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Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 11130

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Dr. M. Iqbal R. Khan

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Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
Interests: plant stress physiology and molecular; biology; plant hormones; nutrient and food; security; environmental stresses; plant omics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most challenging concerns for plant biologists worldwide is the question of how to increase agricultural productivity so the world’s population food demand can be met with progressivism. Due to climate change, plants face a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses, including salinity, temperature fluctuations, drought, heavy-metal toxicity, etc., which adversely affect plant productivity and yield. The development of sustainable agricultural practices through agronomical, breeding, physiological, molecular, or biotechnological approaches for a growing population is a major issue that faces the scientific society. Therefore, current research may capitalize on our understanding of how plants function in order to develop stress-resilient and higher-yielding crops.

This Special Issue will highlight the latest research on sustainable agricultural approaches adopted for the development of climate-smart crops during this era of abrupt climate change. Thus, we invite the submission of research articles, review articles, or/and opinion articles that address sustainable-agriculture-related subjects via the analysis of global and/or regional climate change and their relationship with plant responses along with stress-mitigating factors in response to climate change scenarios. Potential work will include (but is not limited to) approaches confined to agro-ecology, crop intensification, integrative agricultural practices, precision farming crop management, and other technology studies that assess agriculture sustainability with strategies for coping with or acclimatizing to stress for future trends. Altogether, this Special Issue will report on different areas of sustainable agricultural research, covering the entire range from climate change impacts to heuristic frameworks for the identification of different agricultural practices as well as implications of sustainable agriculture for nutritional quality and food security with innovative and experiential learning.

Dr. M. Iqbal R. Khan
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 agriculture
climate change
abiotic stresses
salinity
drought
temperature fluctuations
heavy-metal toxicity
food security
nutritional homeostasis
crop yield gap and penalty
implicational use and benefits

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2115 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Selenium on Growth, Physio-Biochemical and Yield Traits of Lettuce under Limited Water Regimes

by Bushra Tufail, Kamran Ashraf, Asim Abbasi, Hayssam M. Ali, Khawar Sultan, Tehzeem Munir, Muhammad Tajammal Khan and Qamar uz Zaman

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6804; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086804 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1226

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the most complicated challenges of the twenty-first century. Water scarcity is a significant threat to food security, and climate change has adversely affected the likelihood of extreme events such as drought. Selenium (Se) has been reported to mitigate abiotic stress effects, such as drought, on various plant species. The purpose of the current study was to observe the effects of foliar-applied Se to minimize the detrimental effects of water-deficient conditions. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the exogenous application of Se at various levels (0, 3, 6 and 9 mg L⁻¹) on the growth, physio-biochemical attributes and antioxidant defense system of lettuce plants growing under an irrigation water deficit from 85 ± 5% (control) to 35 ± 5% (drought stress). The results revealed that increasing water deficit stress linearly reduced plant growth and biomass by reducing relative water content (19.49%) and chlorophyll contents (23.95%) through increased electrolyte leakage (20.67%). However, foliar-applied Se significantly increased fresh and dry biomass under control and water-stressed conditions. Under drought stress, Se supply increased free proline content and the activities of SOD, POD and CAT in leaf tissues. The exogenous application of Se partly alleviated the effects of drought on lettuce by the upregulation of the antioxidant system and leaf soluble sugars and a simultaneous decrease in electrolyte leakage. This study further suggests that the upregulation of antioxidants and osmoprotectants is positively associated with the drought tolerance of lettuce. In conclusion, the exogenous application of Se (6 mg L⁻¹) has more potential to improve lettuce growth, physiological attributes and modulation of enzymatic antioxidant potential, which can be recommended for use to maximize lettuce productivity and quality in a dry environment. This research provides a promising, technically feasible strategy for mitigating drought stress in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of good health and zero hunger. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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25 pages, 3642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gibberellic Acid Alleviates Cadmium-Induced Seed Germination Inhibition through Modulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism and Antioxidant Capacity in Mung Bean Seedlings

by Harmanjit Kaur, Faroza Nazir, Sofi Javed Hussain, Rupinder Kaur, Ashish B. Rajurkar, Sarika Kumari, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Moksh Mahajan, Sayeda Khatoon and M. Iqbal R. Khan

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043790 - 19 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2406

