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Agronomy
Special Issues
Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change
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Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Innovative Cropping Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2026) | Viewed by 9484

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shengli Liu

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Guest Editor
Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: climate change; cropping system; adaptation; land use and land cover changes
Prof. Dr. Jing Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: meta-coupling and telecoupling; land use and land cover changes; sustainability
Dr. Zhanbiao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
2. Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
Interests: climate change; sustainability; carbon neutrality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global climate change is causing increasing challenges in cropping systems and, therefore, poses significant threats to global food security. A comprehensive understanding of how to enhance the resilience of cropping systems in the face of the anticipated climate change is crucial but remains elusive. Leveraging insights from various research fields—such as climate-smart agriculture, climate change impacts, adaptive strategies, and management practices—is essential in strengthening cropping systems and safeguarding food security. For this Special Issue, we invite cutting-edge research that addresses the complexities of climate adaptation, including sustainable resource management, agronomic innovations, and the integration of technology into farming systems. We welcome both original research and review papers on these topics and related areas. Through this Special Issue, we aim to explore effective solutions for cropping systems that will respond to climate change and guide future efforts toward more sustainable agricultural practices.

Dr. Shengli Liu
Prof. Dr. Jing Sun
Dr. Zhanbiao Wang
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 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

  • cropping system
  • climate change
  • adaptation
  • food security
  • crop yield
  • management practice
  • soil quality
  • irrigation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5508 KB  
Article
Optimizing Diversified Crop Rotation Strategies Under Temperature and Precipitation Change Scenarios in a Typical Agro-Pastoral Ecotone Using the APSIM Model
by Sijia Wang, Junli Jin, Yue Li, Shanshan Lv, Yanan Li, Di Wu and Roland Bol
Agronomy 2026, 16(3), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16030381 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 571
Abstract
Future climate change poses unprecedented challenges to agricultural production worldwide. Therefore, designing region-specific rotation patterns is crucial for achieving synergies among multiple objectives, including agricultural productivity and ecological conservation. Based on a long-term field experiment in the Northern Agro-pastoral Ecotone of China, we [...] Read more.
Future climate change poses unprecedented challenges to agricultural production worldwide. Therefore, designing region-specific rotation patterns is crucial for achieving synergies among multiple objectives, including agricultural productivity and ecological conservation. Based on a long-term field experiment in the Northern Agro-pastoral Ecotone of China, we calibrated and validated the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) and simulated rotation patterns involving four representative crops under eight climate scenarios, including warming, extreme precipitation, and combined temperature–precipitation changes. Analysis combined with carbon footprint assessment was employed to quantitatively evaluate the productivity, ecological benefits, and economic returns of different rotation patterns. The results showed that warming generally reduced crop productivity and economic returns, weakened soil carbon sequestration, and increased net carbon emissions across rotation patterns. Increasing intensity of extreme precipitation further constrained the capacity of rotation patterns to enhance yields, improve incomes, and reduce carbon emissions. Under scenarios of warming and extreme precipitation, the faba bean–oat rotation pattern was found to be the most effective for increasing crop yields, while the faba bean–potato rotation is beneficial for enhancing the incomes from local agriculture. The potato–faba bean rotation pattern was most effective for environmental sustainability due to low net carbon emissions. The findings provide a scientific basis for developing diversified planting strategies with synergistic multi-objectives in the Northern Agro-pastoral Ecotone of China, contributing to food security and sustainable agricultural development under a changing climate focused on changes in temperature and precipitation. Nevertheless, the potential effects of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may be incorporated in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change)
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23 pages, 8593 KB  
Article
Maize Yield Suitability Mapping in Two Major Asian Mega-Deltas Using AgERA and CMIP6 Climate Projections in Crop Modeling
by Deepak C. Upreti, Lorena Villano, Jeny Raviz, Alice Laborte, Ando M. Radanielson and Katherine M. Nelson
Agronomy 2025, 15(4), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040878 - 31 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2383
Abstract
