Driving Sustainability: Innovations in Producing Eco-Friendly Substrates for Soilless Culture Systems

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 52

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
Interests: organic cultivation substrates based on plant-derived waste materials; and the growth performance of horticultural crops in these substrates
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Interests: urban waste; compost; growing media; greenhouse gases; nitrogen cycle; soil microbiome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Interests: urban waste; microbial agent; Nitrogen transformation; fertilizer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Researchers have been exploring new materials and formulations for soilless cultivation substrates to enhance plant growth and nutrient uptake. One promising development is the use of biochar as a substrate, which has been shown to improve water retention, nutrient availability, and microbial activity in the root zone. Furthermore, because of the environmental concerns associated with peat extraction, our special issue aims to highlight innovative methods and technologies for developing sustainable alternatives to peat substrates. From biodegradable foams crafted from natural materials to organic substrates derived from agricultural waste, there is a growing interest in exploring eco-friendly substitutes that can reduce the horticultural industry’s reliance on peat-based substrates.

Advances in nutrient delivery systems, such as aeroponics and drip irrigation, have enabled more precise control over nutrient uptake and distribution in soilless cultivation systems. These systems allow for efficient nutrient delivery directly to plant roots, leading to improved growth rates and higher yields. The integration of technology, such as sensors, automation, and data analytics, has played a key role in advancing soilless cultivation practices. These technologies enable real-time monitoring of plant health, environmental conditions, and nutrient levels, thereby allowing growers to make data-driven decisions to optimize plant growth and resource efficiency. In addition, substrates from specific sources, such as plant material substrates rich in plant fibers, may have unique effects on crops, such as nitrogen fixation and phytotoxicity. Therefore, studying the performance of horticultural crops in different growing media and optimizing cultivation management practices accordingly is crucial.

By continuing to explore new materials, optimize nutrient delivery systems, and elucidate the interaction between soilless cultivation substrates and plants, the research progress in soilless cultivation substrates will lead to the development of innovative solutions that have the potential to revolutionize modern agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Wanlai Zhou
Dr. Wei Lin
Dr. Hong Wang
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • soilless cultivation
  • growing media
  • biochar
  • biodegradable foam
  • agricultural waste
  • nutrient delivery systems
  • horticultural plants
  • nitrogen fixation
  • phytotoxicity

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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