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Horticulturae
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Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable...
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Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 4774

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Evandro Franklin De Mesquita

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, Paraíba State University, Campina Grande 58429-500, PB, Brazil
Interests: organic fertilizers; micronutrients; silicon in agriculture; plant ecophysiology; water deficit; soil fertility; nutrient-use efficiency; sustainable horticultural production; semi-arid systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rennan Fernandes Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, Paraíba State University, Campina Grande 58429-500, PB, Brazil
Interests: plant physiology; drought stress; salt stress; silicon; beneficial microorganisms; plant nutrition; organic compounds in plants; plant stress tolerance; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; endophytic fungi; microbial inoculants; nitrogen metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Antônio Gustavo de Luna Souto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Postgraduate Program in Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba, Areia 58051-900, Brazil
Interests: plant nutrition; abiotic stress; drought and saline stress; fruits crop; irrigation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Wilfried Rozhon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Oecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Strenzfelder Allee 28, 06406 Bernburg, Germany
Interests: plant hormones; plant nutrition; responses of primary and secondary plant metabolism to plant nutrition; orphan crops; analytical methods including HPLC, UHPLC, GC, mass spectrometry, optical spectroscopy, electrophoresis, and quantitative PCR; separation and analysis of chiral molecules; enzyme assays; inhibitors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite the submission of original research and review articles to this Special Issue, entitled “Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production”.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances that promote sustainability, soil health, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and improvements in crop yield and quality within horticultural systems.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Development and evaluation of organic manure sources (composts, vermicomposts, farmyard manure, and enriched organic wastes) and their effects on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of substrates and soils;
  • Implementation and assessment of biofertilizers, beneficial microorganisms (e.g., nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilizers, mycorrhizae, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria), and plant biostimulants (e.g., algal extracts and amino acids), including their formulation, carrier technologies, and application under greenhouse and field conditions;
  • The role of micronutrients and beneficial elements (e.g., silicon, selenium, and cobalt), either alone or in combination with organic and microbial strategies, in correcting nutrient deficiencies through foliar or soil applications, and their effects on plant nutrition, productivity, and quality;
  • Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) approaches combining organic manures, biofertilizers, biostimulants, and micronutrients with reduced rates of conventional fertilizers, including evaluations of synergies, NUE, environmental outcomes, and economic feasibility;
  • Advances in delivery technologies and precision horticulture applied to bio-based inputs, such as encapsulation, nano-enabled systems for micronutrient delivery, and tools for monitoring plant nutrient status and uptake;
  • Other multidisciplinary advances relevant to biobased nutrient management and sustainable horticultural production.

This Special Issue aims to consolidate current knowledge on the use of organic, microbial, biostimulant, and micronutrient-based inputs as key components for sustainable, efficient, and resilient horticultural production systems.

Dr. Evandro Franklin De Mesquita
Dr. Rennan Fernandes Pereira
Prof. Dr. Antônio Gustavo de Luna Souto
Prof. Dr. Wilfried Rozhon
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

  • organic manures
  • biofertilizers
  • biostimulants
  • micronutrients
  • beneficial elements
  • silicon application
  • beneficial microorganisms
  • soil fertility and health
  • integrated nutrient management
  • nutrient-use efficiency
  • biotic stress
  • abiotic stress

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 11072 KB  
Article
Combined Application of Bacillus aryabhattai and Silicon Enhances Membrane Stability, Biochemical Attributes, and Soil Biological Quality in Yellow Passion Fruit Under Water Deficit
by Irlan Victor de Sousa Palmeira, Rennan Fernandes Pereira, Caio da Silva Sousa, Samuel Barbosa Alves, Francisco Felipe da Silva Izidro, José Philippe Martins Montenegro Pires, Franklin Suassuna de Sousa, Ana Rebeca Gonçalves Fernandes, Alicia Camila Zeferino da Silva, Alberto Soares de Melo, José Felix de Brito Neto, Patrícia Maria de Araújo Gomes and Evandro Franklin de Mesquita
Horticulturae 2026, 12(6), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12060707 - 7 Jun 2026
Viewed by 352
Abstract
Yellow passion fruit production is frequently limited by water scarcity, necessitating biotechnological strategies to ensure seedling quality. This study investigated the synergistic effects of Bacillus aryabhattai (Auras®) and silicon (Si) as mitigators of water deficit in Passiflora edulis seedlings. The experiment [...] Read more.
Yellow passion fruit production is frequently limited by water scarcity, necessitating biotechnological strategies to ensure seedling quality. This study investigated the synergistic effects of Bacillus aryabhattai (Auras®) and silicon (Si) as mitigators of water deficit in Passiflora edulis seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in Catolé do Rocha, PB, Brazil, using 4 dm3 plastic bags. A randomized block design was used with a 4 × 3 + 2 factorial scheme, testing four available water contents (AWC: 50, 60, 70, and 80%) combined with three mitigation strategies (Auras, Si, and Auras + Si), plus two additional controls (50% and 100% AWC). Water deficit severely compromised growth and soil biological activity; however, mitigation treatments significantly improved physiological and biochemical responses. When applied separately, B. aryabhattai inoculation enhanced the accumulation of photoprotective pigments (carotenoids) and secondary metabolites (flavonoids and anthocyanins) under severe drought, while individual Si application provided homeostatic stability to plant biomass, maintaining dry matter production at levels comparable to moderate irrigation. The Auras + Si combination was the most effective, promoting the highest membrane stability, pigment maintenance, and vigorous growth even under 50% AWC. Furthermore, this interaction optimized soil microbial biomass and reduced the metabolic quotient by 56.7% compared to the stress control. These findings demonstrate that the combined application of B. aryabhattai and Si effectively mitigates the negative impacts of water scarcity on the initial development of passion fruit seedlings and soil microbial activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production)
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17 pages, 5158 KB  
Article
Biostimulant Priming Modulates Photosynthesis and Storability of Salt-Stressed Garlic (Allium sativum L.) in a Cultivar-Dependent Manner
by Miaohong Liu, Duyen Nguyen, Song Gao, Michiko Takagaki, Kun Xu and Na Lu
Horticulturae 2026, 12(5), 620; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12050620 - 17 May 2026
Viewed by 747
Abstract
This study evaluated the growth, physiological, chlorophyll fluorescence (JIP-test), and postharvest responses of a shoot-dominant (‘C-P’) and a root-dominant (‘J-L’) garlic material to graded salinity (0, 50, and 200 mM NaCl) in a hydroponic system, with or without seed-clove priming using LEAFENERGY® [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the growth, physiological, chlorophyll fluorescence (JIP-test), and postharvest responses of a shoot-dominant (‘C-P’) and a root-dominant (‘J-L’) garlic material to graded salinity (0, 50, and 200 mM NaCl) in a hydroponic system, with or without seed-clove priming using LEAFENERGY®, a commercial biostimulant mainly composed of naturally derived rare fatty acids. Results showed 50 mM NaCl significantly inhibited shoot growth, while 200 mM nearly arrested growth and induced clove decay. Under moderate salinity, biostimulant priming exhibited cultivar-dependent mitigation. In ‘C-P’, biostimulant priming increased clove soluble sugar content by 1.140 g 100 g−1 FW under 50 mM NaCl and increased dry-weight-based clove water content after cold storage. In ‘J-L’, biostimulant priming increased SPAD values under 50 mM NaCl and reduced the salt-induced increase in clove yellowness index to a level not significantly different from the non-saline control. In conclusion, garlic’s response to salinity is fundamentally dictated by intrinsic resource allocation strategies. Rather than merely promoting growth, biostimulant priming optimizes photosynthetic energy fluxes and reshapes metabolism. This tailored approach effectively preserves the visual marketability of susceptible cultivars while enhancing osmoprotectant accumulation and hydration in vigorous morphotypes, providing a sustainable strategy to safeguard industrial raw materials in salinized controlled cultivation systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production)
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20 pages, 2151 KB  
Article
Effects of Biochar and Nitrogen Co-Application on Growth, Yield, and Quality of Water Spinach in Saline Soil
by Xinyue Li, Yuchen Zhu, Yu Gu, Ye Zhuang and Juan Wang
Horticulturae 2026, 12(2), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020131 - 24 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 689
Abstract
Saline soil represents an important reserve of cultivated land in China, yet poor soil conditions and low-nitrogen use efficiency constrain crop production. Biochar has been widely applied to improve soil properties; however, its interactive effects with nitrogen fertilization in saline soils remain unclear. [...] Read more.
Saline soil represents an important reserve of cultivated land in China, yet poor soil conditions and low-nitrogen use efficiency constrain crop production. Biochar has been widely applied to improve soil properties; however, its interactive effects with nitrogen fertilization in saline soils remain unclear. A pot experiment using coastal saline soil collected from the northern Jiangsu province was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of biochar (0%, 4%, and 8% w·w−1) and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 150, and 200 mg·kg−1) on the growth performance, photosynthetic indices, yield, quality, and nitrogen use efficiency of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.). Moderate biochar application significantly improved vegetative growth of water spinach, as indicated by higher plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index, and SPAD values. In addition, biochar substantially enhanced photosynthetic performance, dry matter accumulation, and yield, whereas excessive biochar or nitrogen application generally inhibited plant performance. The combined application of 4% biochar with 150 mg·kg−1 nitrogen consistently produced the highest yield and nitrogen partial factor productivity, while simultaneously increasing soluble protein, soluble sugar, and vitamin C contents and reducing nitrite accumulation. These research results demonstrated a clear synergistic interaction between biochar and nitrogen fertilization. In coastal saline soils, reducing the usage of nitrogen fertilizer moderately and adding approximately 4% of biochar is an effective strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production)
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23 pages, 1302 KB  
Article
Long-Term Manure Application in Urban Gardens: Impacts on Soil Fertility, Mineral Composition, and Variability
by Rafael López-Núñez, Paula Madejón-Rodríguez, José Molina-Vega and Sabina Rossini-Oliva
Horticulturae 2026, 12(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12010040 - 28 Dec 2025
Viewed by 2444
Abstract
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UA) plays an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable urban development, providing socioeconomic, environmental, and educational benefits. However, UA is often linked to nutrient accumulation in soils since vegetable-growing areas typically receive substantial inputs of both organic and inorganic [...] Read more.
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UA) plays an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable urban development, providing socioeconomic, environmental, and educational benefits. However, UA is often linked to nutrient accumulation in soils since vegetable-growing areas typically receive substantial inputs of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. This study examines soil variability in two sections of an urban allotment garden subjected to long-term manure fertilization for 12 or 16 years, with application rates up to 10–12 kg m−2 yr−1. Surface soils were analyzed for organic and inorganic carbon, total-N, available-P and -K, pH, and elemental composition using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Prolonged manure incorporation substantially enhanced soil fertility, as evidenced by increases in soil organic carbon (up to 3.78%), total-N (up to 0.38%), available-K (up to 412 mg kg−1), and both total- and available-P (up to 2485 and 276 mg kg−1, respectively). Marked shifts in mineral composition were also detected, including significant increases in total Ca, inorganic C (as calcium carbonate), Sr, and S. Despite the high manure inputs, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was observed. However, pronounced spatial heterogeneity emerged among individual plots, with coefficients of variation reaching 58% for S and 47% for Zn, reflecting differences in fertilization intensity and management practices. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis proved highly effective for detecting soil compositional changes and adequate for predicting K and P availability, highlighting its value as a rapid diagnostic tool for precision agriculture. Overall, these findings demonstrate the agronomic benefits of long-term organic fertilization while emphasizing the need for careful management to avoid nutrient imbalances and ensure sustainable practices that minimize environmental risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Applications of Organic Manures, Biostimulants, and Micronutrients in Sustainable Horticultural Production)
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