Soil Resources Conservation and Restoration for Sustainable Horticulture Production

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 1607

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Agriculture, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China
Interests: soil improvement and restoration; fertilizers; plant nutrition; ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: nutrient regulation; efficient resources utilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Agriculture and Forestry Technology, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
Interests: soil fertility; plant nutrition; efficient utilization of agricultural resources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural crops are important for human nutrition and health. Soil quality, as an important basis for horticultural production, faces great challenges. For example, soil quality degradation caused by the continuous intensive cultivation of horticultural crops, soil contamination caused by the excessive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and soil salinization, desertification, and loss caused by the inappropriate use of soil and water resources have all led to a reduction in horticultural crop yield and quality, and a continuous decline in soil productivity. In the process of horticultural eco-agriculture construction and development, we must pay attention to protecting and restoring soil quality, and we must promote the sustainable use of soil resources.

This Special Issue welcomes (but is not limited to) original and critical articles within the following areas:

  1. Soil nutrient cycling and soil fertility enhancement;
  2. The efficient utilization of nutrient resources and efficient fertilization;
  3. Soil and water resources utilization and conservation;
  4. The utilization of horticultural crop waste resources;
  5. Horticultural soil contamination remediation;
  6. Green organic production cultivation and processing technology for horticultural crops;
  7. Technology to improve the yield and quality of horticultural crops;
  8. The effect of trace elements on the growth and yield quality of horticultural crops;
  9. The effects of water and fertilizer management techniques on the growth and yield quality of horticultural crops.

Prof. Dr. Kaiyong Wang
Prof. Dr. Cuncang Jiang
Dr. Xiaoming Tian
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • moisture
  • soil
  • fertilizers
  • waste utilization
  • soil contamination remediation
  • organic cultivation pattern

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 3031 KiB  
Article
Combined Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Mechanisms by Which the Interaction Between Sulfur and Nitrogen Affects Garlic Yield and Quality
by Licai Ren, Xudong Pan, Yang Deng, Zhengkang Ge, Shiyuan Li, Dong Su, Guoqian Zhao, Hui Tang and Xiangfei Wang
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111203 - 15 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 900
Abstract
Nitrogen and sulfur are essential macronutrients in plant growth and development, and their interaction profoundly influences gene expression, metabolic activities, and adaptability in plants, directly affecting plant growth and yield. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a crop of significant economic and medicinal [...] Read more.
Nitrogen and sulfur are essential macronutrients in plant growth and development, and their interaction profoundly influences gene expression, metabolic activities, and adaptability in plants, directly affecting plant growth and yield. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a crop of significant economic and medicinal value. However, despite the critical role of the nitrogen–sulfur interaction in garlic’s adaptability, yield, and quality, the specific mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In this study, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were employed to investigate the effects of combined sulfur and nitrogen application on garlic bulb tissues. The results show that the combined application of sulfur and nitrogen significantly increased the diameter and weight of garlic bulbs by 14.96% and 35.47%, respectively. The content of alliin increased by 28.48%, while the levels of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and gibberellin (GA) increased by 15.82%, 12.94%, 32.34%, and 48.13%, respectively. Additionally, the activities of alliinase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were enhanced by 7.93%, 4.48%, and 19.74%, respectively. Moreover, the application of sulfur and nitrogen significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and peroxidase (POD) activity in garlic bulbs by 29.66% and 9.42%, respectively, thereby improving garlic’s adaptability and growth potential. Transcriptomic analysis revealed differentially expressed genes in several key pathways, including plant hormone signal transduction, RNA degradation, glutathione metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Metabolomic analysis identified 80 differentially abundant metabolites primarily consisting of amino acids, indole carboxylic acids, and fatty acids. The integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses highlighted the pivotal roles of glutathione metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis pathways in the synergistic effects of sulfur and nitrogen. This study not only provides critical scientific evidence for understanding the mechanisms underlying the nitrogen–sulfur interaction’s impact on the yield and quality of garlic but also offers a scientific basis for optimizing nutrient management strategies to enhance garlic yield and quality. Full article
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