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Agronomy
Special Issues
New Advances in Sustainable Fertilization: Efficiency and Environmental Challenges
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New Advances in Sustainable Fertilization: Efficiency and Environmental Challenges

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 July 2025) | Viewed by 928

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Patricia Almendros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chemical and Food Technology Department, Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: fertilization; chemical extraction; nutrient concentrations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ana Méndez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geological and Mining Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain
Interests: biochar; carbon materials; pyrolysis; hydrothermal carbonization; hydrometallurgy; urban mining; metal recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mónica Montoya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chemical and Food Technology Department, Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: nitrogen fertilizer strategies; greenhouse gas emissions; microbial populations; nitrogen cycle processes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable fertilization faces critical challenges arising from the need to increase food production and the need to mitigate its impacts on the environment. Currently, different strategies are being explored to maximize its efficiency and mitigate its environmental impacts. Reducing nutrient losses in agricultural systems, using advanced specialty fertilizers, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil structure, increasing water and nutrient retention, and studying soil microbial populations are essential to maintain ecological balance and fertility in the long term. In addition, the recovery of essential nutrients and recyclable metals from different wastes for possible use in fertilizers is key, that is, in moving towards a circular economy. Advances in nutrient recovery not only seek to improve the sustainability of fertilizer systems, but also to address challenges related to the limited availability of some key resources.

This Special Issue of Agronomy aims to bring together the latest advances in sustainable fertilization, combining agronomic, chemical, and environmental aspects. Original research and review papers are welcome.

Dr. Patricia Almendros
Prof. Dr. Ana Méndez
Dr. Mónica Montoya
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. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • sustainable fertilization
  • nutrient losses
  • specialty fertilizers
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • nutrient recovery
  • soil microbial populations
  • biofertilizers
  • organic fertilizers
  • biochar

