Sustainable Soil Improvers for Enhanced Soil Health and Horticultural Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026

Special Issue Editors

College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
Interests: soil health; soil improvement; soil organic carbon; soil microbes; biogeochemistry; soil aggregate

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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Northeast China), College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
Interests: soil amendments; soil fertility; soil carbon sequestration; plastic film mulching effects; microbial-driven nutrient cycling
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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Tarim Oasis Agriculture (Tarim University), Minsitry of Education, Alaer 843300, China
Interests: soil amendments; carbon sequestration; saline-alkali soil reclamation

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Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Liaoning University of Technology, Jinzhou 121001, China
Interests: soil organic carbon; carbon sequestration; isotopic analysis; soil aggregate; carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle; plant response to environmental stress caused by potentially toxic substances
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue “Sustainable Soil Improvers for Enhanced Soil Health and Horticultural Systems” focuses on innovative approaches to improve soil health, fertility, and productivity in horticultural systems (such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, etc.). In the face of increasing challenges, including soil degradation, climate change, and the need for sustainable agricultural practices, this issue aims to explore the development, application, and impact of sustainable soil amendments. These include organic amendments (e.g., compost, biochar, and plant-based materials), microbial inoculants, and other biostimulants that enhance soil structure, nutrient availability, and microbial activity. Contributions may encompass field/glasshouse trials, mechanistic laboratory studies, meta-analyses, and critical reviews that address the efficacy of these soil improvers in mitigating abiotic stresses (e.g., drought, salinity), reducing dependency on synthetic inputs, and promoting horticultural crop resilience. The issue also welcomes research on the effects of these amendments on soil biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and food security in horticultural production systems.

Dr. Zhuang Ge
Prof. Dr. Shuangyi Li
Prof. Dr. Fayong Li
Dr. Yi Zhao
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. 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

  • soil health
  • sustainable soil amendments
  • organic amendments
  • biostimulants
  • nutrient cycling
  • carbon sequestration
  • abiotic stress mitigation

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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