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Agronomy
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Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and...
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Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and Physiology

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Biosystem and Biological Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2026 | Viewed by 4637

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zhencai Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: soil microbes; soil organic carbon; irrigation; crop yields; biochar; nutrient cycling; carbon sequestration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, new developments in crop cultivation technologies have demonstrated significant effectiveness in tackling a series of thorny challenges such as food security, hidden hunger, global climate change, and various stresses. These novel crop techniques cover several fields of research; for instance, climate-smart genotypes have been assayed, selected, and utilized, while crop populations are being improved via targeted design and optimization. Various farming measures such as fertilization, irrigation, and amendment regimes have been employed to enhance soil system health and resilience, including soil physico-chemical properties and the community and structure of key soil microorganisms. New analytical measures such as machine learning AI models have attracted wide attention and have been utilized to increase plant nutrition, physiology, and yield. In addition, agricultural machinery has been rapidly developed to facilitate the monitoring of crop nutrition and physiology at various scales to ensure a high seeding rate, reduce lodging, and more. This Special Issue aims to gather cutting-edge research to facilitate a better understanding of the effects that varying novel efficient crop cultivation techniques have on plant nutrition and physiology. We welcome you to contribute to this Special Issue original research articles and related systematic reviews covering the aforementioned topics.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and advancing this exciting and critical field of research together.

Dr. Zhencai Sun
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 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

  • crop cultivation
  • plant nutrition
  • sustainable agriculture
  • soil system
  • fertilization
  • irrigation
  • agricultural machinery
  • yield