Asian Mega-Deltas (AMDs) are important food baskets and contribute significantly to global food security. However, these areas are extremely susceptible to the consequences of climate change, such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise, water deficits/surpluses and saltwater intrusion. This study focused on maize crop [...] Read more.
Asian Mega-Deltas (AMDs) are important food baskets and contribute significantly to global food security. However, these areas are extremely susceptible to the consequences of climate change, such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise, water deficits/surpluses and saltwater intrusion. This study focused on maize crop suitability mapping and yield assessment in two major AMDs: the Ganges Delta, spanning parts of northeast India and Bangladesh, and the Mekong Delta across Vietnam and Cambodia. We investigated the historical climate reanalysis AgERA datasets and climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Phase 6 (CMIP6) for the periods 2040–2070 and 2070–2100 using PyAEZ-based modeling to estimate maize yields for periods in the near (2050s) and far future (2100s). Province-level yield estimates were validated against statistics reported by the governments of the respective countries. Model performance varied across regions, with R2 values ranging from 0.07 to 0.94, MAE from 0.67 t·ha−1 (14.2%) to 1.56 t·ha−1 (20.7%) and RMSE from 0.62 t·ha−1 (14.6%) to 1.74 t·ha−1 (23.1%) in the Ganges Delta, and R2 values from 0.23 to 0.85, MAE from 0.37 t·ha−1 (12.8%) to 2.7 t·ha−1 (27.2%) and RMSE from 0.45 t·ha−1 (15.9%) to 1.76 t·ha−1 (30.9%) in the Mekong Delta. The model performed comparatively better in the Indian region of the Ganges Delta than in the Bangladeshi region, where some yield underestimation was observed not accurately capturing the increasing upward trend in reported yields over time. Similarly, yields were underestimated in some provinces of the Mekong Delta since 2008. This may be attributed to improved management practices and the model’s inability to fully capture high-input management systems. There are also limitations related to the downscaling of CMIP6 data; the yield estimated using the downscaled CMIP6 data has small variability under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Despite these limitations, the modeling approach effectively identified vulnerable regions for maize production under future climate scenarios. Additionally, maize crop suitability zones were delineated, providing critical insights for planning and policy design to support climate adaptation in these vulnerable regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change)
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17 pages, 1456 KB  
Article
Grass Cover in Vineyards as a Multifunctional Solution for Sustainable Grape Growing: A Case Study of Cabernet Sauvignon Cultivation in Serbia
by Zoran Pržić, Aleksandar Simić, Snežana Brajević, Nebojša Marković, Ana Vuković Vimić, Mirjam Vujadinović Mandić and Mariana Niculescu
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020253 - 21 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2532
Abstract
Faced with the challenges posed by climate change, Serbian viticulture is looking for sustainable solutions for adaptable production. This study shows that grass is a multifunctional tool for overcoming the challenges of intensive viticulture while maintaining the quality of the grapes. In a [...] Read more.
Faced with the challenges posed by climate change, Serbian viticulture is looking for sustainable solutions for adaptable production. This study shows that grass is a multifunctional tool for overcoming the challenges of intensive viticulture while maintaining the quality of the grapes. In a three-year research experiment (2020–2022), the maintenance of an inter-row sward in a vineyard with four certified high-quality French Cabernet Sauvignon clones was investigated, and its effects on the ampelographic composition of the grapes and the quality of the grape juice (must) were studied as a function of wine quality. A grass sward was established between the rows as a biological soil management system and as a climate change adaptation measure in a high-intensity viticultural system. A grass–legume mixture was used as an inter-row cover crop, with nitrogen applied in two doses (50 and 100 kg ha−1) in spring. The growth of the grasses responded to the nitrogen fertilisation, which was reflected in the biomass production, surface cover and nitrogen content in the biomass. At the end of the study, the biomass of the grass increased threefold when a high dose of nitrogen was applied compared to the non-fertilised grass. In contrast to the effects of nitrogen on the sward, N has no effect on the quantitative or qualitative parameters of the grapes. Clone 169 was separated for most grape mechanical parameters such as the bunch mass, all berries and the bunch stem; clone 15 showed the best grape juice quality parameters such as the sugar content and glycoacidometric index. The results show an option for climate change adaptation in viticulture that can mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, contribute to soil conservation and carbon storage in biomass and enable timely interventions in vineyards after heavy rainfall by creating accessible paths within the vineyards. The three-year effect of the different nutrient management of the sward in the inter-rows of Cabernet Sauvignon showed that the interaction between the two systems, sward and vine, is low and has no negative impact on the ampelographic and qualitative grape parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change)
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Review

