Innovative Fertilization Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 45
Special Issue Editor
Interests: vegetable crops; vegetable production systems; greenhouse and open-field systems; fertigation; root dynamics; salinity; organic fertilization and soilless cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soil degradation presents a major challenge to global agriculture, threatening long-term productivity and food security. Key factors such as erosion, compaction, loss of organic matter, salinization, and acidification are increasingly compromising soil health. It is estimated that up to 40% of arable soils are acidic and approximately 20% of irrigated land suffers from salinization. Climate change further exacerbates these issues by accelerating degradation processes and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Although inorganic fertilizers have played a vital role in achieving high crop yields, their extensive use raises serious environmental concerns, including increased greenhouse gas emissions and a significant carbon footprint. To address these challenges, innovative fertilization strategies are needed—approaches that reduce dependency on inorganic inputs while maintaining or enhancing soil fertility and supporting sustainable crop production.
Such strategies may include the use of biofertilizers, green manures, organic amendments, circular economy principles, and agronomic practices aimed at improving nutrient use efficiency. Integrating multiple methods can enhance both adaptability and effectiveness across diverse agroecological contexts.
This Special Issue invites original research, reviews, and case studies focusing on fertilization strategies that reduce reliance on inorganic fertilizers while sustaining crop productivity and minimizing environmental impact.
Dr. Rui Manuel Almeida Machado
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- soil fertility
- fertilization strategies
- sustainable crop production
- organic amendments
- nutrient use efficiency
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