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2200 KB  
Article
Preliminary Study on Optimizing Rice Production in Cold Regions: Yield and Nutritional Trade-Offs Between Transplanting and Mechanical Hill-Drop Seeding
by Huaguo Ding, Songjin Zhou, Jiabao Han, Yingying Liu, Ziliang Cao, Lei Lei, Mingliang Bai, Yu Luo, Guang Yang, Lei Chen, Kai Liu, Wu-Rina Sun, Pinglian Sun and Chenshi Sun
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010134 - 5 Jan 2026
Viewed by 670
Abstract
Direct seeding of rice reduces labor intensity and cost, helping alleviate labor shortages in cold-region rice production. To investigate the effects of mechanical precision hill-direct seeding versus mechanical transplanting on yield and nutrient accumulation in cold regions, a set of field split-plot experiments [...] Read more.
Direct seeding of rice reduces labor intensity and cost, helping alleviate labor shortages in cold-region rice production. To investigate the effects of mechanical precision hill-direct seeding versus mechanical transplanting on yield and nutrient accumulation in cold regions, a set of field split-plot experiments were conducted with cultivation method as the main plot and rice variety as the sub-plot. Our comprehensive measurement results indicate that transplanting significantly increased yield by enhancing tiller number, filled grains per panicle, and grain weight per hill, with significant varietal differences observed. No significant difference in 1000-grain weight was found between the two cultivation methods. Except for Zn content, different cultivation methods have no significant effect on other measured nutrients such as N, P, K, Fe, starch, and fat. Transplanting significantly increased effective tiller number (an increase of 2.6 tillers per hill) and filled grains per panicle (an increase of 12.4 grains), with a significant variety–cultivation method interaction. Qijing 2 (QJ2) and Tiandao 261 (TD261) were more suitable for transplanting to achieve high yield potential, whereas Longgeng 3038 (LG3038) and Tianxiangdao 9 (TXD9) obtained relatively high yields under direct seeding. Therefore, appropriate cultivation methods should be selected based on varietal characteristics: transplanting is recommended for high-yield-potential varieties, while simplified direct seeding is advised for varieties tolerant to direct seeding. Overall, this is a comprehensive consideration and rational strategy based on balancing rice yield, revenue, and benefit, as well as ensuring both food security and farmer income of the entire country and society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and Physiology)
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14 pages, 648 KB  
Article
Nitrogen Uptake and Use Efficiency Affected by Spatial Configuration in Maize/Peanut Intercropping in Rain-Fed Semi-Arid Region
by Wuyan Xiang, Yue Zhang, Liangshan Feng, Lizhen Zhang, Wei Bai, Wenbo Song, Chen Feng and Zhanxiang Sun
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010131 - 5 Jan 2026
Viewed by 741
Abstract
Efficient nitrogen (N) management is critical for improving productivity and sustainability in intercropping systems, especially in semi-arid regions. Maize and peanut, the two dominant local crops, were selected to represent a typical cereal/legume intercropping system with contrasting nitrogen acquisition strategies. To investigate how [...] Read more.
Efficient nitrogen (N) management is critical for improving productivity and sustainability in intercropping systems, especially in semi-arid regions. Maize and peanut, the two dominant local crops, were selected to represent a typical cereal/legume intercropping system with contrasting nitrogen acquisition strategies. To investigate how spatial configuration regulates nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency in maize/peanut intercropping systems, a 3-year field (2022–2024) experiment was conducted on sandy soils in semi-arid northwest Liaoning, China. Six cropping systems were evaluated, including sole maize, sole peanut, and four intercropping configurations differing in strip width and crop proportion, including M2P2 (two rows of maize intercrop with two rows of peanut, M indicates maize and P indicates peanut), M2P4, M4P4, and M8P8. The total land equivalent ratio (LER) varied from 0.65 to 1.09, indicating that yield advantages were highly dependent on spatial configuration. Maize consistently exhibited stronger competitiveness than peanut, resulting in suppressed peanut growth in narrow-strip systems. Increasing strip width and peanut proportion alleviated interspecific competition and improved fertilizer nitrogen equivalent ratio (FNER) and nitrogen equivalent ratio (NER) in intercrops. Although intercropping did not consistently enhance total nitrogen uptake, nitrogen use efficiency was significantly improved. Narrow-strip systems (M2P2 and M2P4) increased nitrogen use efficiency, whereas wide-strip systems (M4P4 and M8P8) achieved yield benefits mainly through enhanced nitrogen uptake. Overall, the results highlight that spatial configuration plays a key role in regulating nitrogen uptake and interspecific competition in maize/peanut intercropping under semi-arid sandy conditions. Optimizing strip width and crop proportion is therefore critical for stabilizing yield and improving resource use efficiency in maize/peanut intercropping systems in dryland agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and Physiology)
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21 pages, 5155 KB  
Article
Dynamic Degradation of Seed Ropes: Influence of Material Type and Adhesion to Different Soils
by Jiaoyang Duan, Xiang Liu and Baolong Wang
Agronomy 2025, 15(9), 2065; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092065 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1122
Abstract
Seed rope direct seeding technology is a precision seeding method that can accurately mix and arrange multiple varieties based on specific grain spacing and quantity, making it suitable for precision breeding and variety comparison studies. As seed ropes serve as the crucial seed [...] Read more.
Seed rope direct seeding technology is a precision seeding method that can accurately mix and arrange multiple varieties based on specific grain spacing and quantity, making it suitable for precision breeding and variety comparison studies. As seed ropes serve as the crucial seed encapsulation material in seed rope direct seeding, this study employed a multi-faceted approach to investigate the dynamic degradation of nonwoven fabric and paper material seed ropes under diverse environmental conditions as well as their adhesion properties with Ultisols, Oxisols, and the Substrate in this seeding technique. Firstly, the degradation dynamics were systematically analyzed using image-based surface area detection, breaking force measurement, and organic carbon content analysis. Secondly, the process of seed rope laying was simulated by modeling the sliding friction and adhesion forces during the detachment of soil slurry. The laying motion was simulated considering both sliding friction (during the uniform-speed interaction between the seed rope and soil slurry) and adhesion (during upward detachment), providing crucial reference values for optimizing the rope-breaking mechanism in field applications. The study yielded several significant findings: In natural environments, Wood pulp paper seed rope degrades significantly faster than nonwoven fabric, with a degradation cycle of only 5.68 days in winter (approximately 34% of the degradation cycle of nonwoven fabric) and 4.70 days in summer (approximately 78% of the degradation cycle of nonwoven fabric). The main effect of seed viability on the degradation rate of seed tapes was not statistically significant. The degradation of Wood pulp paper seed rope was relatively predictable in indoor settings but exhibited notable fluctuations outdoors. The peak friction occurred at 35% soil moisture content, with values of 1.22 N for Wood pulp paper seed rope and 2.08 N for nonwoven fabric when interacting with Oxisols; nonwoven ropes demonstrated stronger adhesion than Wood pulp paper seed rope in the Substrate (at moisture contents of 25–30% and 40–45%) and Oxisols (at 35–45% moisture). In Ultisols, nonwoven fabric only showed superior adhesion compared to Wood pulp paper seed rope at 35–45% moisture, while Wood pulp paper seed rope exhibited better adhesion in other moisture ranges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and Physiology)
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17 pages, 1982 KB  
Article
The Adaptability of Different Wheat Varieties to Deep Sowing in Henan Province of China
by Cheng Yang, Rongkun Wang, Cheng Tian, Deqi Zhang, Hongjian Cheng, Xiangdong Li, Baoting Fang, Haiyang Jin, Hang Song, Baoming Tian, Fang Wei and Ge Yan
Agronomy 2025, 15(6), 1466; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15061466 - 16 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1384
Abstract
Appropriate deep sowing holds significant potential in enhancing wheat production, particularly in dry and low-rainfall regions. Henan Province is a major winter wheat-producing area in China; evaluating the adaptability of wheat varieties to deep sowing through scientific methods is crucial to improve wheat [...] Read more.
Appropriate deep sowing holds significant potential in enhancing wheat production, particularly in dry and low-rainfall regions. Henan Province is a major winter wheat-producing area in China; evaluating the adaptability of wheat varieties to deep sowing through scientific methods is crucial to improve wheat production. This study investigates 26 wheat cultivars in Henan. By assessing key traits of seeds and seedlings at various sowing depths, we analyzed the effects of sowing depth on seed germination and seedlings. A comprehensive index for deep sowing tolerance was established using principal component analysis (PCA) and the membership function method, followed by the classification of the varieties according to their tolerance to deep sowing. The results indicated that, with increased sowing depth, seedling emergence time, coleoptile length, and coleoptile internode length increased, while seedling emergence rate, seedling height, leaf area, and shoot dry weight per unit area decreased. Based on PCA and membership function values, the 26 wheat varieties were classified into three categories: deep sowing tolerant, moderately tolerant, and intolerant, comprising 3, 19, and 4 varieties. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing wheat variety selection and improving sowing practices in Henan Province, offering both theoretical and practical contributions to local wheat production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Efficient Crop Cultivation Techniques on Plant Nutrition and Physiology)
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