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Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2026) | Viewed by 10964

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xing Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Interests: conservation agriculture; crop rotation; nutrient transformation; agro-ecosystem
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Dr. Jian-Ying Qi

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Guest Editor

College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: conservation agriculture; agro-ecosystem; soil carbon sequestration
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Dr. Zheng-Rong Kan

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College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
Interests: conservation agriculture; soil quality; crop production
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Dr. Jiaqi Hao

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Guest Editor Assistant

College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang 712100, China
Interests: soil health; ecosystem services
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the first Special Issue, titled “Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/special_issues/HK7A1IO564)”, in Agronomy, the Editorial Office is pleased to launch a second series of the issue.

Sustainable agriculture management aims to maximize crop yields and profitability while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and preserving the health and fertility of the soil. In the modern era, concerns about environmental degradation, climate change, and food security have led to a renewed focus on sustainable management and tillage practices in agriculture.

This Special Issue will focus on research and advancements in practices and technologies that promote sustainable agriculture and improve soil health through effective agriculture management. Some examples of cutting-edge research on this topic include precision agriculture, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, and so on.

We encourage prospective authors to submit related distinguished research or review manuscripts focused on (but not limited to) the following topics:

Soil health and crop productivity.
Reduction in soil erosion and compaction.
Agro-ecosystem sustainability strategies.
The Optimization and sustainability assessment of regional agricultural production patterns.
The role of precision agriculture and other technologies in optimizing tillage practices.
Case studies of successful sustainable tillage management in different agricultural systems.
The economic and environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture management.
The management and efficient utilization of soil nutrients in farmland.
Carbon sequestration and emission reduction.

Dr. Xing Wang
Dr. Jian-Ying Qi
Dr. Zheng-Rong Kan
Guest Editors

Dr. Jiaqi Hao
Guest Editor Assistant

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Agronomy 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

agricultural sustainability assessment
nutrient management
cropping system
soil carbon sequestration
greenhouse gas emissions
crop productivity
resource use efficiency
soil quality

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5961 KB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term No-Tillage and Straw Mulching Improves Aggregate Stability by Increasing Mineral-Associated Organic Carbon in Microaggregates

by Yidan He, Jiayu Qin, Yong Zhou, Ligeng Jiang, Yanli Chen, Hang Wu, Shihong Xu and Pengli Yuan

Agronomy 2026, 16(9), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16090918 - 30 Apr 2026

Viewed by 248

Abstract

Straw and no-tillage management, as important practices in conservation agriculture, have the potential to improve soil structure. However, their effects on the aggregate stability of soil and on active organic carbon pools in paddy fields are unclear. To investigate how different tillage and straw management practices affect soil properties, this study drew on a 15-year long-term experiment conducted in a double-cropped rice region in South China. It systematically compared four treatments: no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), conventional tillage with incorporated straw (CT-SR), and no-tillage with straw mulch (NT-SMR)—in terms of their effects on the distribution and stability of mechanical and water-stable aggregates, as well as the distribution of particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) across various aggregate size fractions. The results showed that: (1) Relative to the CT, NT, and CT-SR treatments, NT-SMR significantly enhanced soil structure, as evidenced by a higher percentage of large aggregates (>0.25 mm) and improved aggregate stability. (2) NT-SMR consistently increased soil organic carbon pools, raising SOC, POC, and MAOC contents by 2.0–14.2%, 5.7–24.3%, and 1.0–11.9%, respectively, compared to other treatments. (3) In this study, stability of soil aggregates parameters (R_>0.25, MWD and GMD) increased combined with higher levels of bulk SOC and >0.053 mm MAOC, but decreased with higher fractal dimension, indicating a direct causal link between organic carbon accumulation and the betterment of soil structure. Overall, NT-SMR promotes aggregate stability through an optimized particle-size distribution and increased SOC, particularly in the >0.053 mm MAOC fraction. This practice is a sustainable long-term strategy for enhancing SOC sequestration and structural stability in paddy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 8239 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Delayed Panicle Nitrogen Application Enhances Stem Nonstructural Carbohydrate Accumulation in Large-Panicle Rice Through the Sucrose–Starch Metabolic Network

by Yonggan Shi, Tiezhong Zhu, Feilong Shen, Chuan Tu, Congshan Xu, Qiangqiang Zhang, Haibing He, Cuicui You, Liquan Wu and Jian Ke