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1029 KiB  
Article
Fertilisation Potential of Combined Use of Wood Biomass Ash and Digestate in Maize Cultivation
by Elżbieta Rolka, Mirosław Wyszkowski, Anna Skorwider-Namiotko and Radosław Szostek
Agronomy 2025, 15(8), 1968; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15081968 - 15 Aug 2025
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing interest in using wood biomass for energy production, which has led to an increase in post-processing waste in the form of wood biomass ash (WBA). Due to the rich composition of WBA, its fertilising potential should [...] Read more.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in using wood biomass for energy production, which has led to an increase in post-processing waste in the form of wood biomass ash (WBA). Due to the rich composition of WBA, its fertilising potential should be considered. In the conducted studies, WBA was used both alone and in combination with digestate (DG). The WBA was obtained from the Municipal Heat Energy Company and the DG from the Agricultural Biogas Plant in the form of unseparated liquid digestate (ULD), separated solid digestate (SSD) and separated liquid digestate (SLD). The studies included four series: (1) WBA, (2) WBA + ULD, (3) WBA + SSD and (4) WBA + SLD. In each series, WBA was introduced in three increasing doses (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5, expressed in hydrolytic acidity units (HACs) and determined based on the general alkalinity of the material). The digestates (DGs) were applied in fixed doses, which were balanced with respect to the nitrogen introduced into the soil. The test plant was the maize (Zea mays L.) variety Garantio, which was grown in a vegetation hall. The obtained results indicate that the combined use of WBA and DGs (especially ULD and SLD) had a positive effect on the plant height, leaf greenness index (SPAD), and thus, maize yield and dry matter content. In the series with DG addition, the maize yield ranged from 615.5 g (WBA + SSD) to 729.6 g pot−1 (WBA + SLD), which was 28–52% higher than in the series with WBA alone. In turn, the application of increasing doses of WBA alone did not significantly affect the biomass yield but significantly increased the content of N (34%), K (60%), Mg (56%), Ca (60%) and Na (4%). In the series with WBA and DGs, the increase in the content of the above-mentioned macronutrients depended on the type of DG and the dose of WBA. The exception among the macronutrients was P, whose content generally decreased (by 4–23%) with an increasing WBA dose, regardless of the test series. The most favourable results in terms of the chemical composition, excluding the P content, were observed following the combined application of WBA and liquid forms of DG (ULD and SLD). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Sustainable Fertilization: Efficiency and Environmental Challenges)
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22 pages, 1037 KiB  
Article
Nanoparticle-Driven Modulation of Soil Fertility and Plant Growth: Evaluating Fe2O3 and CuO Nanofertilizers in Sandy Loam Soils
by Beata Smolińska
Agronomy 2025, 15(8), 1967; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15081967 - 15 Aug 2025
Abstract
The excessive use of conventional fertilizers has led to low nutrient-use efficiency and significant environmental challenges. To address these limitations, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of Fe2O3 and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) as potential nanofertilizers, on the soil chemical [...] Read more.
The excessive use of conventional fertilizers has led to low nutrient-use efficiency and significant environmental challenges. To address these limitations, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of Fe2O3 and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) as potential nanofertilizers, on the soil chemical composition, nutrient fractionation, enzyme activity, and Lepidium sativum L. growth. The results of the study showed that Fe2O3-NPs improved nitrogen bioavailability and enhanced plant biomass, particularly at low to moderate doses. CuO-NPs, in contrast, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus mobility and showed phytotoxic effects at high concentrations. Enzyme activity was suppressed at high NP levels, likely due to oxidative stress. Nutrient fractionation revealed the increased immobilization of phosphorus and the moderate mobilization of potassium and copper, depending on NP type. Based on the results, Fe2O3-NPs show potential as a nanofertilizer for enhancing soil fertility and plant growth in sandy loam soils, whereas CuO-NPs require caution due to toxicity risks. Future research should focus on long-term environmental impact, optimal NP concentrations, and their interaction with soil microbial communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Sustainable Fertilization: Efficiency and Environmental Challenges)
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17 pages, 2851 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Complexed, Nanosized, and Conventional Zinc Sources Applied at Varying Rates to an Acidic Mediterranean Soil on Two Successive Lettuce Crops
by Marina de Francisco, Raquel Ortiz, Ana Obrador, Demetrio Gonzalez, Gabriel Gascó and Patricia Almendros
Agronomy 2025, 15(4), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040896 - 3 Apr 2025
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Abstract
This study investigates the current application and ageing effects of various Zn sources on acidic Mediterranean soil. Two successive lettuce crops were grown in soil fertilised with 0, 15, 30, 60, and 140 mg Zn kg−1 using commercial ZnO nanoparticles, Zn complex, [...] Read more.
This study investigates the current application and ageing effects of various Zn sources on acidic Mediterranean soil. Two successive lettuce crops were grown in soil fertilised with 0, 15, 30, 60, and 140 mg Zn kg−1 using commercial ZnO nanoparticles, Zn complex, and Zn sulphate. Plant growth, Zn biofortification, dietary implications, human health, and the soil Zn status were evaluated. Zinc bioavailability was influenced by the source, application rate, and chemical ageing. The bioavailability of Zn in the soil increased from 4.60 to 66.7 compared to the control treatment. Zinc applied in the form of ZnSO4 was the most bioavailable form in the first year of cultivation. Advanced specialty fertilisers such as ZnO nanoparticles and Zn-lignosulfonate, along with the conventional fertiliser ZnSO4, demonstrated a residual effect allowing effective Zn uptake by plants in the second crop. Zn concentrations in lettuce leaves were 3.33–34.6 times higher than the control treatment. Application of 30 mg Zn kg−1 and higher of commercial ZnO nanoparticles, Zn complex, and Zn sulphate heptahydrate resulted in some toxicity. Higher application rates of these sources may pose a potential risk to the population, as indicated by the health risk index. These Zn sources represent a promising alternative for enhancing plant growth and providing a sustained release of Zn in several successive crops, making them a potential alternative to conventional fertilisers. Their unique properties can optimise nutrient management strategies and promote sustainable crop production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Sustainable Fertilization: Efficiency and Environmental Challenges)
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