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Agriculture
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Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition
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Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2847

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lijin Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Magnesium Institute, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: conservation tillage; soil organic carbon; carbon sequestration; soil microbial community; mycorrhizal fungi; abiotic stress; greenhouse gas emission; climate change impact and adaptation
Prof. Dr. Chengfang Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: conservation tillage; plant fertilization; water-saving irrigation; global warming potential; soil nutrient cycles; soil carbon sequestration; crop yield; soil microbial community; greenhouse gas emission
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Maintaining economically and environmentally sustainable cropping systems and practices is one of the most imperative challenges in innovative sustainable agriculture. In this view, it is essential to note that the sacrifice of crop yields in the farmland ecosystem may not appeal to farmers who are heavily focused on increasing economic outcomes. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how to innovate cropping systems and practices with the aim of maintaining sustainability in agriculture is of crucial importance. Innovative conservation cropping systems and practices can improve agroecosystems’ productivity, reduce energy input, increase synergies between food production and ecosystem conservation, and increase farmers’ profits.

This Special Issue focuses on the development and assessment of innovative conservation cropping systems and practices for determining system productivity and enhancing crop production and soil quality. “Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition” is a continuation of a previous Special Issue and will cover applied engineering for achieving a sustainable balance between productivity, environmental, and profitability factors. The aim is to present a collection of research articles that cover a broad range of cropping systems and practices from farmland ecosystem. All types of articles, e.g., original research, opinions, and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Lijin Guo
Prof. Dr. Chengfang Li
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. Agriculture 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 2600 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

  • conservation tillage
  • tillage technology
  • conservation crop system
  • soil carbon and nitrogen cycle
  • soil nutrition
  • soil organic carbon
  • soil aggregate
  • crop yield
  • soil microbial diversity
  • greenhouse gas emission
  • resource utilization efficiency
  • economic benefit
  • fertilizer use efficiency

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2224 KiB  
Article
Estimation of Available Phosphorus Under Phosphorus Fertilization in Paddy Fields of a Cold Region Using Several Extraction Methods: A Case Study from Yamagata, Japan
by Shuhei Tsumuraya, Hisashi Nasukawa and Ryosuke Tajima
Agriculture 2025, 15(13), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15131453 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 233
Abstract
Assessing available phosphorus (P) in paddy fields is challenging due to waterlogging-induced reducing conditions. This study tested the applicability of the Truog, Bray 2, and Mehlich 3 extraction methods in both air-dried and incubated soils, as well as the ascorbic-acid-reduced Bray 2 (AR [...] Read more.
Assessing available phosphorus (P) in paddy fields is challenging due to waterlogging-induced reducing conditions. This study tested the applicability of the Truog, Bray 2, and Mehlich 3 extraction methods in both air-dried and incubated soils, as well as the ascorbic-acid-reduced Bray 2 (AR Bray 2), which simulates reducing conditions, for evaluating rice growth under P fertilization. In addition, to investigate the chemical characteristics of the extraction methods, active Al and Fe and P sequential extractions were measured. Soil samples from four representative regions in Yamagata Prefecture were used. Pot cultivation tests using ‘Haenuki’ and ‘Tsuyahime’ cultivars were conducted with varying P fertilizer levels. Variations in P availability across soil types were influenced by levels of active Al and Fe. Sequential extractions identified NaHCO3-P and NaOH-P fractions as important for P availability. Bray 2 in both soils and AR Bray 2 were the most effective methods, showing a strong saturating exponential correlation with rice growth and P uptake, whereas Mehlich 3 and Truog showed weaker correlations. Bray 2 and AR Bray 2 show potential but require further evaluation for practical application due to the small number of soils. Future efforts should prioritize developing methods that account for P dynamics under reducing conditions, thereby improving P management strategies and supporting sustainable rice production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Drought Resistance Physiological Responses of Alfalfa to Alternate Partial Root-Zone Drying Irrigation
by Qunce Sun, Ying Wang, Shuzhen Zhang, Xianwei Peng, Xingyu Ge, Binghan Wen, Youping An, Guili Jin and Yingjun Zhang
Agriculture 2025, 15(13), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15131446 - 4 Jul 2025
Viewed by 245
Abstract
In arid agricultural production, exploring suitable water-saving irrigation strategies and analyzing their water-saving mechanisms are of great significance. Alternating partial root-zone drying irrigation (APRI), a water-saving strategy, enhances the water use efficiency (WUE) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) This paper aims to [...] Read more.
