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Agronomy
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Fertilizer Innovation and Practice in Sustainable Intensified Agriculture
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Fertilizer Innovation and Practice in Sustainable Intensified Agriculture

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2025 | Viewed by 1427

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Witold Grzebisz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environmental Biogeochemistry, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-625 Poznan, Poland
Interests: crop plants; soil fertility; plant nutrition; crop plants fertilization; diagnostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nevien Elhawat

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Plant Biology, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Str. 138, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: crop plants; soil fertility; plant nutrition; crop plants fertilization; diagnostics; soil chemistry; biogeochemistry; soil analysis; environmental impact assessment; wastewater treatment; microbial ecology; bioremediation; environmental biotechnology; environmental science; fertilizers; sustainable agriculture; cropping systems; nutrient management; crop production; biofertilizers; green technology; phytoremediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Effective and environmentally friendly fertilizer use is the basis of sustainable plant/food production. New conceptual and technological solutions should aim at increasing crop plant yield potential.

In the presence of water, nitrogen is the only critical plant growth factor; farmers should thus focused on the effective use of nitrogen present in the soil/cropping systems.

This Special Issue invites cutting-edge research submissions on innovative fertilization strategies to promote sustainable agriculture. Particular areas of interest for this Special Issue include improving soil fertility for optimal nitrogen uptake, identifying site-specific soil fertility thresholds, and employing diagnostic tools to monitor plant nutrition during critical yield formation stages. Contributions should explore the integration of secondary nutrients and microelements to enhance nitrogen efficiency and crop productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. We welcome studies that balance high agricultural yields with ecological sustainability, advancing our understanding of nutrient interactions and their role in soil–plant systems. Solutions addressing these challenges will contribute to long-term food security and the development of sustainable farming practices.

We invite researchers to share their knowledge and experience in solving problems of broadly understood nitrogen management, specific to given soil and climatic conditions.

Prof. Dr. Witold Grzebisz
Dr. Nevien Elhawat
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

