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Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency...
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Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts

A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 12186

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Douglas Guelfi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Fertilizers Technologies—INNOVA FERT, Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras-UFLA, Lavras 37203-202, Brazil
Interests: fertilizer innovations and technologies; nutrient use efficiency
Dr. Heitor Cantarella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), Soils and Environmental Resources Center, Campinas 13020-902, Brazil
Interests: soil fertility; plant nutrition; greenhouse gases
Dr. Flávio Henrique Silveira Rabêlo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Science, Universidade Federal de Lavras Paulista (UFLA), Lavras 35700-044, MG, Brazil
Interests: micronutrients; plant growth promoting bacteria; crop physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is focused on advances, innovations and technologies to improve fertilizer use efficiency in agricultural environments. Appropriate fertilizer management for the mitigation of nutrient losses is indispensable. In this respect, fertilizer technologies and their mechanisms play an important role in the move towards nutrient use efficiency. Slow and controlled release fertilizers, nitrification and urease inhibitors, and quality control, as well biodegradable polymer coatings for fertilizers are smart ways to address fertilizer use efficiency. Research related to carbon footprint, nitrous oxide and ammonia mitigation strategies are indispensable for sustainable worldwide agriculture. New findings for phosphate, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium and micronutrient fertilizers are also essential for advancing soil fertility management, plant nutrition and the quality of harvests. The interfaces of foliar fertilizers, biostimulants and plant nutrition to mitigate stress are within the scope of this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Douglas Guelfi
Dr. Heitor Cantarella
Dr. Flávio Henrique Silveira Rabêlo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Soil Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1800 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

  • fertilizers technologies
  • innovations
  • nutrient use efficiency
  • soil fertility and plant nutrition
  • best management practices
  • global food systems
  • carbon footprint
  • mechanisms of fertilizer technologies
  • analysis and quality control

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1633 KiB  
Article
Combined Effects of Rice Husk Biochar and Organic Manures on Soil Chemical Properties and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Two Different Paddy Soils
by War War Mon, Yo Toma and Hideto Ueno
Soil Syst. 2024, 8(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems8010032 - 10 Mar 2024
Viewed by 866
Abstract
The application of biochar is considered an alternative amendment strategy for improving soil fertility. In this study, we performed pot experiments using soils of low and medium fertility to assess the effects of different combinations of biochar and organic manure on the chemical [...] Read more.
The application of biochar is considered an alternative amendment strategy for improving soil fertility. In this study, we performed pot experiments using soils of low and medium fertility to assess the effects of different combinations of biochar and organic manure on the chemical properties of paddy rice soils and determined the best combination to improve the grain yield without increasing N2O and CH4 emissions. The applied treatments were without biochar (control), the application of rice husk biochar alone (5 and 10 t ha−1), and biochar combined with chicken or cow manure. The results indicated that for both soils, the application of 5 t ha−1 biochar combined with 5 t ha−1 chicken manure increased grain yield by improving soil total nitrogen and soil NH4+-N without increasing cumulative N2O and CH4 emissions. Multiple regression analysis showed that when combined with biochar, chicken manure significantly contributed to a higher grain yield and was negatively associated with cumulative CH4, N2O emissions, and total GWP. Furthermore, regardless of soil type, combined applications of biochar and cow manure promoted significant increases in soil available P. Our findings indicate that the C/N ratio of organic manure influences CH4 fluxes, and soil type was identified as a factor driving greenhouse gas emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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12 pages, 1453 KiB  
Article
Repeated Solid Digestate Amendment Increases Denitrifying Enzyme Activity in an Acid Clayey Soil
by Giuseppe Badagliacca, Emilio Lo Presti, Antonio Gelsomino and Michele Monti
Soil Syst. 2024, 8(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems8010014 - 22 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1893
Abstract
The use of organic fertilizers to replace chemically synthesized fertilizers has assumed an important role in managing plant nutrition and soil fertility. The various organic matrices currently available as organic byproducts and digestates are relatively abundant and have shown promising effects in terms [...] Read more.
