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Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 5664

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Editors

Dr. Antonio Ganga

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Department of Architecture Design and Planning, University of Sassari, 08100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: soil science; regional planning; remote sensing; geostatistics
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Dr. Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira

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Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
Interests: nutrient management in agroecosystems; heavy metals in soil–plant systems; waste management for sustainable agriculture; soil fertility and fertilization; soil health for food security; fertilizers
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Dr. Arun Dilipkumar Jani

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Department of Biology and Chemistry, California State University, Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA 93955, USA
Interests: soil fertility management and crop nutrition; carbon and nitrogen cycling in agroecosystems
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Prof. Dr. Gian Franco Capra

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Dipartimento di Architettura, Design e Urbanistica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Piandanna, 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: soil; soil rebuilding; soil contamination; reuse of wastes into the soil; socio-cultural; soil science; soil landscape evolution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growth of the world's population requires better use of resources in all production sectors and, in agricultural activities, the possibility of using by-products would be one of the best strategies to produce food, generate income, and reduce the consumption of non-infinite environmental resources. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to collect original research or systematic reviews that address the possibilities of using by-products or sustainable technologies and strategies to improve the performance of agricultural and forestry activities, especially in degraded land and low-fertility agro-systems.

Dr. Antonio Ganga
Dr. Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira
Dr. Arun Dilipkumar Jani
Dr. Gian Franco Capra
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-anonymized 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

soil remediation
soil quality
degraded land
byproduct
circular economy

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1840 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Remediation of OCP-Contaminated Soils via Surfactant-Enhanced Washing, Selective Adsorption, and Bio-Stimulation

by Shengtian Zhang, Yuanchao Zhao, Xiang Wang, Tingting Fan, Qun Li, Jinzhong Wan and Yan Zhou

Agronomy 2026, 16(12), 1190; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16121190 - 18 Jun 2026

Viewed by 271

Abstract

Surfactant-enhanced soil washing is a promising strategy for the remediation of organochlorine pesticide (OCPs) contaminated sites. In this study, we constructed a comprehensive evaluation framework integrating efficient parameter optimization, effluent recovery and ecological restoration assessment. Among the 14 evaluated washing agents, the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 exhibited superior solubilization capacity for highly hydrophobic OCPs. Under an optimal dosage of 2.0%, Triton X-100 achieved near-complete extraction of γ-chlordane and over 75% removal of mirex in both moderately and severely contaminated soils. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) demonstrated exceptional selective adsorption performance, significantly outperforming activated carbon fiber (ACF). The optimal PAC dosages (20 g/L) could extract over 90% of OCPs from the soil washing effluents, facilitating potential washing agent recycling. Furthermore, community-level physiological profiling (BIOLOG-AWCD) revealed distinct ecological trajectories post-washing. While nitrogen and phosphorus (N/P) bio-stimulation successfully restored and even surpassed the microbial diversity in moderately contaminated soils, it only partially alleviated the ecological vulnerability in severely contaminated soils (Simpson index < 0.45). These findings underscore that while surfactant-enhanced soil washing combined with selective adsorption constitutes a powerful physicochemical remediation cycle, restoring heavily degraded microhabitats necessitates an integrated approach coupling bio-stimulation with phytoremediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land)

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16 pages, 7441 KB

Open AccessArticle

Heterogeneous Patterns of Soil Nutrients and Labile Carbon in the Surface Layer of a Red-Soil Bench-Terrace Hillslope One Year After Cut-and-Fill Engineering

by Bojun Ma, Kun Sun, Shengsheng Xiao, Hongguang Liu, Changlin Zhao, Tao Liu and Bo Lv

Agronomy 2026, 16(12), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16121138 - 10 Jun 2026

Viewed by 200

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the spatial patterns of soil nutrients and labile carbon in the 0–20 cm surface layer of a red-soil bench-terrace hillslope during the first year following cut-and-fill engineering. Soil nutrient redistribution is classically conceptualized as upslope depletion and downslope enrichment, yet whether this paradigm holds after bench terracing remains poorly documente d. On a granite-derived red-soil hillslope in Yudu County, Jiangxi Province, China, we established three replicated transects across four slope positions in May 2025, one year after cut-and-fill bench terracing combined with Camellia oleifera–Pinus massoniana mixed young-forest restoration. The 0–20 cm surface layer was sampled for pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, water-soluble organic carbon, particulate organic carbon (POC), and mechanical composition. The results showed that organic matter, total nitrogen, and POC all peaked on the upper slope, with enrichment factors of 8.8×, 3.8×, and 5.1× relative to the hilltop, respectively; the slope base did not function as a nutrient sink. Texture displayed a monotonic downslope differentiation but decoupled from the nutrient gradient, and pH was significantly negatively correlated with organic matter and POC. The observed short-term post-restoration non-classical pattern is best interpreted as the spatially heterogeneous footprint of subsurface exposure and localized topsoil redistribution during cut-and-fill engineering, overlain by one year of incipient biological input, rather than the product of modified erosion–deposition dynamics. POC appears to be a particularly sensitive tracer of early biological activity under these short-term post-restoration conditions when superimposed on a depleted inverted-surface baseline, and the pronounced spatial heterogeneity implies that precision management based on high-resolution spatial diagnosis is warranted to address the substrate patchiness inherited from cut-and-fill operations. However, the temporal scope of this one-year baseline survey limits the inference of long-term indicator performance, and follow-up monitoring is needed to confirm whether POC retains this sensitivity as the surface layer matures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land)