Abstract

Gibberellins (GA) are the decisive players in seed germination whose functionality could be adversely affected by the presence of cadmium (Cd); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Eco-toxicological effects of Cd (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 µM) on the early stages of ontogenesis in a mung bean variety (ML-2056) were investigated. Seed germination characteristics along with Cd-tolerance index were recorded at the seventh day of germination. Additionally, endogenous gibberellic acid (GA3) level, amylase activity, oxidative stress, and the antioxidant defense system were also investigated in Cd-stressed germinating seedlings. Results revealed that Cd reduced seed germination and interfered with GA synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, to validate the role of GA in Cd-tolerance, experiments were executed to explore the effect of seed priming with GA3 and its biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol (PBZ) on ML-2056 under Cd stress. Application of GA3 improved the activities of amylase and carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, the antioxidant defense system, and sustained lower H₂O₂ and TBARS contents, whereas PBZ caused a significant reduction in growth and decreased endogenous GA3 content in Cd-stressed ML-2056, suggesting a crucial role of GA synthesis in reversing Cd-induced negative effects. Overall, GA synthesis played a crucial role in mitigating Cd toxicity in mung bean, which might be used as a criterion for developing Cd-stress-tolerant genotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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19 pages, 1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Markers of Soybean for Drought Tolerance Potential

by Mst. Kaniz Fatema, Muhammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Umakanta Sarker, Muhammad Saddam Hossain, Muhammad Abdul Baset Mia, Rajib Roychowdhury, Sezai Ercisli, Romina Alina Marc, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola and Muhammad Abdul Karim

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021427 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1561

Abstract

Drought stress provokes plants to change their growth pattern and biochemical contents to overcome adverse situations. Soybean was grown under 40 (drought) and 80% (control) of field capacity (FC) to determine the morpho-physiological and biochemical alterations that occur under drought conditions. The experiment was conducted following a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that drought exerted detrimental effects on photosynthetic attributes, leaf production, pigment and water content, plant growth, and dry matter production of soybean. However, drought favored producing a higher amount of proline and malondialdehyde in soybean leaf than in the control. The pod and seed production, grain size, and seed yield of soybean were also adversely affected by the drought, where genotypic variations were conspicuous. Interestingly, the studied morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters of AGS383 were minimally affected by drought. This genotype was capable of maintaining healthier root and shoot growth, greater leaf area, preserving leaf greenness and cell membrane stability, higher photosynthesis, absorbing water and sustaining leaf water potential, and lower amount of proline and malondialdehyde production under drought conditions. The heavier grains of AGS383 make it out yielder under both growth conditions. Considering the changes in morpho-physiological, biochemical, and yield contributing parameters, the genotype AGS383 could be cultivated as a relatively drought-tolerant, high-yielding soybean variety. Further study is needed to uncover the genes responsible for the adaptation of AGS383 to drought-stress environments, and this genotype might be used as parent material in a breeding program to develop a high-yielding, drought-tolerant soybean variety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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16 pages, 1507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accumulation of Heavy Metals, Yield and Nutritional Composition of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars Irrigated with Fly-Ash-Treated Acid Mine Drainage

by Maropeng Vellry Raletsena, Rabelani Munyai and Nkoana Ishmael Mongalo

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1327; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021327 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1645

Abstract

This study compared the responses of two potato cultivars, Fianna and Lady rosetta (both determinate and indeterminate), to irrigation with various fly ash: acid mine drainage (AMD) amelioration ratios in two separate seasons. In order to calculate crude protein (CP), the nutritional composition (NC) of potato tuber samples was examined using the combustion method. The results showed that the NC of plants irrigated with AMD mixed with fly ash was significantly affected differently at harvest. In plants exposed to 75% AMD irrigation, the mean moisture content of Lady rosetta was reduced by twice more compared to Fianna. Concisely, our study has demonstrated that irrigation with AMD mixed with fly ash can promote plant growth of potato cultivars and reduce their crude protein (CP) by approximately 4% when irrigated with both 50% FA: AMD and untreated AMD (100% AMD) ratio being applied; nonetheless, it was decreased by 1% when watered with 75% FA: AMD treatment, lipids content, carbohydrates, fresh tuber weight and dry tuber weight. On average, plants from both cultivars irrigated with the 75% AMD had higher fresh tuber weight (FTW), higher dry tuber weight (DTW) and carbohydrates compared to the controls. Furthermore, Lady rosetta cultivar exhibited higher carbohydrate and crude fiber compared to the control at 75 and 50% AMD treatments, respectively. Use of AMD in agriculture is likely to reduce its devastating environmental conditions and assist in irrigation of food crops, thereby alleviating both water and food shortages. Last, all the FA-AMD-treated potatoes had Pb concentrations that were below the minimum standard limits, and this proves that FA was able to adsorb the Pb ions in the tuber samples. Importantly, fly ash reduces a metal’s concentration in AMD. However, presence of heavy metals in such potatoes needs to be explored. It is also important to relate the possible metal intake relative to the standards by World Health Organization (WHO). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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19 pages, 4020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proline-Induced Modifications in Morpho-Physiological, Biochemical and Yield Attributes of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Cultivars under Salt Stress

by Sadia Shahid, Muhammad Shahbaz, Muhammad Faisal Maqsood, Fozia Farhat, Usman Zulfiqar, Talha Javed, Muhammad Fraz Ali, Majid Alhomrani and Abdulhakeem S. Alamri