Agronomy 2026, 16(4), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16040464 - 16 Feb 2026

Viewed by 732

Abstract

Accumulation of stem non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) at heading is crucial for mitigating grain-setting defects in large-panicle rice. While traditional panicle nitrogen fertilizer application at the emergence of the fourth leaf from the flag leaf stage (TL4) may weaken stem sink strength, delaying application to the emergence of the third leaf from the flag leaf stage (TL3) significantly enhances NSC accumulation. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms through which TL3 remodels stem sink strength to promote NSC storage. Using two large-panicle rice varieties (Huiliangyou 280 and Yangliangyou 228), we compared stem NSC dynamics under TL4 and TL3 treatments and integrated sugar-related metabolite profiling with transcriptome analysis during the critical NSC accumulation phase. The results showed that TL3 treatment significantly increased stem NSC content and NSC per spikelet at heading, leading to a higher percentage of filled grains. The period from 5 days before heading (DBH) to heading showed the highest NSC accumulation rate. At the molecular level, TL3 treatment specifically up-regulated eight key genes in the sucrose–starch metabolism pathway, increasing the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase, and ADP–glucose pyrophosphorylase, and thereby promoting the accumulation of sucrose, trehalose, and D-fructose. In summary, delaying panicle nitrogen application to TL3 enhances stem NSC storage by remodeling sink strength via coordinated regulation of the sucrose–starch metabolic network. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 2394 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Mechanical Weed Control on Soil Bacterial Communities in Paddy Fields: A One-Year Study

by Chuang Liu, Shuanglong Wu, Zongyuan Wen, Zhenyu Tang, Can Jiang, Zhiwei Zeng and Long Qi

Agronomy 2026, 16(4), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16040429 - 11 Feb 2026

Viewed by 701

Abstract

Mechanical weed-control methods using autonomous weeding machines provide an option for farmers to reduce the use of herbicides while efficiently dealing with weed issues. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of advanced mechanical weed control technology on soil bacterial communities in paddy fields. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in southern China in 2021. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to sequence bacterial communities in soil samples under three treatments: mechanical weeding, chemical weeding, and no weeding. The objective was to investigate the impact of different weed-control methods on the diversity, composition, and co-occurrence patterns of soil bacteria. While mechanical weed-control method did not significantly alter bacterial alpha diversity, it specifically increased the relative abundance of the Bacteroidota phylum. Co-occurrence network analysis further showed that mechanical weed-control treatment enhanced network complexity and the proportion of positive interactions among bacteria, likely due to the physical intertillage effect of the weeding machinery. Our one-year study indicates that mechanical weed control can promote beneficial shifts in soil bacterial interactions without reducing diversity, offering a novel microcosmic perspective for selecting appropriate weed-control methods in agricultural management and sustainability of soil ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 6257 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Different Organic Amendments on Aggregate-Associated Humus Carbons and Nutrients in a Paddy Soil

by Qilin Wang, Xiaohou Shao, Zhaomeng Wu and Wei Li

Agronomy 2025, 15(10), 2302; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102302 - 29 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1172

