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Sustainability
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Sustainable Agriculture: Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Crop Production
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Sustainable Agriculture: Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Crop Production

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 5645

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qunfeng Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: plant physiology; metabolism; tea plant; nutrition; tea quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jianhui Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Interests: root growth; plant physiology; nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Crops face a number of constraints in their optimal growth right from seed germination, making them adverse to sustainable crop production. Particularly, nutritional imbalances in plants influence their responses and defense mechanisms against abiotic stresses, pests, and diseases, which ultimately impacts crop production. To enhance crop productivity, our knowledge in plant physiology must continuously evolve with time. This means that the principles of plant physiology, such as nutrient utilization and environmental adaptation, have significantly contributed to the feeding of human beings and our understanding of the growth strategies of plants. For example, through our current understanding of the process of nutrient absorption, farmers in the current era are able to optimize nutrient uptake. Therefore, in this Special Issue we aim to provide new information on the physiological basis of the various plant processes and their underlying mechanisms under fluctuating environments, which is of great importance for sustainable crop production.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. We will focus on plant physiology, nutrition, and crop production from both pot and field experiments. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The physiological basis of the various plant processes and their underlying mechanisms;
  • Metabolism and accumulation of quality-related compounds;
  • Nutrient absorption, utilization, and distribution;
  • Environmental adaptation;
  • Nutrient balance. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Qunfeng Zhang
Dr. Jianhui Hu
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. Sustainability 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 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

  • physiology
  • metabolism
  • plant
  • nutrition
  • quality
  • environmental adaptation

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4289 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen Level Impacting Fruit Yield and Quality of Mango in Northern Tropical Australia
by Constancio A. Asis, Joanne Tilbrook, Dallas Anson, Alan Niscioli, Danilo Guinto, Mila Bristow and David Rowlings
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010080 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1368
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is vital for mango yield and fruit quality, but finding the optimal amount is crucial to avoid the ‘stay green’ problem, which diminishes both fruit quality and profitability. This study aimed to assess the impact of N levels on the fruit [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) is vital for mango yield and fruit quality, but finding the optimal amount is crucial to avoid the ‘stay green’ problem, which diminishes both fruit quality and profitability. This study aimed to assess the impact of N levels on the fruit quality and yield of ‘Kensington Pride’ (‘KP’) mangoes and determine the amount of N that triggers the ‘stay green’ effect in fruit. A field trial was conducted in a commercial orchard with N treatments (0, 12.5, 25, and 50 kg ha−1) and four replications during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. Fruit yield was quantified, and post-harvest quality (skin color during ripening, sugar content [°Brix], and texture) as well as ethylene effects were assessed. Fruit yields did not vary among N levels over the two cropping seasons but were significantly lower in 2018 (20.0 t ha−1) compared to 2019 (38.5 t ha−1), illustrating the alternate year-bearing habit of ‘KP’ mangoes. In the 2018 harvest, fruit from trees receiving 25 kg N ha−1 appeared yellow–green compared to those with less N, while fruit from trees with 50 kg N ha−1 exhibited ‘stay green’ skin, indicating that applications of 25 and 50 kg N ha−1 were excessive. There was no ‘stay green’ skin observed in the 2019 harvest, indicating that the environment may also be a contributing factor. The texture of ripe fruit from untreated control trees had the highest flesh resistance. Moreover, ethylene-treated fruit ripened in nine days post-harvest and had significantly lower sugar content than untreated fruit, which ripened in 14 days. This study provides valuable insights into the complex interactions among N application, fruit quality, and yield of ‘KP’ mangoes, highlighting the importance of appropriate N management for a sustainable and environmentally friendly commercial mango production system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture: Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Crop Production)
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12 pages, 2997 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Nitrogen Nutrient Management for the Sustainable Enhancement of Secondary Metabolites and Yield in Onion Cultivation
by Katarina Olsovska, Andrea Golisova and Oksana Sytar
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4396; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114396 - 22 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1790
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe) fertilization on secondary metabolites, particularly quercetin and its forms, in onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.). Field experiments over two years examined four onion varieties with red, yellow, and white [...] Read more.
This study investigates the impact of nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe) fertilization on secondary metabolites, particularly quercetin and its forms, in onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.). Field experiments over two years examined four onion varieties with red, yellow, and white colors of bulbs: Kamal, Robin, Pueblo, and Mundo. The parameters investigated included the yield, dry matter content, and average onion weight. The phenolic and flavonoid contents were also analyzed. The free quercetin, bound quercetin, and total quercetin contents were determined using the HPLC method. The results demonstrated notable increases in yield following the application of nitrogen (NH4+) and sulfur (SO42−) fertilizers. Incorporating iron (Fe2+) alongside these fertilizers did not yield a significant impact compared to N+S variant. The phenolic and flavonoid content varied with fertilization, while the quercetin content did not yield statistically significant results. Overall, the study highlights the complex relationship between fertilization practices and secondary metabolite production in onions, emphasizing the need for sustainable intensification in modern agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture: Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Crop Production)
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23 pages, 58595 KiB  
Article
Image-Based Phenotyping Study of Wheat Growth and Grain Yield Dependence on Environmental Conditions and Nitrogen Usage in a Multi-Year Field Trial
by Stanley J. Miklavcic, Joshua Chopin and Hamid Laga
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093728 - 29 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1469
Abstract
As the global population and resource scarcity simultaneously increase, the pressure on plant breeders and growers to maximise the effectiveness of their operations is immense. In this article, we explore the usefulness of image-based data collection and analysis of field experiments consisting of [...] Read more.
As the global population and resource scarcity simultaneously increase, the pressure on plant breeders and growers to maximise the effectiveness of their operations is immense. In this article, we explore the usefulness of image-based data collection and analysis of field experiments consisting of multiple field sites, plant varieties, and treatments. The goal of this approach is to determine whether the noninvasive acquisition and analysis of image data can be used to find relationships between the canopy traits of field experiments and environmental factors. Our results are based on data from three field trials in 2016, 2017, and 2018 in South Australia. Image data were supplemented by environmental data such as rainfall, temperature, and soil composition in order to explain differences in growth and the development of plants across field trials. We have shown that the combination of high-throughput image-based data and independently recorded environmental data can reveal valuable connections between the variables influencing wheat crop growth; meanwhile, further studies involving more field trials under different conditions are required to test hypotheses and draw statistically significant conclusions. This work highlights some of the more responsive traits and their dependencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture: Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Crop Production)
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