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21 pages, 2849 KB  
Review
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Mitigate Crop Multi-Stresses Under Mediterranean Climate: A Systematic Review
by Claudia Formenti, Giovanni Mauromicale, Gaetano Pandino and Sara Lombardo
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010113 - 1 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1457
Abstract
Agricultural systems in Mediterranean-type climates are increasingly threatened by drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metal contamination, and pathogen pressure, all of which undermine crop productivity and agroecosystem stability. In this context, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), natural symbionts of most terrestrial plants, emerge as [...] Read more.
Agricultural systems in Mediterranean-type climates are increasingly threatened by drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metal contamination, and pathogen pressure, all of which undermine crop productivity and agroecosystem stability. In this context, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), natural symbionts of most terrestrial plants, emerge as key biological agents capable of enhancing crop resilience. Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of AMF in mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses, highlighting their potential as a central component of sustainable Mediterranean agriculture. The available evidence demonstrates that AMF symbiosis significantly increases plant tolerance to multiple stressors across major crop families, including Poaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Asteraceae. Under abiotic constraints, AMF improve water and nutrient uptake via extensive hyphal networks, modulate ion homeostasis under salinity, enhance tolerance to thermal extremes, and reduce heavy metal toxicity by immobilizing contaminants. Regarding biotic stresses, AMF induce systemic resistance to pathogens, stimulate secondary metabolite production that deters herbivores, and suppress parasitic nematode populations. Moreover, co-inoculation with other biostimulants, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, shows synergistic benefits, further improving crop productivity and resource-use efficiency. Overall, AMF represent an effective and multifunctional nature-based tool for improving the sustainability of Mediterranean agroecosystems. However, further research is required to evaluate AMF performance under simultaneous multiple stress factors, thereby reflecting real-world conditions and enabling a more integrated understanding of their agronomic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change)
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27 pages, 5839 KB  
Review
Deconstructing Agrivoltaic Microclimates: A Critical Review of Inherent Complexity and a Minimum Viable Monitoring Framework
by Ismael Cosme and Sarai Vázquez y Parraguirre
Agronomy 2025, 15(12), 2829; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122829 - 9 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1571
Abstract
Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) are gaining global attention as an innovative solution to simultaneously address food, water, and energy security challenges. However, the effective design and management of these dual-use systems hinge on a comprehensive understanding of their microclimatic impacts. This systematic review critically [...] Read more.
Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) are gaining global attention as an innovative solution to simultaneously address food, water, and energy security challenges. However, the effective design and management of these dual-use systems hinge on a comprehensive understanding of their microclimatic impacts. This systematic review critically analyzes the current literature on AVS microclimates, focusing on key atmospheric (air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed), radiation (Photosynthetically Active Radiation—PAR, global radiation, shading rate), and soil parameters (temperature, moisture). Results indicate that while reduced soil temperature and enhanced moisture retention are consistent and agronomically significant benefits, the effects on air temperature are highly variable. These often demonstrate site-specific warming or pronounced vertical thermal stratification. Furthermore, AVS significantly alters light availability, with PAR reduction ranging from 5% to 94%, emphasizing the system’s inherent spatial and temporal heterogeneity. A major gap identified is the lack of standardized measurement methodologies, limiting data comparability. To address this, we propose a “Minimum Viable Monitoring” (MVM) framework, advocating for multi-zone and multi-height sensor placement to accurately capture microclimatic variability. These findings highlight that the observed heterogeneity, rather than a limitation, presents a unique opportunity for precision agriculture and zoned management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptations and Responses of Cropping Systems to Climate Change)
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