The use of organic fertilizers to replace chemically synthesized fertilizers has assumed an important role in managing plant nutrition and soil fertility. The various organic matrices currently available as organic byproducts and digestates are relatively abundant and have shown promising effects in terms of plant-available nutrients. However, like mineral fertilizers, organic fertilizers must be carefully managed to avoid negative effects on the environment, especially when they are repeatedly applied over time. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of the single (DIG) and repeated application (DIGP) of solid anaerobic digestates compared to an unamended control (CTR) on the denitrifying enzymatic activity (DEA), which is responsible for nitrous oxide emissions into the atmosphere, and some related soil properties, such as total soluble nitrogen (TSN), nitrate (NO3−-N), extractable carbon (Cextr), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and basal respiration (Rbas), for a period of ~3 months after application. The application of solid anaerobic digestates progressively boosts N and C concentrations in the soil, with the degree of enhancement directly correlated with the frequency of application over the sampling period. Depending on the textural properties of soils, there was a notable rise in denitrification enzyme activity (DEA), particularly during the DIGP treatment, suggesting that clay soils are highly susceptible to denitrification under suitable conditions. The results of this study recommend the careful management of soils subjected to repeated digestate amendment to prevent the occurrence of conditions conducive to denitrification and the promotion of N2O emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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14 pages, 2232 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Phosphorus Fertilizer Use on the Loess Plateau: Impact on Soil Properties and Crop Production Efficiency
by Chutao Liang, Xiaoqi Liu, Lei Feng, Ning Jin, Jialong Lv and Qiang Yu
Soil Syst. 2024, 8(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems8010003 - 22 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1544
Abstract
Various phosphorus (P) fertilizers are commonly utilized in agricultural production on the Loess Plateau. However, there exists a widespread issue of improper matching between P fertilizers, crop types, and soil types. This study proposes a scientifically based approach to managing phosphate fertilizer through [...] Read more.
Various phosphorus (P) fertilizers are commonly utilized in agricultural production on the Loess Plateau. However, there exists a widespread issue of improper matching between P fertilizers, crop types, and soil types. This study proposes a scientifically based approach to managing phosphate fertilizer through a matching experiment. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different P fertilizers on soil P profiles in a wheat–corn rotation between October 2017 and September 2021. The experiment adopted a randomized block design. P fertilizer was applied as a basal fertilizer at rates of 115 kg P2O5 ha−1 during the wheat season and 90 kg P2O5 ha−1 during the maize season. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates were 120 kg N ha−1 for wheat and 180 kg N ha−1 for maize. N fertilizer was divided into two applications, with 60% applied at pre-planting and 40% at the jointing stage of wheat or the V12 stage of maize. P fertilizer variants utilized in the study included ammonium dihydrogen, ammonium phosphate, calcium-magnesia phosphate fertilizer, calcium superphosphate, and ammonium polyphosphate. The transformation process of phosphate was examined, revealing that the commonly considered dominant diammonium phosphate fertilizer was not the optimal choice in this production system. Ammonium polyphosphate, calcium superphosphate, and ammonium dihydrogen were deemed more suitable for application in Loess soil. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted on the relationship between P fractions, soil properties, and soil Olsen-P. This research emphasizes the significance of strategic phosphate fertilizer use in agriculture to ensure efficient production and to help address the global P scarcity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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18 pages, 6899 KiB  
Article
Mineral Nitrogen Release Patterns in Various Soil and Texture Types and the Impact of Urea and Coated Urea Potassium Humate on Barley Biomass
by Samar Swify, Romas Mažeika and Jonas Volungevičius
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(4), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7040102 - 11 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2187
Abstract
Controlled-release urea fertilization is an innovative approach and effective means to reduce the loss of nitrogen and enhance fertilizer use efficiency to optimize crop yield while minimizing the environmental impact. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic process of mineral [...] Read more.