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013579 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 1772

Abstract

Climate change is aggravating soil salinity, causing huge crop losses around the globe. Multiple physiological and biochemical pathways determine the ability of plants to tolerate salt stress. A pot experiment was performed to understand the impact of proline levels, i.e., 0, 10, 20 mM on growth, biochemical and yield attributes of two pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars (cv. L-888 and cv. Round) under salt stress (150 mM) along with control (0 mM; no stress). The pots were filled with river-washed sand; all the plants were irrigated with full-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution and grown for two weeks before application of salt stress. Foliar spray of proline was applied to 46-day-old pea plants, once a week till harvest. Data for various growth and physio-biochemical attributes were collected from 70-day-old pea plants. Imposition of salt stress significantly checked growth, gas exchange characteristics [net CO₂ assimilation rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g_s)], total soluble proteins, concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD), shoot and root K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents, while sub-stomatal CO₂ concentration (Ci), coefficient of non-photochemical quenching (_qN), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), concentration of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), free proline, and shoot and root Na⁺ contents increased substantially. Foliar application of proline significantly improved growth, yield, A, g_s, activity of POD, and shoot and root K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents, while decreased NPQ values in both pea cultivars under stress and non-stress conditions. Moreover, both pea cultivars showed significant differences as cv. Round exhibited a higher rate of growth, yield, gas exchange, soluble proteins, CAT activity, free proline, shoot and root K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents compared to L-888. Hence, the outcomes of this study pave the way toward the usage of proline at 20 mM, and cv. Round may be recommended for saline soil cultivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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11 pages, 853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screening Technique Based on Seed and Early Seedling Parameters for Cold Tolerance of Selected F₂-Derived F₃ Rice Genotypes under Controlled Conditions

by Javeed Lone, Asif Shikari, Najeeb Sofi, Sajad Ganie, Manmohan Sharma, Mamta Sharma, Mukul Kumar, Muhammad Hamzah Saleem, Khalid S. Almaary, Mohamed S. Elshikh, Yheni Dwiningsih and Muhammad Ammar Raza

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8447; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148447 - 11 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1456

Abstract

The cold tolerance studies were carried out in a bi-parental F₂ population of a cross between tolerant and susceptible parents (SKUA-529 and HEERA, respectively). The purpose was to screen the individuals of a population for primary cold-tolerance-related attributes. The information generated has a direct application and use in identifying cold tolerance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and further can be used for genotyping with an appropriate marker system. The screening was carried out on F₂-derived F₃ seeds and F₃ plants for seedling and agronomic traits, respectively. Two tests measuring cold tolerance were conducted. In experiment I, seeds were germinated for 28 days at 13 °C and 7 days at 28 °C, and in experiment II, the seeds were germinated for 72 h at 28 °C, 96 h at 13 °C, and once more for 72 h at 28 °C. Coleoptile length, germination percentage, and radical reduction percentages were all measured in experiment I. The radicle and coleoptile regeneration in experiment II were measured after the cold period. The improvement in cold tolerance was achieved through radicle regrowth, as evidenced by the difference between the second and first measurements. The individual lines from the F_2:3 population that recorded high germination (%) were #21, #13, #14, and #15. The percentage of coleoptile length (PERCOL %) was observed to be between the ranges of 23.33% to 53.00%. The reduction in coleoptile length (REDCOL %) was also obtained, and there was less reduction in #15, #16, and #14 and it had a range between 38.46% and 75%. Radicle regrowth (REDRAG) was high at 13 °C in #7, #11, #30, #35, and #36. Survival of the seedling range was between 33.33% and up to 100%, and the highest survival rate was observed in #16. The main objective of this rotation in temperature was to emulate field conditions where there has been a drop in temperature. The evaluations were done for primary cold stress tolerance traits, and it was found that most of these traits exhibited high variability. The mapping population developed may be utilized to generate a linkage map and locate QTLs for tolerance to cold stress in rice. Further, the identified donors for cold tolerance may be utilized for breeding programs aimed at the transfer of low-temperature stress tolerance into susceptible backgrounds. In general, a genotype with improved seedling germination rates, growth rates, and leaf yellowing scores; high seedling survival; lesser reduction in coleoptile length and in radicle development; and recovery following a cold shock at the seedling stage demonstrated its cold resistance. Genotypes with a low germination percentage, a greater number of days to germination, slow growth rate and higher leaf yellowing score, high reduction in coleoptile and radicle growth, and reduced seedling survival indicated cold susceptibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Approaches in Developing Climate Smart Crops)

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