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Agriculture
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Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application
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Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2024) | Viewed by 5668

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Magdalena Banach-Szott

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biogeochemistry and Soil Science, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Al. prof. S. Kaliskiego 7, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Interests: soil chemistry and physicochemistry; soil organic carbon; humic substances; HPLC; UV-VIS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Joanna Lemanowicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biogeochemistry and Soil Science, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Al. prof. S. Kaliskiego 7, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Interests: enzymes; soil; macroelements; agriculture; environmental
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Humic substances participate in all processes occurring in soil, and thus, influence its physical, chemical and biological properties. These compounds improve the buffering capacity of soils, provide plants with available microelements, and immobilize organic pollutants and metals. Humic substances also determine the production potential of soils and perform environmental functions by participating in the global carbon cycle.

As a result of increasing soil degradation and losses of organic carbon due to changes in land use and the intensification of agricultural production, local, regional and global soil protection has become one of the key objective for the management of carbon resources.

Therefore, it is important to understand the nature, composition and dynamics of transformations of humic substances. Preserving soil humus resources is important not only in terms of soil productivity but also from the point of view of the role of soils in sequestering (binding) carbon from the atmosphere.

This Special Issue will focus on “Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application”. Original research articles and review articles are welcome, providing innovative insights into humic substances and compost in agriculture.

Dr. Magdalena Banach-Szott
Dr. Joanna Lemanowicz
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

  • chemical, biological and physical soil parameters
  • soil organic carbon
  • humic substances
  • compost
  • agriculture
  • soil fertility
  • soil quality

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1347 KiB  
Article
Effects of Superphosphate on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Compost Quality During Industrial Scale In-Vessel Swine Manure Composting
by Haotian Chen, Haoruo Li, Tianqing Sun, Xin Huang, Yuyi Li and Baoli Zhang
Agriculture 2025, 15(2), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15020148 - 11 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1303
Abstract
Composting is an environmentally friendly method for transforming the nutrients present in livestock manure into organic fertilizer. In this study, the compost quality-enhancing and N2O and CH4 emissions-reducing effects of superphosphate were investigated during industrial-scale in-vessel composting of swine manure. [...] Read more.
Composting is an environmentally friendly method for transforming the nutrients present in livestock manure into organic fertilizer. In this study, the compost quality-enhancing and N2O and CH4 emissions-reducing effects of superphosphate were investigated during industrial-scale in-vessel composting of swine manure. Alongside a control group, three different doses of superphosphate were tested: 5% (SSP5), 10% (SSP10), and 15% (SSP15). The results revealed that the superphosphate reduced the N2O and CH4 emissions by 18.5–26.3% and 15.8–25.1%, respectively. In addition, the superphosphate enhanced both the N and P contents of the compost. However, it had an adverse impact on compost maturity, with the SSP15 dose showing the lowest germination index (GI) at 70.4% and the highest electrical conductivity (EC) at 9.04 mS·cm−1. These findings suggest that superphosphate has potential for greenhouse gas mitigation and nutrient augmentation in industrial composting. Although the economic benefits of superphosphate addition for GHG reduction are limited, the technology holds considerable economic potential for nitrogen conservation. Further investigations should focus on combining superphosphate addition with other improvements, considering both compost quality and economic viability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application)
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13 pages, 1267 KiB  
Article
Effects of Cow-Dung Vermicomposting on Soil Carbon Mineralization and Temperature Sensitivity in Camellia oleifera Forest
by Huaiyuan Wu, Shuangshuang Chu, Xiuqin Ouyang, Zhonghua Zou, Huanhuan Fu, Yaohui Liu, Xueyun Shi, Yunyu Zhang, Kun Ouyang, Ling Zhang and Dongnan Hu
Agriculture 2024, 14(11), 1973; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111973 - 3 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Soil carbon mineralization plays an important role in the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. When it comes to the soil carbon cycle, however, research on how carbon mineralization characteristics of fertilized Camellia oleifera forest soil respond to temperature changes remains limited. This study [...] Read more.
Soil carbon mineralization plays an important role in the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. When it comes to the soil carbon cycle, however, research on how carbon mineralization characteristics of fertilized Camellia oleifera forest soil respond to temperature changes remains limited. This study used an indoor constant temperature incubation method to examine the effects of the vermicomposting of cow dung by applying it at three different quantities (A: 0.8 kg earthworm + 62.5 kg cow dung/Camellia oleifera; B: 1.6 kg earthworm + 125 kg cow dung/Camellia oleifera; C: 2.4 kg earthworm + 187.5 kg cow dung/Camellia oleifera) and set a control group with Camellia oleifera forest not being fertilized (CK). This research was conducted with incubators set at 5 °C, 15 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C, and with continuous monitoring of soil carbon mineralization characteristics and temperature sensitivity of organic carbon mineralization. The results showed significant increases in soil MBC, MBN, DOC, DON, NO3−-N, and NH4+-N in groups with applications of cow-dung vermicomposting compared to CK. Except at 35 °C, soil respiration in the Camellia oleifera of Group A was consistently the strongest. The maximum soil carbon emission (C0) was determined through a simulation of potential carbon emissions, with all correlation coefficients exceeding 0.95. The contents of TC and TN were positively correlated with MBC and MBN (p <0.001), while the C: Nmicro was negatively correlated with TN, AN, MBN, and inorganic nitrogen. Based on temperature sensitivity (Q10), the influence of temperature on soil mineralization rate was observed. The vermicomposting of cow dung had a noticeable effect, as Group B showed significantly stronger enzyme activity compared to other groups. These results indicate that changes in MBC can impact the stability of soil carbon mineralization. The roles of soil moisture and microorganisms should be considered when predicting dynamic changes in the soil carbon pool of Camellia oleifera when applying fertilizers and improving its soil carbon sequestration capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application)
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Review

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20 pages, 7057 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
by Majda Oueld Lhaj, Rachid Moussadek, Abdelmjid Zouahri, Hatim Sanad, Laila Saafadi, Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui and Latifa Mouhir
Agriculture 2024, 14(12), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122356 - 21 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2408
Abstract
Agricultural activities generate substantial quantities of waste, which are often relegated to landfills or incineration. However, these residues can be effectively valorized through composting, which transforms them into valuable organic fertilizers (OF). Composting agricultural waste (AW) mitigates environmental impacts and offers significant benefits [...] Read more.
Agricultural activities generate substantial quantities of waste, which are often relegated to landfills or incineration. However, these residues can be effectively valorized through composting, which transforms them into valuable organic fertilizers (OF). Composting agricultural waste (AW) mitigates environmental impacts and offers significant benefits in enhancing soil fertility and productivity. This practice is particularly beneficial in regions with low soil fertility and degraded land, where compost can improve soil health and productivity. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the valorization of AW through composting, focusing on its environmental, agricultural, and economic impacts on soil health, especially in Morocco’s agricultural ecosystems. It synthesizes findings from studies published over the past two decades to offer critical insights and recommendations for optimizing composting practices. By systematically evaluating, this review highlights composting as a pivotal strategy for enhancing soil health, reducing environmental impact, and promoting sustainable AW management. Future research is essential to explore opportunities for optimizing the composting process, including content enhancement and processing duration. In summary, the composting process can be seen as an effective and sustainable solution that fits within the principles of circular economy (CE) and that requires careful evaluation and ongoing monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Humic Substances and Compost in Agriculture: Types, Properties and Application)
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