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19 pages, 3599 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Biomineralization-Enhanced Immobilization Remediation Technology for Pb-Contaminated Soil Based on Coupling Maifanite and Bacillus mucilaginosus

by Xiaochen Chen, Mingbao Zhu, Zejiao Li, Haochen Fang, Yining Chen, Zhengrong Chen, Qian Guan, Jianyu Zhang, Xuchuan Zhang, Kaiqin Xu, Chunshuang Zhou and Jia Niu

Agronomy 2026, 16(6), 641; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16060641 - 18 Mar 2026

Viewed by 833

Abstract

Immobilized microorganism technology offers a promising approach for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils. This study developed a novel bio-mineral composite (B-AM) by coupling acid-modified maifanite (AM) with Bacillus mucilaginosus to enhance lead (Pb) immobilization. Comparative experiments demonstrated that B-AM outperformed conventional amendments, including oyster shell, pristine maifanite, AM and B. mucilaginosus in Pb immobilization. The B-AM treatment optimized soil pH, improved soil fertility with increases in available potassium (1.06-fold) and available phosphorus (1.28-fold). Additionally, B-AM transformed Pb into more stable fractions, reducing labile Pb fractions by 52.52% while increasing the residual fraction by 88.36%. These improvements resulted in an 83.24% reduction in Pb accumulation and a 63.95% increase in the fresh root weight of radish. Mechanistic insights revealed that the enhanced remediation performance stems from both the individual contributions of AM (adsorption capacity) and B. mucilaginosus (biosorption and biomineralization) and their synergistic interaction. Specifically, AM acts as a carrier and pH buffer, promoting microbial proliferation and reducing Pb remobilization from cell lysis. The resulting sustained microbial activity further leads to the formation of stable Pb minerals. Collectively, our results establish a theoretical and practical basis for using B-AM to remediate Pb-contaminated soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land)

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15 pages, 2400 KB

Open AccessArticle

Biochar Improved Saline–Alkali Barrier and Sunflower Yield Under Drip Irrigation

by Tian Lan, Yan Wu, Tele Ba, An Xing, Zhaoming Wang, Adu Ergu, Lihong Tong, Mengzhu Song, Lechuan Zhang and Mei Hong

Agronomy 2026, 16(6), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16060593 - 10 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1035

Abstract

Soil salinization is a major challenge affecting crop yield in arid and semi-arid regions. Amendments to agricultural soil under drip irrigation represent a potential strategy to ameliorate soil salinization. This study conducted a field experiment over two years to identify the impacts of desulfurized gypsum, biochar, and straw on sunflower yield and soil characteristics in salinized and alkalized soil. Soil amelioration significantly improved soil characteristics by reducing saline–alkali stress at a 0–15 cm soil depth. Increased and decreased surface soil moisture and density of soil bulk were achieved by the second year, respectively, through the application of straw and biochar. These soil amendments also significantly decreased soil electrical conductivity and pH, and the application of biochar significantly reduced the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR refers to the adsorption ratio of sodium ions to other ions in soil) and Na⁺ by 32.1% and 34.7%, respectively, compared with drip irrigation alone. Application of desulfurized gypsum combined with drip irrigation decreased soil pH, SAR, and Na⁺ by 0.25, 41.6%, and 38.1%, respectively, compared with drip irrigation alone. The three soil amendments significantly increased sunflower yields by 51.2–80.0% in the second year, with the biochar treatment showing the most significant impact. The results showed that combined biochar and drip irrigation could play an important role in ameliorating soil salinization in the Hetao Irrigation Area, thereby contributing to increased crop yields and sustainable agriculture. However, given the relatively short experimental duration and the single location of this study, as well as the lack of long-term monitoring of salt balance and drainage conditions, further research with extended timelines, expanded geographic coverage, and focused assessment of salt dynamics is needed to confirm and generalize these findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land)

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14 pages, 1799 KB

Open AccessArticle

Contrasting Effects of Desulfurization Gypsum and Aluminum Sulfate Application in Rice Cultivation on Soil Salinity and Sodicity on the Songnen Plain of Northeast China

by Yang Li, Jiaqi Xu, Linlin Fu, Jiaming Fan, Junhua Zhang, Juan Zhang and Qingfeng Meng

Agronomy 2026, 16(4), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16040406 - 8 Feb 2026

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 787

Abstract

Soil salinization has become a major threat affecting global arable productivity. Rice cultivation with amendment application is considered an important approach for saline–sodic soil reclamation. Saline–sodic soil without vegetation was selected as the study subject to investigate the effects of amendments in rice cultivation on salinity and sodicity through a pot experiment. The results revealed that the application of desulfurization gypsum combined with aluminum sulfate to saline–sodic soil significantly contributed to decreases in soil salinity and sodicity. The soil pH in the 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm soil layers decreased from 9.41–9.84 to 8.06–9.24, whereas the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) decreased from 28.98–33.24% to 19.76–30.82%, respectively. The increase in soil exchangeable Ca²⁺ was accompanied by a decrease in soil exchangeable Na⁺. Additionally, the application of desulfurization gypsum combined with aluminum sulfate to saline–sodic soil resulted in significant decreases in total alkalinity (TA) and the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and an increase in soluble Ca²⁺. The analysis indicated that soluble Ca²⁺ derived from desulfurization gypsum is the predominant factor affecting the variation in the soil pH, ESP, SAR, and exchangeable Na⁺ and Ca²⁺. The reductions in salinity and sodicity are attributed to the replacement of Ca²⁺ derived from desulfurization gypsum with Na⁺ on soil collides. Simultaneously, H⁺ formed by the hydrolysis of aluminum sulfate neutralizes HCO₃⁻ and CO₃²⁻ in the water layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Remediation Techniques for Degraded Land)

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