Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.9
Journals
Sustainability
Special Issues
Sustainable Organic Agriculture
sustainability-logo
Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Sustainable Organic Agriculture

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 19001

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sara Bosi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Interests: the main research activities carried out concern studies of the expression of functional and nutraceutical compounds produced by species of agricultural interest (mainly legumes and cereals), in relation to the agronomic technique adopted and environmental factors (mainly abiotic stress)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Researchers and consumers are paying increasing attention to environmental and health issues, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, available plant genetic resources are characterized by genetic uniformity, and are also selected in environments that never reflect organic agricultural conditions. Moreover, agronomic strategies often use a mainstream approach that focuses on resolving a single issue in an agro-ecosystem (e.g., pests, soil fertility, diseases).

There is an urgent need to find feasible solutions to organic agriculture problems by promoting crops with improved traits that make them more adaptable to different environmental conditions and to climate change scenarios. Furthermore, agricultural systems also need to be redesigned, by identifying technical practices, based on the promotion of functional biodiversity and associated ecosystem services.

This Special Issue is thus focused on the new challenge for organic agriculture: breaking the monoculture nature of farming systems by adopting diversified plant genetic resources, sustainable farming systems, and a new innovative concept of quality.

Dr. Sara Bosi
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. 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

  • plant genetic resources
  • diversified farming systems
  • sustainability
  • resilience
  • quality.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 742 KiB  
Article
Different Fertility Approaches in Organic Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Production Alter Floral Biomass Yield but Not CBD:THC Ratio
by Dylan Bruce, Grace Connelly and Shelby Ellison
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6222; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106222 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3847
Abstract
Industrial hemp is once again legal in the United States but agronomic practices are not well characterized, especially for organic production systems. Many producers are concerned that while increased fertility may increase biomass yield it will also disproportionally increase that rate of total [...] Read more.
Industrial hemp is once again legal in the United States but agronomic practices are not well characterized, especially for organic production systems. Many producers are concerned that while increased fertility may increase biomass yield it will also disproportionally increase that rate of total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) accumulation, making their crop more likely to be noncompliant at harvest. We measured the effect of four organic fertility treatments: (1) no fertility (NA); (2) manure-based compost (CM); (3) an industry-standard organic fertilizer blend (ST); and (4) an intensive fertility treatment designed for cannabis production (BQ), on biomass yield and cannabinoid accumulation over multiple timepoints and two years. We found that higher fertility (ST and BQ) led to increased biomass but did not influence the ratio of cannabidiol (CBD) to THC over time. We also found the ST treatment yielded the most consistently across years, whereas CM and BQ were less predictable and more costly, respectively. Our results show that fertility recommendations can be made to increase biomass yield without increasing the chance of noncompliance. Additional research addressing specific fertility requirements in organic cropping systems for hemp will be needed to meet consumer demand while remaining profitable and sustainable for growers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 8213 KiB  
Article
Analytic Hierarchy Process Based Land Suitability for Organic Farming in the Arid Region
by Pandian Mangan, Dinagarapandi Pandi, Mohd Anul Haq, Aniruddha Sinha, Rajagopal Nagarajan, Twinkle Dasani, Ismail Keshta and Mohammed Alshehri
Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4542; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084542 - 11 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2422
Abstract
The use of organic farming in the Thar desert region (great Indian desert) is extremely low due to the low humidity and high temperatures across India. As a result, the desert area faces significant challenges in agricultural production and in meeting the demand [...] Read more.
The use of organic farming in the Thar desert region (great Indian desert) is extremely low due to the low humidity and high temperatures across India. As a result, the desert area faces significant challenges in agricultural production and in meeting the demand for high-quality food. Thus, the farming community in this area needs to expand to meet the required demands. Geospatial technologies are capable of recommending suitable farming areas in desert regions and, specifically, to increase organic farming. However, the prevalence of organic farming is very low in developing countries. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making process was used to determine land suitability for organic crops and to increase organic food production. This study attempted to identify suitable land for reliable organic farming in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique combined with the geographic information system approach showed that, in the Barmer district, the highly suitable area for organic farming comprises about 832 sq. km and the moderately suitable area covers about 8524 sq. km. Monthly Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and precipitation data were used to identify the impact of organic farming in the Barmer district for the period from January 2017 to December 2020. Finally, this study investigated the quality of land and its application so that it can be used effectively to solve social and economic problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1254 KiB  
Article
GGE Biplot Analysis to Explore the Adaption Potential of Italian Common Wheat Genotypes
by Sara Bosi, Lorenzo Negri, Antonio Fakaros, Giulia Oliveti, Anne Whittaker and Giovanni Dinelli
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020897 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1895
Abstract