Abstract

The degradation of soil structure in paddy fields is critical, and the application of organic amendments is an effective way to enhance soil structure and function. However, the mechanisms by which different organic amendments influence soil aggregate-associated humus carbon and nutrients remain unclear. Considering this, four treatments were employed in a randomized complete block design with three replications: (1) chemical fertilizer (CK); (2) chemical fertilizer plus organic amendment (MC); (3) chemical fertilizer plus organic amendment containing Bacillus subtilis (FT); and (4) Chemical fertilizer plus organic amendment containing polyacrylamide (PM). The results showed that all soil improvement measures significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates (>2 mm and 2–0.25 mm), primarily the 2–0.25 mm fraction (34.53–48.46%), and the mean weight diameter (MWD), compared to CK. Soil organic carbon (SOC), humic acid carbon (HAC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), humin carbon (HUC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were predominantly concentrated within the macroaggregates. Relative to CK, the PM increased the HUC content in large aggregates (>2 mm) and significantly enhanced HAC by 19.53% within the same fraction, while the FT significantly boosted FAC by 31.78% in the >2 mm fraction. Furthermore, MC, FT, and PM treatments significantly enhanced SOC, TN, and TP contents within large macroaggregates compared to CK, with PM generally showing the highest SOC and TN levels, and FT being the highest in terms of TP in large aggregates (though differences among treatments were non-significant). Correlation analysis revealed that only in large aggregates did SOC show significant positive correlations with humus carbon fractions (except HAC), as well as with TN and TP. The amendments, particularly PM, effectively enhanced nutrient and humus carbon accumulation within large aggregates and improved aggregate stability. Notably, PM strengthened the direct pathways for the formation of SOC and humus carbon. In summary, the combined application of chemical fertilizer and organic amendments, containing polyacrylamide positively influenced aggregate stability and nutrient accumulation in paddy soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 3112 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Conservation Tillage on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in Eastern Inner Mongolia

by Boyu Liu, Jianquan Wang, Dian Jin and Hailin Zhang

Agronomy 2025, 15(8), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15081847 - 30 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1502

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization plays the critical role of regulating carbon sequestration potential. This process is strongly influenced by agricultural practices, particularly tillage regimes and straw management. However, the complex interactions between tillage methods, straw types, and application rates in terms of SOC dynamics, especially in semi-arid agroecosystems like eastern Inner Mongolia, remain poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the combined effects of no tillage (NT) vs. rotary tillage (RT), three straw types (maize/MS, wheat/WS, and oilseed rape/OS), and three application rates (0.4%/low, 0.8%/medium, and 1.2%/high) on SOC concentration and mineralization using controlled laboratory incubation with soils from long-term plots. The key findings revealed that NT significantly increased the SOC concentration in the topsoil (0–20 cm) by an average of 14.5% compared to that in the RT. Notably, combining NT with medium-rate wheat straw (0.8%) resulted in the achievement of the highest SOC accumulation (28.70 g/kg). SOC mineralization increased with straw inputs, exhibiting significant straw type × rate interactions. Oilseed rape straw showed the highest specific mineralization rate (33.9%) at low input, while maize straw mineralized fastest under high input with RT. Therefore, our results demonstrate that combining NT with either 0.8% wheat straw or 1.2% maize straw represents an optimal application strategy, as the SOC concentration is enhanced by 12–18% for effective carbon sequestration in this water-limited semi-arid region. Therefore, optimizing SOC sequestration requires the integration of appropriate crop residue application rates and tillage methods tailored to different cropping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 3533 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Organic Fertilizer Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Grain Yield and 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) of Fragrant Rice

by Yihang Jiang, Jiayi Dai, Xiaojuan Pu, Yanyue Liang, Deqian Chen and Shenggang Pan

Agronomy 2025, 15(6), 1324; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15061324 - 28 May 2025

Viewed by 1795

Abstract

Organic fertilizer replacing a portion of chemical fertilizers is a key strategy for improving grain qualities and economic benefits. Fragrant rice, favored by consumers for its superior quality and rich aroma, has garnered significant attention. However, there is little information on the effect of organic fertilizer replacing a portion of chemical fertilizers on the grain yield and 2-AP of fragrant rice. Taking Meixiangzhan2 and Qingxiangyou19 as experimental materials, five different experimental treatments were designed: all urea (T1), 33.3% organic fertilizer substitution for urea (T2), 66.7% organic fertilizer substitution for urea (T3), all organic fertilizer (T4), and no fertilizer as a control (CK). The results showed that the T2 treatment could significantly increase the grain yield of Meixiangzhan2 to 62.50 g·pot⁻¹ and Qingxiangyou19 to 67.88 g·pot⁻¹ due to the increase of 27.90% and 26.03% over T1, and 72.18% and 59.45% over CK, respectively. Compared with T1, the T2 treatment could markedly enhance the 2-AP content in Meixiangzhan2 (418.01 μg kg⁻¹, up by 7.70%) and Qingxiangyou19 (378.53 μg kg⁻¹, up by 9.12%). Relative to CK, the aroma content of these two varieties under the T2 treatment rose by 22.05% and 31.04%, respectively. The main reasons were due to the increase in pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, 1-pyrroline, proline dehydrogenase, and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase. The dry matter accumulation, leaf area, and photosynthetic rate of Meixiangzhan2 and Qingxiangyou19 were also significantly increased, and the activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase were also significantly improved. Moreover, the activities of peroxidase and catalase in rice sword leaves were remarkably improved, and the content of malondialdehyde was significantly decreased. The results showed that 33.3% of organic fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer had the positive effect of increasing the grain yield and improving the aroma of rice, which was worth further popularization and application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 6751 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Deep Application of Fertilizer on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Functions in Rice Paddies

