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Agronomy
Special Issues
Potential Benefits and Risks of Organic Amendments to Soil Health
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Potential Benefits and Risks of Organic Amendments to Soil Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 3528

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Gennaro Gennaro Brunetti

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Guest Editor
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: composting; soil fertility; organic farming; fertilizers; heavy metal pollution; soil organic matter; nutrient management; waste management; bioaccumulation of heavy metals; soil quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesco De Mastro

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Guest Editor
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: soil fertility; waste management; nutrient management; soil chemistry; fertilizers; organic matter; environmental science; contaminants of emerging concern; soil pollutions; tillage and organic management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition to sustainable production systems requires a change in the production model from linear to circular. In this way, waste and by-products are integrated into the system, reducing the impact on the environment. In view of circular economy, the reuse of organic waste as soil amendments represents a valid, economically advantageous alternative. Organic amendments (such as compost, sewage, crop residues, digestates from the anaerobic treatment of waste or biosolids) have been historically used in agricultural management as they represent one of the main sources of nutrients for plants. The application of amendments with different properties and agronomic potential guarantees the supply of macro- and micronutrients, necessary to not only increase crop productivity but also to restore soil health. It is also known that this practice, widespread among farmers, affects not only the diversity and microbial composition of soil, but also its growth by providing energy and essential nutrients. Even physical properties of the soil can be positively influenced by the application of the amendment. The incorporation of organic material into soil improves its structure and water holding capacity. On the other hand, the application of biomasses can be dangerous for human, animal and plant health. This practice causes concern because it can expose the environment to various risks derived from the presence of pollutants of different types such as heavy metals, microplastics, potential human pathogens and emerging contaminants (such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals), which can easily enter the soil–plant system. In addition, the overuse of low-quality organic amendments can lead to excess nutrients (e.g., phosphorus, nitrogen), groundwater contamination, greenhouse gas emissions and soil acidification or salinization. Nowadays, the scientific community is increasingly engaged in studying effective strategies to mitigate the risks associated with the application of organic soil amendments. This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts aiming to share any new knowledge related to the management of organic amendments in agriculture and its effect on soil health and crop productivity and quality.

Prof. Gennaro Gennaro Brunetti
Dr. Francesco De Mastro
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
  • waste management
  • nutrient management
  • soil chemistry
  • fertilizers
  • organic matter
  • environmental science
  • contaminants of emerging concern
  • soil pollutions
  • tillage and organic management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1174 KiB  
Article
Reduced Effect of Commercial Leonardite and Seaweed Extract on Lettuce Growth under Mineral, Organic, and No Fertilization Regimes
by Peltier Aguiar, Gediane Maria Garcia Corrêa, Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues and Margarida Arrobas
Agronomy 2024, 14(9), 1939; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14091939 - 28 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1115
Abstract
In this study, two commercial products based on the main groups of contemporary biostimulants—a commercial leonardite and a seaweed extract—were tested with the objective of assessing the conditions under which they can enhance lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) performance, particularly to determine if [...] Read more.
In this study, two commercial products based on the main groups of contemporary biostimulants—a commercial leonardite and a seaweed extract—were tested with the objective of assessing the conditions under which they can enhance lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) performance, particularly to determine if synergies with conventional fertilization methods can be observed. The experimental protocol was arranged as a factorial design with two factors: organic or mineral fertilization × plant biostimulant. The organic or mineral fertilization factor included five levels: two rates of a nitrogen (N) fertilizer (40 (Nmin40) and 80 (Nmin80) kg ha−1 of N), the same N rates applied as an organic amendment (Norg40 and Norg80), and an unfertilized control (N0). The plant biostimulants used were a commercial leonardite (leonardite) for soil application before planting, a commercial seaweed extract (algae) for foliar application during the growing season, and a control without plant biostimulant. Leonardite significantly increased lettuce dry matter yield (DMY) compared to the control only in the first growing cycle (11.5 and 13.5 g plant−1) and showed no significant interaction with conventional fertilization. It also consistently increased phosphorus (P) levels in the plant tissues. The seaweed extract did not show any effect on the plant, nor did it have any interactions with conventional fertilization regarding DMY. In contrast, with mineral fertilization, lettuce DMY increased from 8.0 and 4.0 g plant−1 (N0) to 22.2 and 12.0 g plant−1 (Nmin80) in the first and second growing cycles, respectively. The response to organic fertilization was lower, yet DMY still increased from 4.0 to 8.1 g plant−1 in the second growing cycle. Generally, this type of plant biostimulant is tested under some form of environmental stress, where it often yields positive results. In this study, the optimal cultivation conditions maintained for the lettuce in the pots likely explain the limited response to the biostimulants. This study suggests that the product labels should more clearly indicate whether they are recommended for general cultivation conditions or specifically for situations where a particular environmental stress can be anticipated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potential Benefits and Risks of Organic Amendments to Soil Health)
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15 pages, 1604 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Soil Management for Sustainable Viticulture: Insights from a Rendzic Leptosol Vineyard in the Nitra Wine Region, Slovakia
by Vladimír Šimanský, Elżbieta Wójcik-Gront, Jerzy Jonczak and Ján Horák
Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 3042; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13123042 - 12 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1444
Abstract
Properly chosen soil management practices can stabilize the nutrient regime in the soil, including the mobility and bioavailability of hazardous elements. This study aimed to identify the optimal soil management practices in a productive vineyard on Rendzic Leptosol in the Nitra wine region [...] Read more.
Properly chosen soil management practices can stabilize the nutrient regime in the soil, including the mobility and bioavailability of hazardous elements. This study aimed to identify the optimal soil management practices in a productive vineyard on Rendzic Leptosol in the Nitra wine region (Slovakia). Soil samples were collected each spring from two depths, 0–30 cm, and 30–60 cm, with the following treatments: T—soil tillage, P + FYM—plowed farmyard manure, G—grass strips, G + NPK1—first-level fertilization, and G + NPK2—second-level fertilization, from 2019 to 2023. The results indicated that more pronounced changes in soil properties occurred in the 0–30 cm layer. Higher NPK rates significantly affected soil sorption capacity and decreased soil pH when compared to other treatments. While G + NPK2 showed the highest storage of total N, S, P, K, and available P and K, it exhibited the lowest levels of total and available Ca. The T treatment displayed the lowest storage of C, N, S, P, and available K. In terms of hazardous metals (Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) none exceeded the limiting values in any of the soil management practices. However, in the 0–30 cm layer, Cu concentrations exceeded the limits set by Slovak Republic regulations in the T, P + FYM, G, G + NPK1, and G + NPK2 treatments by 62.6, 73.7, 70.2, 82.1, and 102.9 mg kg−1, respectively. Additionally, as total C increased, Cr concentration was observed to decrease with correlation (r = −0.46). Positive correlations were found between total C and Zn, as well as CaCO3 and Zn in the 0–30 layer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potential Benefits and Risks of Organic Amendments to Soil Health)
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