Given the substantial variation in global wheat yield, insufficient research in cultivar selection for climate change, and the lack of suitable germplasm in sustainable agroecosystems, there is a requisite for soft wheat genotypes, with stable grain yield as well as quality parameters. The [...] Read more.
Given the substantial variation in global wheat yield, insufficient research in cultivar selection for climate change, and the lack of suitable germplasm in sustainable agroecosystems, there is a requisite for soft wheat genotypes, with stable grain yield as well as quality parameters. The present study was aimed at genotype evaluation (GGE biplot for “mean performance versus stability”) not only for yield, but also for technological, phytosanitary and functional quality parameters of 24 Triticum aestivum L. genotypes (eight landraces, old and modern varieties, respectively) within a single organic farm location (Argelato, Emilia-Romagna, Italy) over three consecutive years. Overall, high yield stability was shown for the landraces and old varieties. In particular, the landraces Piave and Gamba di Ferro, as well as the old variety Verna, showed high stability with above-average means for numerous quality parameters of interest. Additionally, relative stability combined with above-average mean for quality parameters was also demonstrated for the high-yielding Gentil Bianco and Guà 113. Aside from Verna, these “unrecognized” resilient genotypes were also shown to meet the requisites for suitable germplasm in sustainable agroecosystems. Future potential utilization of these more stable landraces in addressing climate change would also ultimately facilitate the survival of valuable genetic resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 729 KiB  
Article
Reducing Tillage Affects Long-Term Yields but Not Grain Quality of Maize, Soybeans, Oats, and Wheat Produced in Three Contrasting Farming Systems
by Kirsten Ann Pearsons, Emmanuel Chiwo Omondi, Brad J. Heins, Gladis Zinati, Andrew Smith and Yichao Rui
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020631 - 6 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2163
Abstract
Reducing tillage has been widely promoted to reduce soil erosion, maintain soil health, and sustain long-term food production. The effects of reducing tillage on crop nutritional quality in organic and conventional systems, however, has not been widely explored. One possible driver of crop [...] Read more.
Reducing tillage has been widely promoted to reduce soil erosion, maintain soil health, and sustain long-term food production. The effects of reducing tillage on crop nutritional quality in organic and conventional systems, however, has not been widely explored. One possible driver of crop nutritional quality might be the changing soil nitrogen (N) availability associated with reduced tillage in various management systems. To test how reducing tillage affects crop nutritional quality under contrasting conventional and organic farming systems with varied N inputs, we measured nutritional quality (protein, fat, starch, ash, net energy, total digestible nutrients, and concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, P, and S) of maize, wheat, oats, and soybeans harvested from a long-term trial comprised of three farming systems under two tillage regimes: a conventional grain system (CNV); a low-input organic grain system (LEG); and an organic, manure-based grain + forage system (MNR) under conventional full-tillage (FT) and reduced-till (RT) management. Although maize and wheat yields were 10–13% lower under RT management, grain quality metrics including protein, fat, starch, energy, and mineral concentrations were not significantly affected by reducing tillage. Differences in nutrient quality were more marked between farming systems: protein levels in maize were highest in the MNR system (8.1%); protein levels in soybeans were highest in the LEG system (40.4%); levels of protein (12.9%), ash (2.0%), and sulfur (1430 ppm) in wheat were highest in the CNV system, and oat quality was largely consistent between the LEG and MNR systems. As grain quality did not significantly respond to reducing tillage, other management decisions that affect nutrient availability appear to have a greater effect on nutrient quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 3714 KiB  
Article
Morphological, Leaf Nutrient, and Fruit Quality Characteristics of Diverse Tomato Cultivars under Organic Low-Input Management
by Leangsrun Chea, Cut Erika, Marcel Naumann, Inga Smit, Bernd Horneburg and Elke Pawelzik
Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12326; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112326 - 8 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2968
Abstract
Increasing fruit yield and quality of tomatoes under organic low-input conditions remains a challenge for producers and breeders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify superior tomato cultivars that are suitable for production and use as parents in breeding programmes. In the present study, [...] Read more.
Increasing fruit yield and quality of tomatoes under organic low-input conditions remains a challenge for producers and breeders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify superior tomato cultivars that are suitable for production and use as parents in breeding programmes. In the present study, the variations in plant morphology and fruit quality characteristics of tomato cultivars were assessed to reveal the traits associated with improved yield and fruit quality. Sixty diverse tomato cultivars were screened in 2015, and in 2016, a subset of 20 cultivars was selected for further evaluation under organic low-input conditions. The results showed high variability among cultivars in all 28 traits that were observed. Salad cultivars had lower plant growth and fruit quality (minerals, dry matter, total soluble solids, and total phenolics) by 10–70%, but they displayed 10–60% higher fruit yield and leaf minerals than cocktail cultivars. Salad tomato cultivars with superior yield and harvest index were mainly derived from breeding for intensive indoor production. Cocktail cultivars with superior yield were mainly derived from organic and outdoor breeding programs. There was a trade-off between fruit yield and quality, indicating a challenge for simultaneous improvement of yield and quality. The importance of Mg was highlighted because of its contribution to the fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality. Cultivars superior in one trait or trait combination under organic low-input conditions were identified to be used by producers and breeders as superior cultivars to meet their production targets and breeding objectives. The importance of Mg provides a novel path for further research on improving soil-available Mg in organic tomato production to enhance fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality in general. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

