Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.7
3.4
Journals
Agronomy
Special Issues
The Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis in Crops Production
share announcement

The Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis in Crops Production

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Innovative Cropping Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1543

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jerzy Wielbo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Pl. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Interests: plant–bacterial symbiosis; rhizobial genetics and physiology; biofertilizers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a very important process enriching natural and agricultural ecosystems with nitrogen compounds available for plants. Symbiotic systems composed of legume plants and soil rhizobia are the most efficient in BNF; therefore, they are widely used in modern sustainable agriculture.

Rhizobia-based commercial inoculants have been produced and used for over a century; however, we are still receiving news about new beneficial rhizobial strains or new formulations and methods of application. Moreover, every year there are reports about bacterial metabolites that could improve the efficiency of rhizobia–legume symbiosis and crop production.

We welcome all novel research and reviews covering topics related to Rhizobium–legume symbiosis and the use of such symbiotic systems in efficient and environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Jerzy Wielbo
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

  • rhizobium–legume symbiosis
  • biological nitrogen fixation
  • biofertilizers
  • biostimulators
  • sustainable agriculture

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

20 pages, 2047 KB  
Review
Quality or Quantity? Increasing Legume Yield Using Traditional Inoculants and Rhizobial Nod Factors in the Context of Inter-Strain Competition
by Jerzy Wielbo
Agronomy 2025, 15(10), 2303; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102303 - 29 Sep 2025
Viewed by 373
Abstract
Rhizobia have been used for decades as biopreparations, successfully replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in legume cultivation. They have a beneficial effect on the growth and yield of these plants when cultivated in soils that are deficient in both nitrogen and indigenous rhizobia. However, [...] Read more.
Rhizobia have been used for decades as biopreparations, successfully replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in legume cultivation. They have a beneficial effect on the growth and yield of these plants when cultivated in soils that are deficient in both nitrogen and indigenous rhizobia. However, such preparations, containing strains that are characterized by high effectiveness in reducing atmospheric dinitrogen, are not universal. Their use is ineffective when plants are grown in soils that are already rich in strains with low effectiveness, because such inoculant strains are unable to effectively compete with native soil populations. This review discusses issues related to the rhizobia–legume symbiosis, with particular emphasis on inter-strain competition occurring in the soil and in the colonized plant tissues. The importance of Nod factors (NFs) in symbiosis and their broad impact on plant physiological and developmental processes are also discussed. Research results on the effects of NF-containing biopreparations on legume growth and yield are summarized. Moreover, this review explains how such preparations can support the growth and yield of legumes growing in soils containing numerous populations of low-effectiveness rhizobia. Finally, the potential for the application of this technology to non-legume plants is presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis in Crops Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 918 KB  
Review
Roots to Riches: Unearthing the Synergy of Intercropping, Microbial Interactions, and Symbiotic Systems for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review
by Priyal Sisodia, Agata Gryta, Shamina Imran Pathan, Giacomo Pietramellara and Magdalena Frąc
Agronomy 2025, 15(9), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092243 - 22 Sep 2025
Viewed by 804
Abstract
Intercropping, especially legume-cereal systems, is a mixed farming approach that can improve agricultural resilience by addressing challenges such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and global change, all while promoting the sustainable production of protein-rich and nutritious food. However, its adoption in industrialized countries [...] Read more.
Intercropping, especially legume-cereal systems, is a mixed farming approach that can improve agricultural resilience by addressing challenges such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and global change, all while promoting the sustainable production of protein-rich and nutritious food. However, its adoption in industrialized countries remains limited due to economic and technical challenges, as well as a fragmented understanding of soil–plant-microbe interactions, which hinders its complete optimization. This article provides an overview of the current situation and future perspectives on the importance of legume–cereal intercropping, with examples such as common bean–maize, soybean–maize, alfalfa–corn–rye, and legumes–pulses–little millet systems. These combinations highlight how intercropping can improve nutrient cycling, increase root growth, forage and grain yield, suppress soil-borne diseases, and promote soil microbial population and enzymatic activity. While it offers environmental benefits, practical challenges such as system design, management complexity, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed to encourage wider adoption. In preparing this review, we synthesized studies published between 2000 and 2025, with a particular emphasis on recent research from China and Southeast Asia. We also considered broader intercropping contexts, including energy crops, agroforestry systems, rice paddy co-cultures, and phytoremediation approaches. The review also highlights legume–cereal as a solution to sustainable soil management, ecosystem health, and the potential for increased nutritional food production in developed countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis in Crops Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop