are legislation tools for plant nutrition determination and crucial steps for fertilizer recommendations to producers or crop advisors.

In this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of interdisciplinary work in the format of original research papers, case studies, and review articles related to soil fertility, plant nutrition, and nutrient management. The effects of environmental factors, including all types of biotic and abiotic factors, on the changes in various soil fertility characteristics, and the subsequent actions on nutrient absorption and utilization by crops at physiological, molecular, and ecological levels, are all welcome. The approaches and strategies for nutrient management for fertilizer use efficiency and plant production improvements are also appreciated.

Dr. Lin Tang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biofortification
  • biomass and yield
  • cropping system
  • mineral elements
  • nutrient component
  • nutrient diagnosis
  • plant breeding
  • sustainable agriculture

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 4093 KiB  
Article
Effects of Straw Returning and New Fertilizer Substitution on Rice Growth, Yield, and Soil Properties in the Chaohu Lake Region of China
by Mei Luo, Ying Liu, Jing Li, Tingfeng Gao, Sheng Wu, Lei Wu, Xijun Lai, Hongjun Xu, Hongxiang Hu and Youhua Ma
Plants 2024, 13(3), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13030444 - 02 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 745
Abstract
Recently, replacing chemical fertilizers with straw returning and new fertilizers has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, as it is believed to increase rice yield and improve soil properties. However, less is known about rice growth and soil properties in paddy fields [...] Read more.
Recently, replacing chemical fertilizers with straw returning and new fertilizers has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, as it is believed to increase rice yield and improve soil properties. However, less is known about rice growth and soil properties in paddy fields with the addition of different fertilizers. Thus, in this paper, we investigated the effects of different fertilizer treatments, including no fertilization (CK), optimized fertilization based on the medium yield recommended fertilizer amount (OF), 4.50 Mg ha−1 straw returning with chemical fertilizers (SF), 0.59 Mg ha−1 slow-release fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (SRF), and 0.60 Mg ha−1 water-soluble fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (WSF), on rice growth, yield, and soil properties through a field experiment. The results show that compared with the OF treatment, the new SF, SRF, and WSF treatments increased plant height, main root length, tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, and aboveground dry weight. The SF, SRF, and WSF treatments improved rice grain yield by 30.65–32.51% and 0.24–1.66% compared to the CK and OF treatments, respectively. The SRF treatment increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake by 18.78% and 28.68%, the harvest indexes of N and P by 1.75% and 0.59%, and the partial productivity of N and P by 2.64% and 2.63%, respectively, compared with the OF treatment. However, fertilization did not significantly affect the average yield, harvest indexes of N and P, and partial productivity of N and P. The contents of TN, AN, SOM, TP, AP, and AK across all the treatments decreased significantly with increasing soil depth, while soil pH increased with soil depth. The SF treatment could more effectively increase soil pH and NH4+-N content compared to the SRF and WSF treatments, while the SRF treatment could greatly enhance other soil nutrients and enzyme activities compared to the SF and WSF treatments. A correlation analysis showed that rice yield was significantly positively associated with tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll, soil NO3−-N, NH4+-N, SOM, TP, AK, and soil enzyme activity. The experimental results indicate that SRF was the best fertilization method to improve rice growth and yield and enhance soil properties, followed by the SF, WSF, and OF treatments. Hence, the results provide useful information for better fertilization management in the Chaohu Lake region of China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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13 pages, 1546 KiB  
Article
Total Soil CO2 Efflux from Drained Terric Histosols
by Egidijus Vigricas, Dovilė Čiuldienė, Kęstutis Armolaitis, Kristine Valujeva, Raija Laiho, Jyrki Jauhiainen, Thomas Schindler, Arta Bārdule, Andis Lazdiņš, Aldis Butlers, Vaiva Kazanavičiūtė, Olgirda Belova, Muhammad Kamil-Sardar and Kaido Soosaar
Plants 2024, 13(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010139 - 04 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1350
Abstract
Histosols cover about 8–10% of Lithuania’s territory and most of this area is covered with nutrient-rich organic soils (Terric Histosols). Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained Histosols contribute more than 25% of emissions from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) [...] Read more.
Histosols cover about 8–10% of Lithuania’s territory and most of this area is covered with nutrient-rich organic soils (Terric Histosols). Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained Histosols contribute more than 25% of emissions from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. In this study, as the first step of examining the carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes in these soils, total soil CO2 efflux and several environmental parameters (temperature of air and topsoil, soil chemical composition, soil moisture, and water table level) were measured in drained Terric Histosols under three native forest stands and perennial grasslands in the growing seasons of 2020 and 2021. The drained nutrient-rich organic soils differed in terms of concentrations of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, as well as soil organic carbon and total nitrogen ratio. The highest rate of total soil CO2 efflux was found in the summer months. Overall, the rate was statistically significant and strongly correlated only with soil and air temperature. A trend emerged that total soil CO2 efflux was 30% higher in perennial grassland than in forested land. Additional work is still needed to estimate the net CO2 balance of these soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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13 pages, 2155 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Benefits of Tectonite Dust as an Amendment for Bark Substrates and Dryland Crops
by Lloyd Nackley, Luke Van Lehman, Owen Van Lehman, James S. Owen, Jr. and Carolyn Scagel
Plants 2024, 13(1), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010126 - 02 Jan 2024
Viewed by 821
Abstract
This study investigates the potential benefits of using tectonite dust as a soil amendment in central Oregon. Tectonite, a rare mineral byproduct of the Warm Springs Composite Products Company, has unique properties that can enhance soil fertility and water-holding capacity. The study includes [...] Read more.
This study investigates the potential benefits of using tectonite dust as a soil amendment in central Oregon. Tectonite, a rare mineral byproduct of the Warm Springs Composite Products Company, has unique properties that can enhance soil fertility and water-holding capacity. The study includes analyses of tectonite’s physical and chemical properties, small-scale growth trials, and farm-scale experiments to measure grain yield. Physical property analysis demonstrated that tectonite increased water-holding capacity and improved soil structure when added to bark substrates. Responses varied in mineral soils, affecting air space, and water-holding capacity. Small-scale trials showed positive growth responses in wheat height and biomass, indicating improved early growth and establishment. Farm-scale experiments confirmed increased grain yields with tectonite application. These findings suggest that tectonite enhances soil health and crop yields by improving structure, nutrient availability, and water retention. Careful sourcing and testing are necessary to address potential heavy metal contamination risks. Using tectonite as a soil amendment aligns with sustainability goals, reducing waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. It may also offer cost savings compared to synthetic fertilizers and stimulate the local economy. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of tectonite on edible crops and heavy metal content. Nevertheless, tectonite shows promise as a sustainable soil amendment for promoting agriculture in central Oregon. By exploring its potential benefits, farmers can enhance soil fertility, improve water-use efficiency, and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural system. This study highlights the importance of utilizing waste byproducts in agriculture to achieve environmental and economic sustainability. Tectonite has the potential to play a significant role in addressing water scarcity and enhancing crop productivity in arid regions like central Oregon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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14 pages, 1883 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis of Maize Ear Leaves Treated with Long-Term Straw Return plus Nitrogen Fertilizer under the Wheat–Maize Rotation System
by Jun Li, Jintao Liu, Kaili Zhu and Shutang Liu
Plants 2023, 12(22), 3868; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223868 - 16 Nov 2023
Viewed by 740
Abstract
Straw return (SR) plus nitrogen (N) fertilizer has become a practical field management mode to improve soil fertility and crop yield in North China. This study aims to explore the relationship among organic waste, mineral nutrient utilization, and crop yield under SRN mode. [...] Read more.
