New Approach to High-Quality Agricultural Development of Saline–Alkali Land—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 622

Special Issue Editors

CAS Engineering Laboratory for Yellow River Delta Modern Agriculture, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: soil fertility enhancement; the improvement of saline land
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Guest Editor
CAS Engineering Laboratory for Yellow River Delta Modern Agriculture, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: fertilizer; crop production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainable development of agriculture in saline–alkali regions faces critical challenges, including water resource scarcity, soil degradation, and ecosystem fragility. Addressing these issues requires innovative approaches that enhance land productivity while ensuring ecological security. This Special Issue aims to advance research on the integrated utilization and ecological restoration of saline–alkali lands, with a focus on the following areas:

  1. Novel Strategies for Saline Soil Improvement: water-saving irrigation techniques, soil amendment technologies (e.g., biochar, gypsum), and plant–microbe interactions for rhizosphere remediation.
  2. Dynamic Monitoring and Modeling: soil water–salt transport processes and remote sensing and AI-driven land management.
  3. Ecosystem Construction: salt-tolerant crop/forage cultivation systems and integrated grass–livestock models for circular agriculture.

We welcome original research, reviews, and case studies that bridge scientific innovation and practical applications. Submissions should focus on scalable solutions to global saline–alkali land challenges, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions.

Dr. Zhen Liu
Dr. Huarui Gong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • comprehensive utilization of saline–alkali land
  • soil carbon and nitrogen processes in saline–alkali soil
  • the dynamic movement of soil water and salt in saline–alkali soil
  • plant–soil–microbe interactions in saline–alkali land
  • application of remote sensing technology in saline–alkali land
  • construction of ecological grass–husbandry ecosystems

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 3090 KB  
Article
Exploring the Effects of Biochar and Compost on Ameliorating Coastal Saline Soil
by Wenzhi Zhou, Shuo Xing, Yaqi Wu, Rongsong Zou, Suyan Li, Xiangyang Sun and Huaxin Zhang
Agronomy 2025, 15(9), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092093 - 30 Aug 2025
Viewed by 507
Abstract
In this study, the effects of biochar and compost on the amelioration of coastal saline soil were investigated through indoor leaching experiments and soil culture experiments. The results revealed that the multivoid structure of biochar and compost, when applied to soil, effectively improved [...] Read more.
In this study, the effects of biochar and compost on the amelioration of coastal saline soil were investigated through indoor leaching experiments and soil culture experiments. The results revealed that the multivoid structure of biochar and compost, when applied to soil, effectively improved soil hydraulic conductivity, promoted the leaching of salt ions, and reduced soil electrical conductivity. Owing to the high pH value of biochar and the lower pH value of compost, the combined application of the two has a complementary effect on improving the pH value of coastal saline soils. The calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) contained in biochar and compost are exchanged with Na+ adsorbed by soil colloids, which reduces the sodium (Na+) adsorption ratio (SAR) value of the soil. Biochar and compost improve the physical properties of the soil, and the organic matter they contain helps soil particles aggregate with each other and form stable clusters, thus promoting the formation of soil agglomerates, which are conducive to the formation of clusters with a diameter of ≤0.25 mm. Biochar and compost are rich in nutrients, and their application significantly increased the contents of available nutrients and organic matter as well as the activities of urease, phosphatase, and dehydrogenase in saline soils. However, too high of an application rate of biochar increases the soil pH value, and excessive application of compost can lead to greater soil conductivity, which inhibits the activities of soil urease, phosphatase and dehydrogenase. Therefore, rational control of application rates is essential for improving coastal saline soils. Future research should further explore the synergistic effects of biochar and compost in improving soil structure, nutrient effectiveness, and microbial activity to promote their effective application in coastal saline–alkaline soil improvement. Full article
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