Environmentally Friendly Slow-Release Fertilizers in Agriculture
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agroecology Innovation: Achieving System Resilience".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Interests: development of slow/coated controlled fertilizers; elucidation of the nutrient release mechanisms of slow/coated controlled fertilizers; research on the matching mechanisms between fertilizer–soil nutrient supply and crop demand
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Global food security relies on efficient nutrient management, yet conventional fertilizers suffer from low utilization efficiency, leading to severe non-point source pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Slow- or controlled-release fertilizers (SRFs/CRFs) aim to synchronize nutrient release with crop uptake, offering a promising pathway to reconcile agricultural productivity with ecological sustainability. Although SRFs/CRFs have gained considerable traction, the development of a new generation of environmentally friendly SRFs/CRFs is still an urgent matter.
This Special Issue aims to consolidate cutting-edge research and critical reviews on novel coating materials, bio-based or biodegradable formulations, innovative design strategies, nutrient release mechanisms, and holistic assessments within cropping systems and integrated management strategies. Current frontiers include the engineering of "smart" responsive release systems, the utilization of agricultural/industrial waste for coating, multi-nutrient synergistic release mechanisms, and nanomaterial-enabled delivery platforms. Given that research increasingly integrates advanced characterization, modeling of release kinetics, and field-based validation of lifecycle benefits, such approaches are of interest as well.
We welcome high-quality original research and review articles. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
– Design and synthesis of novel, low-environmental-impact SRFs/CRFs.
– Mechanisms and modeling of nutrient release.
– Field studies on soil health, agronomic efficiency, and environmental evaluation.
– Case studies on integrated nutrient management practices employing SRFs/CRFs.
Dr. Yazhen Shen
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
- controlled-release fertilizers
- nitrogen use efficiency
- reactive nitrogen
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