by Qi-Huan Xie, Xiang-Bin Yao, Ya Yang, De-Jin Li and Jian-Ying Qi

Agronomy 2025, 15(4), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040938 - 11 Apr 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1625

Abstract

Efficient fertilization is vital for rice production and sustainable agriculture. Conventional fertilization (CK) suffers from low efficiency and environmental pollution, whereas side-deep fertilization (SF) offers an efficient, eco-friendly alternative. The changes in microbial carbon cycling functional genes induced by SF in paddy soils remain unclear. This study investigates the effects of SF and CK on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial communities, and carbon- and nitrogen-cycling genes in double-cropping rice paddies through field experiments. Results reveal that SF significantly increases TN in deeper soil layers (10–20 cm), enhancing the expression of nitrogen fixation genes (e.g., K02591 and K02588) and nitrogen metabolism pathways, alongside boosting Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes abundance. In contrast, CK promotes SOC accumulation and upregulates carbon metabolism genes (e.g., K01179 and K01728) in surface layers (0–10 cm). In deeper layers, SF elevates nitrogen reduction gene abundance (e.g., K02591) while suppressing denitrification and assimilatory nitrate reduction, whereas CK enhances dissimilatory nitrate reduction (e.g., K02568). Redundancy analysis (RDA) shows that soil properties (pH, SOC, and TN) drive microbial community structure, with Actinobacteria positively linked to SOC and TN. These findings demonstrate that SF optimizes nitrogen cycling in deeper soil by improving nitrogen use efficiency and functional microbial growth, while CK favors shallow-layer carbon sequestration. This study provides a scientific foundation for tailoring fertilization strategies to soil depth, leveraging carbon- and nitrogen-cycling gene dynamics to enhance soil fertility and sustainability in rice production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 4733 KB

Open AccessArticle

Wheat Yield, Biomass, and Radiation Interception and Utilization Under Conservation Tillage: Greater Response to Drip Fertigation Compared to Intensive Tillage

by Yuechao Wang, Jinxiao Song, Wen Li, Tingting Yan, Depeng Wang, Jianfu Xue and Zhiqiang Gao

Agronomy 2024, 14(12), 2849; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14122849 - 28 Nov 2024

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

Conservation tillage, particularly no tillage (NT), has been recognized as an efficient farming practice, particularly in dryland agriculture, as it significantly enhances crop yields, improves soil health, and contributes to environmental sustainability. However, the influence of NT on winter wheat radiation interception and utilization, biomass, and yield under NT in irrigated fields, especially under drip fertigation, is unclear. A field experiment was carried out for two growing seasons in Shandong province, China, using a split-plot design with the tillage method as the main plot (no tillage, NT; rotary tillage, RT; and first plowing the soil and then conducting rotary tillage, PRT), and water–nitrogen management as the sub-plot (N fertilizer broadcasting and flood irrigation, BF and drip fertigation, DF). Our results showed that DF increased yield by 11.0–28.5%, but the yield response to DF depended on the tillage methods. NT had the highest response in yield of 26.3–28.5%, followed by RT of 14.6–15.1% and PRT of 11.0–11.9%. Both increased grains per ear and ear number, a result of the greater maximum stems number donating to the yield gain by DF under NT. This gain was also due to the substantially promoted post-anthesis biomass (36.7–47.3%), which resulted from the increased interception of solar radiation and radiation use efficiency after anthesis. In addition, the extended post-anthesis duration also benefited biomass and yield. To conclude, our findings underscore the critical need to optimize water and nitrogen management strategies to maximize yield under conservation tillage systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture—2nd Edition)

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