Integrated Soil–Plant Management for Resilient and Sustainable Agroecosystems
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 2077
Special Issue Editors
Interests: soil; plant nutrition; abiotic stress; sustainable agriculture
Interests: agronomy; cropping systems; climate smart agriculture; soil science; sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: plant soil interations
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Integrated soil–plant management (ISPM) is a holistic approach that aims to optimize the interaction between soil and plants to enhance agricultural productivity while ensuring the long-term sustainability of agrosystems. Soil performs numerous essential functions such as regulating water, sustaining plant and animal life, filtering and buffering potential pollutants, andcycling nutrients, thus providing physical stability and support to plants. ISPM recognizes the intricate relationship between soil and plants and seeks to manage this relationship in a way that maximizes productivity, minimizes environmental impact, and enhances resilience to various stressors such as climate change, pests, and diseases.
This Special Issue explores the importance of ISPM in building resilient and sustainable agrosystems, as well as exploring the key principles and practices that underpin this approach. We invite submissions that examine various perspectives of ISPM, including both theoretical and practical applications.
Key areas of interest and principles of ISPM include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Soil Health Management: ISPM emphasizes the importance of maintaining and improving soil health through practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, organic matter addition, and reduced tillage. Healthy soils are essential for providing a supportive environment for plant growth, improving water retention, and enhancing nutrient cycling.
- Crop physiology (Resilience and Adaptation strategies): ISPM recognizes the need to build resilient agrosystems that can withstand environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures in the wake of global climate change. By promoting diverse cropping systems, drought-tolerant crops, crop rotations, and agroforestry practices, ISPM enhances the resilience of agrosystems and their ability to adapt to changing conditions.
- Integrated Nutrient Management: ISPM promotes efficient nutrient management strategies that aim to optimize nutrient availability for plants while minimizing losses to the environment. This includes practices such as fertilizer use efficiency, the use of organic amendments, and precision agriculture techniques to tailor nutrient applications based on plant and soil requirements.
- Integrated Pest and Disease Management: ISPM advocates for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that combine cultural, biological, and chemical control methods to manage pests and diseases in a sustainable manner. By promoting biodiversity and natural enemies of pests, ISPM reduces the reliance on synthetic agrochemicals.
- Water Management: Efficient water management is essential for sustainable agriculture, especially in the face of increasing water scarcity and climate variability. ISPM encourages practices such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and soil moisture monitoring to optimize water use efficiency and minimize water wastage.
We welcome submissions that showcase successful case studies, present novel research findings, or offer critical reviews of existing knowledge. This Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between science and practice, providing valuable insights for researchers, extension agents, and farmers alike.
The comprehensive understanding of ISPM and its role in building resilient agroecosystems can contribute to sustainable and productive agriculture.
Prof. Dr. Fhatuwani N. Mudau
Dr. Adornis Nciizah
Dr. Khayalethu Ntushelo
Dr. Ntakadzeni Edwin Madala
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
- agroecosystem resilience
- agroecological adaptation
- integrated nutrient management
- conservation agriculture
- water management (ISM)
- nutrient cycling
- organic matter management
- sustainable agriculture
- soil health
- integrated pest and disease management
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.