Sustainable Horticulture: Composts, Bioinoculants, and Beneficial Fertilizer Strategies for Resilient Production Systems
A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Vegetable Production Systems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: composting; vermicomposting; fermented composts; bioinoculants; organic substrates; organic agriculture; agroecology; horticulture; bokashi; millicomposting
Interests: waste management; sustainable cultivation; urban horticulture; abiotic stresses; adaptation to climate change
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The pursuit of more sustainable horticultural production systems has intensified in recent decades in response to the global need to reduce agriculture’s environmental impact and promote the rational use of natural resources. In this context, organic fertilization and the use of biofertilizers have emerged as essential pillars for a more resilient, productive, and ecologically balanced horticulture.
The incorporation of organic composts, vermicomposts, fermented composts, and bioinoculants into horticultural cultivation has shown promising results—not only in improving quality and productivity but also in restoring soil health and promoting beneficial microbiomes. These advances extend from seedling production in sustainable substrates to integrated field management practices, contributing to agricultural systems that combine productive efficiency with environmental responsibility.
The goal of this Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable Horticulture: Composts, Bioinoculants, and Beneficial Fertilizer Strategies for Resilient Production Systems”, is to gather recent research, reviews, and case studies addressing the processes and products of composting, vermicomposting, and millicomposting, as well as bokashi, bioinoculants, organic substrates, and agroecological practices applied to modern horticulture. Manuscripts that explore innovations in seedling propagation, crop management, and sustainable production strategies are particularly encouraged.
We invite researchers, extension professionals, and practitioners to submit their studies and contributions to this Special Issue, which aims to highlight sustainable and innovative solutions for the future of horticultural production.
Dr. Luiz Fernando De Sousa Antunes
Dr. Rafael Oliveira Batista
Dr. Gustavo Ribeiro Xavier
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 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. Horticulturae 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 2200 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
- composting
- vermicomposting
- fermented composts
- bioinoculants
- organic substrates
- organic agriculture
- agroecology
- horticulture
- bokashi
- millicomposting
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