The Role of Organic Wastes in Enhancing Soil Organic Matter and Promoting Crops Growth in Vegetable Production
A Special Issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472) belonging to the section "Agricultural Soils".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 1463
Editors
Interests: organic fertilizers; green manures; organic waste materials; vegetable production; yield quality; soil quality; organic horticulture; organic agriculture; biostimulants
Interests: soil quality; chemical composition of soil; soil organic matter; speciation of heavy metals; organic fertilizers; organic waste materials; plant nutrition; yield quality; environmental protection
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soil is one of the main factors influencing food production. The natural ability of soil to meet plant nutritional needs depends on its mechanical composition, physicochemical and biological properties, and also on fertilizer management. At the same time, soil is a readily degradable natural resource, and due to plant and animal production, it is of key value to humans. Long-term use of mineral fertilizers leads to soil contamination, reducing humus content and degrading structure and physicochemical properties.
One way to reduce the negative impact of intensive agriculture and horticulture on the environment is to fertilize soil with natural and organic fertilizers, as well as organic waste materials from sources such as agriculture and the food industry. Applying them at the appropriate doses and timing can improve soil health, increase soil organic matter, improve soil water retention and cation exchange, and promote soil biodiversity.
Organic waste materials can also be an excellent organic fertilizer in vegetable production, positively impacting plant growth and crop quality. Agricultural management of organic waste also aligns with the idea of a circular economy and can be a response to the growing waste crisis, coupled with widespread soil degradation and the urgent need for sustainable agricultural and horticultural practices.
We invite you to submit original research, reviews, and recent developments on the role of organic waste materials in increasing soil organic matter and improving soil quality, as well as the use of waste materials in vegetable crops.
Prof. Dr. Robert Rosa
Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Pakuła
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- soil organic matter
- soil quality
- organic waste materials
- waste management
- vegetable production
- yield
- crop quality
- growth promotion
- sustainable development
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