Controlled-release urea fertilization is an innovative approach and effective means to reduce the loss of nitrogen and enhance fertilizer use efficiency to optimize crop yield while minimizing the environmental impact. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic process of mineral nitrogen (Nmin) release in Luvisols, Cambisols, Retisols, and Arenosols to understand the interaction between soil characteristics and mineral nitrogen release and evaluate the impact of conventional urea compared to coated urea potassium humate on barley biomass production. A pot experiment was conducted under glasshouse conditions (20 ± 2 °C and 60% Humidity). Five treatments including no fertilization as a control (C), 100 kg·N·ha−1 of urea (U100), 200 kg·N·ha−1 of urea (U200), 100 kg·N·ha−1 of coated urea potassium humate (UPH100), and 200 kg·N·ha−1 of coated urea potassium humate (UPH200) were applied to four soil and texture types. Our findings indicate that there are different patterns of mineral nitrogen release across the different soil and texture types. Ammonium levels reached their peak point in all soils within 2–7 days after application. On the other hand, the concentration of nitrate NO3−–N showed a linear increase over 45 days during the experiment. The Retisol, which had a sandy clay texture, obtained the highest concentration of mineral nitrogen in both forms (NH4 and NO3), while the sandy texture of Arenosol showed the lowest accumulation of mineral nitrogen and its forms. The application of potassium humate caused a delay of 1–4 days in the peak of soil ammonium, which at peak accounted for approximately 25–44% of the mineral nitrogen in the soil. Furthermore, the application of urea and coated urea potassium humate exhibited significant effects on barley biomass with an increase of approximately 14–91% compared to the unfertilized treatment (control). This research contributes to our understanding of nutrient dynamics in diverse soil environments and provides insights into optimizing sustainable fertilization strategies such as controlled-release fertilizer application. The implications of these findings highlight the significance of tailored nutrient management practices based on soil texture type, which can lead to improved agricultural productivity and environmental impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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16 pages, 1861 KiB  
Article
Physico-Chemical Properties and Phosphorus Solubilization of Organomineral Fertilizers Derived from Sewage Sludge
by Andre Luiz de Freitas Espinoza, Henrique Rasera Raniro, Camille Nunes Leite and Paulo Sergio Pavinato
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(4), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7040100 - 06 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1693
Abstract
Sewage sludge (SS) is an organic waste that may potentially be used as a slow-release source of phosphorus (P), despite the necessity for pre-treatment and its lower P content compared to soluble mineral fertilizers. For these reasons, composted sewage sludge was used to [...] Read more.
Sewage sludge (SS) is an organic waste that may potentially be used as a slow-release source of phosphorus (P), despite the necessity for pre-treatment and its lower P content compared to soluble mineral fertilizers. For these reasons, composted sewage sludge was used to manufacture pelletized organomineral fertilizers, by mixing it with the inorganic sources monoammonium phosphate (MAP) and AshDec® (ASD) (thermochemically incinerated SS). The fertilizers were physiochemically characterized and evaluated for their P solubilization dynamics and lability in the soil. The sources tested were as follows: organic compost of sewage sludge powder (SSC) and its pelletized form (SCP), pelletized organomineral SSC + MAP (S + MAP) and SSC + ASD (S + ASD), ASD alone, compared conventional MAP and a control (nil-P). These fertilizers were applied to columns containing 50 g of soil at the dose of 100 mg P column−1 and were leached daily with 30 mL of water or 2% citric acid for 30 days. We analyzed the leachates for pH and P content. Pelletizing process resulted in denser products and promoted more gradual P release. The organomineral S + MAP was the most water-soluble recycled source, solubilizing about 70% of the total P, while the others presented much lower solubilization (<20%). In contrast, all fertilizers showed high solubility in 2% citric acid (except for S + ASD). After leaching, soil P fractionation disclosed that the P leftover in the soil remained mostly in the labile and moderately labile pools. Composting and the ASD process produced materials with slow P solubilization, being favored in acidic soils and in plant’s rhizosphere. In turn, S + MAP resulted in a promising product with intermediate P solubility, better synchronized with crop demand, potentially increasing P-use efficiency. Our results shed light in the physico-chemical properties and on the solubilization dynamics of novel organomineral products in tropical soil conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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14 pages, 614 KiB  
Article
Uptake of Fertilizer Nitrogen and Soil Nitrogen by Sorghum Sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor × Sorghum sudanense) in a Greenhouse Experiment with 15N-Labelled Ammonium Nitrate
by Lucas Knebl, Andreas Gattinger, Wiebke Niether and Christopher Brock
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(3), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7030071 - 03 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1353
Abstract
A greenhouse experiment with sorghum sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor × Sorghum sudanense) and maize (Zea mays) was conducted to assess information on differences in their nitrogen and fertilizer utilization when used as energy crops. The aim was to contribute to [...] Read more.
A greenhouse experiment with sorghum sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor × Sorghum sudanense) and maize (Zea mays) was conducted to assess information on differences in their nitrogen and fertilizer utilization when used as energy crops. The aim was to contribute to the scarce data on sorghum sudangrass as an energy crop with regards to nitrogen derived from fertilizer (NdfF) in the plant’s biomass and fertilizer nitrogen utilization (FNU). Sorghum sudangrass and maize were each grown in eight bags of 45 L volume and harvested at maturity after 154 days. Each crop treatment was further divided in a control treatment (four bags each) that did not receive N fertilization and a fertilization treatment (four bags each) that received 1.76 g N, applying a 15N-labelled liquid ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Fertilization took place at the start of the experiment. After harvest, the whole plant was divided in the fractions “aboveground biomass” (ABM) and “stubble + rootstock” (S + R). Weight, N content and 15N content were recorded for each fraction. In addition, N content and 15N content were assessed in the soil before sowing and after harvest. The experiment showed that FNU of sorghum sudangrass (65%) was significantly higher than that of maize (49%). Both crops accumulated more soil N than fertilizer N. The share of fertilizer N on total N uptake was also higher with sorghum sudangrass (NdfF = 38%) compared to maize (NdfF = 34%). The observations made with our control plant (maize), showed that the results are plausible and comparable to other 15N studies on maize regarding yields, NdfF, and FNU, leading to the assumption that results on sorghum sudangrass are plausible as well. We therefore conclude that the results of our study can be used for the preliminary parametrization of sorghum sudangrass in soil organic matter (SOM) balance at field level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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17 pages, 1511 KiB  
Article
Corn Cropping System and Nitrogen Fertilizers Technologies Affect Ammonia Volatilization in Brazilian Tropical Soils
by César Santos, Sheila Isabel do Carmo Pinto, Douglas Guelfi, Sara Dantas Rosa, Adrianne Braga da Fonseca, Tales Jesus Fernandes, Renato Avelar Ferreira, Leandro Barbosa Satil, Ana Paula Pereira Nunes and Konrad Passos e Silva
Soil Syst. 2023, 7(2), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems7020054 - 27 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1619
Abstract
The adoption of technologies for N fertilization has become essential for increasing the N use efficiency in no-till (NT) systems in Brazil. Thus, this study aimed to quantify ammonia losses, N removal in grains, and second crop season yield in no-till and conventional [...] Read more.
The adoption of technologies for N fertilization has become essential for increasing the N use efficiency in no-till (NT) systems in Brazil. Thus, this study aimed to quantify ammonia losses, N removal in grains, and second crop season yield in no-till and conventional (T) areas that received the application of different N fertilizers and their technologies. Ammonia volatilization, N extraction in grains, and corn yield in response to the application of conventional fertilizers were compared to urea treated with urease inhibitors in NT and conventional systems. The treatments were: no-N (Control); Prilled urea (PU); urea + N-(n-Butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (UNBPT); urea + Cu + B (UCuB); ammonium nitrate (AN), and ammonium sulfate (AS). In the NT system, the N-NH3 losses were 49% higher than in the conventional; without differences in corn yield. The fertilizers AN and AS had the lowest N-NH3 losses, regardless of the tillage system. UNBPT reduced the mean N-NH3 loss by 33% compared to PU. UNBPT (1200 mg kg−1) and UNBPT (180 mg kg−1) reduced the N-NH3 losses by 72% and 22%, respectively, compared to PU in the NT system. We noticed that the NBPT concentration to be used in soils under NT should be adjusted, and a reduction of N-NH3 losses does not directly reflect an increase in yield and N extraction by corn. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fertilizer Technologies and Use to Improve Nutrient Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Impacts)
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