In arid agricultural production, exploring suitable water-saving irrigation strategies and analyzing their water-saving mechanisms are of great significance. Alternating partial root-zone drying irrigation (APRI), a water-saving strategy, enhances the water use efficiency (WUE) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) This paper aims to clarify the physiological mechanisms by which the APRI method enhances the physiological WUE of alfalfa, as well as the differences between this water-saving irrigation strategy, conventional irrigation (CI), and their water deficit adjustments, in order to seek higher water use efficiency for alfalfa production in arid regions. In this experiment, alfalfa was used as the research subject, and three irrigation methods, CI, fixed partial root-zone drying (FPRI), and APRI, were set up, each paired with three decreasing moisture supply gradients of 90% water holding capacity (WHC) (W1), 70% WHC (W2), and 50% WHC (W3). Samples were taken and observed once after every three complete irrigation cycles. Through a comparative analysis of the growth status, leaf water status, antioxidant enzyme activity, and osmotic adjustment capabilities of alfalfa under different water supplies for the three irrigation strategies, the following conclusions were drawn: First, the APRI method, through artificially created periodic wet–dry cycles in the rhizosphere soil, provides pseudo-drought stress that enhances the osmotic adjustment capabilities and antioxidant enzyme activity of alfalfa leaves during the early to middle phases of irrigation treatment compared to CI and FPRI methods, resulting in healthier leaf water conditions. Secondly, the stronger drought tolerance and superior growth conditions of alfalfa under the APRI method due to reduced water availability are key factors in enhancing the water use efficiency of alfalfa under this strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition)
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29 pages, 6729 KiB  
Article
Balancing Productivity and Environmental Sustainability in Pomelo Production Through Controlled-Release Fertilizer Optimization
by Zetian Zhang, Guangzhao Gao, Jinghui Yu, Runzhi Zhan, Hongyu Yang, Zhengjia He, Bin Dong, Jindun Fan, Yina Fang, Sisi Zeng, Xinyu Xuan, Siyi Wang, Liangquan Wu, Wenhao Yang and Lijin Guo
Agriculture 2025, 15(13), 1367; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15131367 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 329
Abstract
In the context of agricultural green transformation, the balance between the environmental footprint and economic return is a key indicator for measuring the synergy of high yields, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness in agricultural systems. However, the pathways and mechanisms for achieving this [...] Read more.
In the context of agricultural green transformation, the balance between the environmental footprint and economic return is a key indicator for measuring the synergy of high yields, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness in agricultural systems. However, the pathways and mechanisms for achieving this synergy in orchard systems remain unclear. Based on a three-year field experiment in Pinghe County, Fujian Province, a comprehensive evaluation framework integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) was constructed. This framework was used to systematically analyze the differences in the net ecosystem economic benefit (EEB) and environmental impact of four fertilization regimes: the conventional farming regime with no mulching (A; 1084 kg N ha−1, 914 kg P2O5 ha−1, and 906 kg K2O ha−1), the conventional farming regime with mulching (B), the optimized fertilization regime with water–fertilizer integration (C; 250 kg N ha−1, 200 kg K2O ha−1, 100 kg MgO ha−1, and 400 kg CaO ha−1), and the optimized fertilization regime with controlled-release fertilizers (D). The results showed that regime D performed best in terms of yield, nutrient-use efficiency, and EEB, which increased by 220.5% and 297.5% compared with regime A, and reduced the input cost by CNY 63,100~69,000 hm−2. Moreover, compared with regime A, regimes B, C, and D significantly reduced the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus footprints, respectively, with the carbon footprint reduced by 6.7~21.7%, 72.4~74.8%, and 71.6~76.5%; the nitrogen footprint reduced by 2.6~19.0%, 80.7~82.2%, and 80.1~83.4%; and the phosphorus footprint reduced by 15.3%, 100%, and 100%. Furthermore, the comprehensive evaluation index (CEI) is D > C > B > A. In total, the three optimized regimes balanced high yield with environmental sustainability, with the D regime showing the best performance, offering scientific support for transitioning to low-carbon, high-value orchards in smallholder systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 576 KiB  
Article
Response of Soil Organic Carbon and Its Components to Mixed Sowing of Green Manure
by Bin-Juan Yang, Zhi-Hui Fang, Jing-Rui Chen, Qin Liu and Guo-Qin Huang
Agriculture 2025, 15(12), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15121260 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 706
Abstract
Mixed sowing of green manure in winter is a unique farming mode in southern China, which has the potential to replace or partially replace nitrogen fertilizer. To investigate how mixed sowing of green manure combined with nitrogen reduction regulates soil organic carbon and [...] Read more.
Mixed sowing of green manure in winter is a unique farming mode in southern China, which has the potential to replace or partially replace nitrogen fertilizer. To investigate how mixed sowing of green manure combined with nitrogen reduction regulates soil organic carbon and its fractions, this study was conducted in the 3/4 Chinese milk vetch × 1/4 rapeseed farming mode, without nitrogen fertilizer (CK), 100% N fertilizer (150 kg ha−1, N1MR), 20% N fertilizer reduction (120 kg ha−1, N2MR), 40% N fertilizer reduction (90 kg ha−1, N3MR), and 60% N fertilizer reduction (60 kg ha−1, N4MR). The main results were the N2MR treatment could guarantee stable and increased rice yield. The N1MR and N2MR treatments were more conducive to the accumulation of TOC. The N4MR and N2MR treatments were more conducive to the increase and accumulation of AOC and DOC. The effective spikes were positively correlated with TOC and ROC. The grain number per panicle was positively correlated with DOC. The seed-setting rate was positively correlated with ROC. Overall, mixed sowing of Chinese milk vetch and rapeseed combined with 20% nitrogen reduction ensures a stable yield and increase in rice. Nitrogen reduction by 60% and 20% is beneficial to the increase and accumulation of TOC, AOC, and DOC in soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 12431 KiB  
Article
Land Use Rather than Microplastic Type Determines the Diversity and Structure of Plastisphere Bacterial Communities
by Yangyang Wang, Zixuan Zhang, Shuang Zhang, Wanlin Zhuang, Zhaoji Shi, Ziqiang Liu, Hui Wei and Jiaen Zhang
Agriculture 2025, 15(7), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15070778 - 3 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 654
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution has raised global concerns, and biodegradable plastics have been recommended to replace conventional ones. The “plastisphere” has been considered a hotspot for the interactions among organisms and environments, but the differences in the properties of soil microbial communities in the [...] Read more.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has raised global concerns, and biodegradable plastics have been recommended to replace conventional ones. The “plastisphere” has been considered a hotspot for the interactions among organisms and environments, but the differences in the properties of soil microbial communities in the plastisphere of conventional and biodegradable MPs remain unclear. This in situ experiment was conducted to compare the diversity and structure of the bacterial community in the plastisphere of conventional MPs (polyethylene [PE]) and biodegradable MPs (polylactic acid [PLA]) in vegetable fields, orchards, paddy fields, and woodlands. It was discovered that the bacterial α-diversity within the plastisphere was significantly lower than that in the soil across all land use. Significant differences between plastic types were only found in the vegetable field. Regarding the community composition, the relative abundances of Actinobacteriota (43.2%) and Proteobacteria (70.9%) in the plastisphere were found to exceed those in the soil, while the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota (45.5%) and Chloroflexi (27.8%) in the soil were significantly higher. The complexity of the microbial network within the plastisphere was lower than that of the soil. Compared with the soil, the proportion of dispersal limitation in the PLA plastisphere significantly decreased, with the greatest reduction observed in the vegetable field treatment, where it dropped from 57.72% to 3.81%. These findings indicate that different land use types have a greater impact on bacterial community diversity and structure than plastics themselves, and that biodegradable MPs may pose a greater challenge to the ecological function and health of soil ecosystems than conventional MPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Conservation Cropping Systems and Practices—2nd Edition)
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