26 pages, 444 KiB  
Review
Characteristics of Organically Grown Compared to Conventionally Grown Potato and the Processed Products: A Review
by Koffi Djaman, Soum Sanogo, Komlan Koudahe, Samuel Allen, Aminou Saibou and Samuel Essah
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6289; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116289 - 2 Jun 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4612
Abstract
Interest in organic foods is increasing at a moment when humanity is facing a range of health challenges including the concern that some conventionally produced foods may pose possible adverse effects on human and livestock health. With the increasing human population, intensive production [...] Read more.
Interest in organic foods is increasing at a moment when humanity is facing a range of health challenges including the concern that some conventionally produced foods may pose possible adverse effects on human and livestock health. With the increasing human population, intensive production is increasingly trending towards high-input systems that aim to close yield gaps, increase crop yields, and develop new crop varieties with higher yield potential and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, all within the context of incorporating specific traits to satisfy consumer demand. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most consumed foods under different cultural diets; however, its production faces some challenges related to soilborne diseases, marketable yield and quality, sugars and dry matter content of the produced tubers, tuber content in terms of nitrate, minerals, vitamins, bioactive compounds, and antioxidants, and consumer appreciation regarding the sensory characteristics of tubers and processed products. Different studies have been investigating some of these challenges, with sometimes straightforward and sometimes conflicting results. This variability in research results indicates the general non-transferability of the results from one location to another under the same management practices in addition to differences in plant material. This review compares some characteristics of raw or boiled potato and processed products from potato tubers grown organically and conventionally. Ideally, such information may be of benefit in decision making by consumers in their dietary choices, by potato growers in their selection of crop management practices, and by scientists looking at potential areas for future research on potatoes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organic Agriculture)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop