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Horticulturae
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Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to Improve the Sustainability of Horticultural Ecosystems—Second...
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Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to Improve the Sustainability of Horticultural Ecosystems—Second Edition

A Special Issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524) belonging to the section "Protected Culture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 699

Editors

Dr. Gheorghe Cristian Popescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Sciences and Environmental Engineering, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Centre, 110040 Piteşti, Romania
Interests: sustainability; policies and legislation; environment; horticulture; rural development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mehmet Yaman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38030, Turkey
Interests: agricultural sciences; agriculture; horticulture; fruit science and breeding; temperate climate berries; drupaceous fruits (apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, etc.); nuts (walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, filberts, almonds, etc.); berries; biotechnology and genetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Monica Popescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Natural Sciences, University of Pitesti, 1 Targul din Vale Street, 110040 Pitesti, Arges County, Romania
Interests: plant physiology; ecophysiology; postharvest physiology; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Beppe Benedetto Consentino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: horticulture; grafting; biostimulants; biofortification; vegetable crops
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the tremendous success of the first edition of the Special Issue “Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to Improve the Sustainability of Horticultural Ecosystems” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae/special_issues/E44M9D8XX1 ), a second edition is being launched.

The horticulture sector faces a series of challenges related to environmental protection, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and the achievement of healthy, sustainable and competitive productions. Adopting nature-based solutions (NbS) in horticulture may be an innovative approach to address current challenges. 

Therefore, horticultural ecosystems need environmentally friendly technologies and practices that agree with the principles of sustainable development and environmental protection. 

NbS include a wide range of tools and practices, such as the use of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), cover crop, and landscape features. 

This Special Issue aims to provide valuable insights into the latest advancements in using nature-based solutions to improve the sustainability of horticultural ecosystems. All types of articles, such as original research papers, reviews and opinions, are welcome.

Dr. Gheorghe Cristian Popescu
Dr. Mehmet Yaman
Dr. Monica Popescu
Dr. Beppe Benedetto Consentino
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-anonymized 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 2400 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

  • arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF)
  • innovative approaches
  • sustainability
  • plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB)
  • natural processes
  • nature-based solutions
  • horticulture

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 12213 KB  
Article
Agronomic Performance and Nutrient Dynamics of Pelletized Organo-Mineral Fertilizers Derived from H. illucens and T. molitor Frass in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata)
by Silvia Sánchez-Méndez, José Antonio Sáez-Tovar, Cristina Álvarez-Alonso, Luciano Orden, Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodríguez, Zbigniew Emil Blesa Marco, Amadeo Semper Pont, Encarnación Martínez-Sabater, María Ángeles Bustamante and Raúl Moral
Horticulturae 2026, 12(8), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12080912 - 23 Jul 2026
Viewed by 494
Abstract
The rapid growth of insect farming generates significant volumes of insect frass, a novel organic by-product. Utilizing frass-based organo-mineral fertilizers represents a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, yet long-term agronomic efficacy and residual effects require further field validation. This study evaluated pelletized organo-mineral [...] Read more.
The rapid growth of insect farming generates significant volumes of insect frass, a novel organic by-product. Utilizing frass-based organo-mineral fertilizers represents a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, yet long-term agronomic efficacy and residual effects require further field validation. This study evaluated pelletized organo-mineral formulations for conventional and organic agriculture, derived from Hermetia illucens and Tenebrio molitor frass. Eight field treatments were evaluated: an unfertilized control; an inorganic NPK fertilizer (150 kg N ha−1); a biostabilized municipal solid waste compost at two nitrogen rates (150 and 300 kg N ha−1); and two novel insect-frass-derived organo-mineral fertilizers (VHTI and VHTO) applied at a standard product dose (1000 kg ha−1) and an N-equivalent dose (150 kg N ha−1). Application of organo-mineral and organic treatments at the same nitrogen dose (150 kg N ha−1) doubled cabbage yield compared to the unfertilized control and significantly outperformed the conventional inorganic treatment. These formulations demonstrated enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies, reflecting improved synchronization between nutrient release and crop demand. Furthermore, organo-mineral formulations significantly increased soil available phosphorus without adversely affecting key soil quality parameters. The Integrated Soil–Crop Response Index (ISCRI) confirmed a superior overall agroecosystem response for these treatments. These findings provide important theoretical insights into nutrient synchronization mechanisms in organo-mineral fertilizers, alongside practical applications for sustainable cabbage production. Consequently, frass-based pelletized fertilizers represent a highly sustainable, circular, and efficient alternative to optimize horticultural yield and nutrient use efficiency while enhancing soil health, ultimately supporting the valorization of insect farming by-products as viable substitutes for synthetic fertilizers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to Improve the Sustainability of Horticultural Ecosystems—Second Edition)
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