Effects of Cover Crops and Mulching on Soil Physical Properties and Nutrient Dynamics in Orchard Systems
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2025 | Viewed by 36
Special Issue Editor
Interests: horticultural crop physiology; root biology; plant stress physiology; soil health; fruit production systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soil health is a critical component of sustainable orchard management, influencing tree productivity, resilience, and long-term ecosystem stability. Historically, intensive orchard practices have led to soil degradation, prompting interest in nature-based solutions such as cover cropping and mulching. These practices have gained momentum for their potential to improve soil physical properties, enhance nutrient cycling, and reduce erosion. This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted impacts of cover crops and mulching strategies on orchard soil dynamics, spanning diverse climatic zones and orchard systems. We highlight cutting-edge research that investigates the mechanisms by which these practices alter soil structure, moisture retention, microbial activity, and nutrient availability.
We invite the submission of original research articles, short communications, and comprehensive reviews that focus on experimental, modeling, or long-term studies assessing cover crops and mulching in orchard ecosystems. Submissions that link soil improvements to plant productivity, carbon sequestration, or climate adaptation are particularly encouraged.
Dr. Lorenzo Rossi
Guest Editor
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
- cover crops
- mulching
- soil health
- soil physical properties
- soil nutrients
- sustainable agriculture
- soil fertility
- agroecology
- nutrient cycling
- soil management practices
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