Straw return (SR) plus nitrogen (N) fertilizer has become a practical field management mode to improve soil fertility and crop yield in North China. This study aims to explore the relationship among organic waste, mineral nutrient utilization, and crop yield under SRN mode. The fertilizer treatments included unfertilized (CK), SR (straws from wheat and corn), N fertilizer (N), and SR plus N fertilizer (SRN). SRN treatment not only significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate but also enhanced the contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugar, and soluble protein and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes but reduced intercellular CO2 concentration and malondialdehyde (MDA) content when compared to other treatments. There were 2572, 1258, and 3395 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified from the paired comparisons of SRvsCK, NvsCK, and SRNvsCK, respectively. The transcript levels of many promising genes involved in the transport and assimilation of potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen, as well as the metabolisms of sugar, lipid, and protein, were down-regulated by straw returning under N treatment. SRN treatment maintained the maximum maize grain yield by regulating a series of genes’ expressions to reduce nutrient shortage stress and to enhance the photosynthesis of ear leaves at the maize grain filling stage. This study would deepen the understanding of complex molecular mechanisms among organic waste, mineral nutrient utilization, crop yield, and quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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13 pages, 3613 KiB  
Article
Positive Effects of Organic Amendments on Soil Microbes and Their Functionality in Agro-Ecosystems
by Weijia Liu, Zepeng Yang, Qinxin Ye, Zhaohui Peng, Shunxi Zhu, Honglin Chen, Dinghui Liu, Yiding Li, Liangji Deng, Xiangyang Shu and Han Huang
Plants 2023, 12(22), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223790 - 07 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1027
Abstract
Soil microbial characteristics are considered to be an index for soil quality evaluation. It is generally believed that organic amendments replacing chemical fertilizers have positive effects on changing microbial activity and community structure. However, their effects on different agro-ecosystems on a global scale [...] Read more.
Soil microbial characteristics are considered to be an index for soil quality evaluation. It is generally believed that organic amendments replacing chemical fertilizers have positive effects on changing microbial activity and community structure. However, their effects on different agro-ecosystems on a global scale and their differences in different environmental conditions and experimental durations are unclear. This study performed a meta-analysis based on 94 studies with 204 observations to evaluate the overall effects and their differences in different experimental conditions and duration. The results indicated that compared to chemical fertilizer, organic amendments significantly increased total microbial biomass, bacterial biomass, fungal biomass, Gram-positive bacterial biomass and Gram-negative bacterial biomass, and had no effect on the ratio of fungi to bacteria and ratio of Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacteria. Meanwhile, land use type, mean annual precipitation and soil initial pH are essential factors affecting microbial activity response. Organic-amendment-induced shifts in microbial biomass can be predominantly explained by soil C and nutrient availability changes. Additionally, we observed positive relationships between microbial functionality and microbial biomass, suggesting that organic-amendment-induced changes in microbial activities improved soil microbial functionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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20 pages, 2670 KiB  
Article
Comparing the Nutritional Needs of Two Solanaceae and One Cucurbitaceae Species Grown Hydroponically under the Same Cropping Conditions
by Eirini Xaxiri, Evangelos Darivakis, Ioannis Karavidas, Georgia Ntatsi and Dimitrios Savvas
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3642; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203642 - 22 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1363
Abstract
Switching over to closed-loop soilless culture systems, thus preventing pollution of water resources by nitrates and saving water and fertilizers, requires accurate estimations of the mean nutrient-to-water uptake ratios. To contribute to this objective, three fruit vegetable species (tomato, eggplant, cucumber) were grown [...] Read more.
Switching over to closed-loop soilless culture systems, thus preventing pollution of water resources by nitrates and saving water and fertilizers, requires accurate estimations of the mean nutrient-to-water uptake ratios. To contribute to this objective, three fruit vegetable species (tomato, eggplant, cucumber) were grown hydroponically in a floating system under identical cropping conditions to quantify species differences in nutrient uptake. The composition of the nutrient solution used to feed the crops was identical for all species. The total water consumption and the concentrations of most nutrients (K, Ca, Mg, N, P, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B) in the nutrient solution and the plant tissues were measured at crop establishment and at two different crop developmental stages. The obtained data were used to determine the uptake concentrations (UCs) using two mass balance models, one based on nutrient removal from the nutrient solution and a second based on nutrient recovery in the plant tissues. The experiment was conducted in the spring–summer season. The results revealed that the nutrient uptake concentrations were substantially different between species for all nutrients except for N, while there were also significant interactions between the two methods used for their estimation of some nutrients. Thus, the UCs of N, P, Ca, and some micronutrients were significantly higher when its estimation was based on the removal of nutrients from the nutrient solution compared to recovery from plant tissues, presumably because with the first method, losses due to denitrification or precipitation could not be separated from those of plant uptake. The comparison of the three greenhouse vegetables revealed a similar UC for nitrogen, while cucumber generally showed significantly lower UCs for P and for the micronutrients Fe, Zn, and Cu at both cropping stages compared to the two Solanaceae species. The obtained results can be used to precisely adjust the nutrient supply in closed-loop soilless cultivations to the plant uptake thus avoiding both depletion and accumulation of nutrients in the root environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management)
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