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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: 25 July 2025 | Viewed by 400

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 (1 paper)

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Research

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
Viewed by 228
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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