  • soil fertility level
  • nitrogen action
  • nitrogen supporter
  • secondary nutrients
  • microelements
  • crop
  • plants
  • cardinal stages
  • yield formation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 741 KiB  
Article
Reducing Cation Leaching and Improving Greenhouse Cucumber’s Nutritional Yield Through Optimized Organic–Inorganic Fertilization
by Xilin Guan, Wenqing Cao, Dunyi Liu, Huanyu Zhao, Ming Lu, Xinhao Gao, Xinping Chen, Yumin Liu and Shenzhong Tian
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1523; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071523 - 23 Jun 2025
Viewed by 216
Abstract
Excessive nutrient inputs from manure and synthetic fertilizers have caused great challenges for sustainable vegetable production. There is limited information about the nutritional yields and leaching losses of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) under various organic–inorganic fertilization practices. We hypothesized that [...] Read more.
Excessive nutrient inputs from manure and synthetic fertilizers have caused great challenges for sustainable vegetable production. There is limited information about the nutritional yields and leaching losses of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) under various organic–inorganic fertilization practices. We hypothesized that nutritional yields and cation leaching would be influenced by different fertilization practices. A two-year cucumber-cultivating experiment was conducted in North China with the following three treatments: Farmers’ Traditional Practice (FP), based on local farmers’ practices; Current Recommended Nutrient Management (CRNM), based on pieces of literature, bio-organic fertilizer, and kaolin replacing chicken manure in FP; Nutrient Balance Management (DBNM), based on target yields and plant-based amendments replacing bio-organic fertilizers. The nutritional yields of Ca and Mg under CRNM and DBNM were 26.4–39.6% and 20.3–32.5% higher than FP. The K, Ca, and Mg leaching under CRNM were significantly reduced by 41.1%, 18.9%, and 18.5%, compared with FP. Ca leaching under DBNM was further significantly reduced by 7.9%. A significant negative relationship was observed between the leaching losses of K, Ca, and Mg and the surface soil pH (0–20 cm). These findings suggest that DBNM could play an important role in obtaining higher nutritional yields, reducing leaching losses, and alleviating soil acidification in vegetable production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Innovation and Practice in Sustainable Intensified Agriculture)
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22 pages, 815 KiB  
Article
Effect of Nutrient Forms in Foliar Fertilizers on the Growth and Biofortification of Maize on Different Soil Types
by Rafał Januszkiewicz, Grzegorz Kulczycki, Elżbieta Sacała and Cezary Kabała
Agronomy 2025, 15(6), 1482; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15061482 - 18 Jun 2025
Viewed by 340
Abstract
This research aimed to evaluate how different chemical forms of key nutrients, delivered through an advanced foliar product (PRO) and a standard formulation (TRA), influence maize performance when grown on contrasting soil types. Each fertilizer provided a set of macro- and micronutrients, including [...] Read more.
This research aimed to evaluate how different chemical forms of key nutrients, delivered through an advanced foliar product (PRO) and a standard formulation (TRA), influence maize performance when grown on contrasting soil types. Each fertilizer provided a set of macro- and micronutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc, along with trace elements such as chromium, iodine, lithium, and selenium. In TRA, Fe and Zn were complexed with EDTA, and trace elements were present in mineral form. In PRO, Fe and Zn were chelated with amino acids, and trace elements were bound to plant extracts. The study examined increasing doses of PRO and their potential toxicity. Both fertilizers improved maize biomass: fresh weight increased by 5–8% and dry weight by 8–14%, depending on the dose. At the lowest dose, yields were similar. However, PRO was more effective in biofortifying maize with iron and zinc on sandy soil, increasing levels by 16% and 7% compared to TRA at the lowest dose and up to 29% at the highest dose. PRO was well tolerated at higher doses. No significant differences were observed between the second and third doses of PRO, suggesting reduced efficacy at the highest dose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Innovation and Practice in Sustainable Intensified Agriculture)
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29 pages, 4070 KiB  
Article
Impact of Digestate-Derived Nitrogen on Nutrient Content Dynamics in Winter Oilseed Rape Before Flowering
by Remigiusz Łukowiak, Witold Szczepaniak and Dominik Młodecki
Agronomy 2025, 15(5), 1241; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051241 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 420
Abstract
The increase in biogas production has caused a simultaneous increase in the production of digestate, which is a valuable carrier of nutrients in crop plant production. Digestate-derived nitrogen ensures the optimal nutritional status of winter oilseed plants at critical stages of yield formation. [...] Read more.
The increase in biogas production has caused a simultaneous increase in the production of digestate, which is a valuable carrier of nutrients in crop plant production. Digestate-derived nitrogen ensures the optimal nutritional status of winter oilseed plants at critical stages of yield formation. This hypothesis was verified in field experiments with winter oilseed rape (WOSR) conducted in the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 growing seasons. The experiment consisted of three nitrogen fertilization systems (FSs)—mineral ammonium nitrate (AN) (AN-FS), digestate-based (D-FS), and 2/3 digestate + 1/3 AN (DAN-FS)—and five Nf doses: 0, 80, 120, 160, and 240 kg N ha−1. Plants fertilized with digestate had higher yields than those fertilized with AN. The highest seed yield (SY) was recorded in the DAN-FS, which was 0.56 t ha−1 higher than that in the M-FS. The nitrogen fertilizer replacement value (NFRV), averaged over N doses, was 104% for the D-FS and reached 111% for the mixed DAN-FS system. The N content in WOSR leaves, which was within the range of 41–48 g kg−1 DM at the rosette stage and within 34–44 g kg−1 DM at the beginning of flowering, ensured optimal plant growth and seed yield. In WOSR plants fertilized with digestate, the nitrogen (N) content was significantly lower compared to that in plants fertilized with AN, but this difference did not have a negative impact on the seed yield (SY). The observed positive effect of the digestate on plant growth in the pre-flowering period of WOSR growth and on SY resulted from the impact of Mg, which effectively controlled Ca, especially in the third growing season (which was dry). Mg had a significant effect on the biomass of rosettes and on SY, but only when its content in leaves exceeded 2.0 g kg−1 DM. It is necessary to emphasize the specific role of the digestate, which significantly reduced the Ca content in the indicator WOSR organs. Increased Ca content during the vegetative period of WOSR growth reduced leaf N and Zn contents, which ultimately led to a decrease in SY. Therefore, the rosette phase of WOSR growth should be considered a reliable diagnostic phase for both the correction of plants’ nutritional status and the prediction of SY. It can be concluded that the fertilization value of digestate-derived N was the same as that of ammonium nitrate. This means that the mineral fertilizer can be replaced by digestate in WOSR production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Innovation and Practice in Sustainable Intensified Agriculture)
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