sustainability-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Effects of Soil and Water Conservation on Sustainable Agriculture

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 3201

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops Hellenic Agricultural Organization General Directorship of Agricultural Research 1, Theofrastou Str., 41335 Larissa, Greece
Interests: soil mapping; classification and evaluation; soil fertility; soil and water pollution; precision agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops Hellenic Agricultural Organization General Directorship of Agricultural Research 1, Theofrastou Str., 41335 Larissa, Greece
Interests: soil quality; precision agriculture; soil and water pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The continued growth of the world's population requires an increase in agricultural production, which, under the current challenges posed by climate change, requires a re-prioritization of the sustainability of the critical factors of agricultural production, i.e., soil and water. Agriculture affects and is affected by climate and its sustainability requires an in-depth investigation of the relationship between these inputs and climate change, as well as redesign of their management.

Soil is a non-renewable natural resource that is fundamental in agricultural production. It is the medium through which plants take up water and nutrients, which, through the catalyst of solar energy and their genetic characteristics, produce the variety of products that constitute the basis of Earth’s life. Water is the other equally crucial factor in agricultural production because through it and within it all the processes that allow the production of organic matter from inorganic components are carried out.

Today, these two natural resources, which are crucial for agricultural production, are under significant risks and pressures that require immediate decisions and measures to mitigate their continuing degradation. The soil is losing its productivity and, in extreme cases, is becoming desertified due to millennia of continuous and largely unsound management, with excessive intensification in their use and disregard for the mechanisms and conditions required to prevent degradation. Erosion by water and air, pollution, salinization, constant changes in its use, and sealing in favor of other uses are the main risk factors.

At the same time, due to climate change, water is often transformed from a basic source of life into an unrelenting danger through extreme floods and the disasters they cause or through scarcity, leading to extreme droughts and desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the planet. 

Managing these resources in ways that mitigate their degradation and contribute to agriculture’s sustainability is, therefore, vital for addressing the challenge of global food security through sustainable agriculture.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to add to current views on the significance of these important natural resources. It will also highlight new research data on the issues related to halting degradation and ensuring sustainable management, so that these resources can support the sustainability of agriculture and humanity.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

Α. Importance of soil and water in agricultural production:

  • Soil as a medium of plant growth;
  • Sustainable soil management;
  • The importance of water in agricultural production;
  • Increasing the efficiency of water use.

Β. Soil and water in the new climate context:

  • Soil and climate change (soil as a reservoir and as a source of greenhouse gases);
  • Climate change and water availability in agriculture (water-induced extreme weather events, floods, and droughts).

C. Soil and water management for the sustainability of agriculture:

  • Sustainable soil management (addressing risks of soil degradation from erosion, organic matter reduction, pollution, salinization, and use of new technologies);
  • Sustainable water management in agriculture (irrigated agriculture, dry farming, and new technologies in water use).

We look forward to receiving valuable contributions.

Dr. Christos Tsadilas
Dr. Eleftherios Evangelou
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

  • soil management
  • water use efficiency
  • soil erosion
  • soil fertility
  • soil conservation
  • agricultural production systems

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.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 6657 KiB  
Article
Towards Sustainable Food Security in the Sahel: Integrating Traditional Conservation Practices and Controlled Irrigation to Overcome Water Scarcity During the Dry Season for Onion and Jute Production
by Guy Armel Ayoumbissi Keugmeni, Amadou Keita, Roland Yonaba, Boukary Sawadogo and Lucas Kengni
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062345 - 7 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1342
Abstract
In the Sahel, ensuring food security remains a critical challenge due to the region’s prolonged nine-month dry season and the severe scarcity of water resources for irrigation. This study explores an innovative approach integrating two traditional Sahelian soil conservation methods (Zaï and Half-moon) [...] Read more.
In the Sahel, ensuring food security remains a critical challenge due to the region’s prolonged nine-month dry season and the severe scarcity of water resources for irrigation. This study explores an innovative approach integrating two traditional Sahelian soil conservation methods (Zaï and Half-moon) with controlled irrigation to enhance dry-season crop yields, methods not previously explored in combination. A field experiment was performed using a randomized Fisher block design with seven replications assessing the impact of different soil practices on onion and jute production. It also examined the key soil elements and dynamic properties, including N, P, K, pH, temperature, and electrical conductivity. Results showed that the Half-moon technique yields the highest onion production (20.1 t ha−1 ± 0.82), followed by Zaï (18.6 t ha−1 ± 0.48) and flat tillage (14.2 t ha−1 ± 0.84). For jute, the highest third-harvest yield was recorded with Half-moon (9.68 t ha−1 ± 0.63), followed by Zaï (9.56 t ha−1 ± 0.48) and flat tillage (7.53 t ha−1 ± 0.37). These findings offer a viable solution for adapting to climate change by improving water use efficiency and promoting sustainable farming practices in water-limited environments. This research underscores the potential for integrating indigenous knowledge with modern agricultural techniques to mitigate food insecurity in the Sahel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Soil and Water Conservation on Sustainable Agriculture)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 536 KiB  
Review
Advancements in Composting Technologies for Efficient Soil Remediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): A Mini Review
by Tony Hadibarata, Muhammad Syafrudin, Norma Latif Fitriyani and Seung Won Lee
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5881; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135881 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 325
Abstract
The release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the environment has become a serious concern with rapidly increasing human activities. PAHs are one of the hazardous pollutants generated primarily from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, industrial emissions, and the expenditure of vehicles. [...] Read more.
The release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the environment has become a serious concern with rapidly increasing human activities. PAHs are one of the hazardous pollutants generated primarily from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, industrial emissions, and the expenditure of vehicles. These toxic compounds are very dangerous to ecosystems and human health due to being persistent, bioaccumulative, and carcinogenic. Composting is considered a form of bioremediation for eliminating PAHs in contaminated soils. The method utilizes microbial communities to break down organic pollutants and is low-cost and environmentally friendly. The efficiency factor depends on many aspects, including soil pH, oxygen, temperature provision, and the diversity of microbes, among others. Thermophilic conditions help in the decomposition of both low- and high-molecular-weight PAHs. This paper focuses on the effectiveness of composting as a bioremediation technology for remediating PAH-contaminated soils and its impact on the environment and human health. Due to its safety and high efficiency, composting should be improved and prioritized for its widespread application as a principal remediation technology for PAH pollution at the earliest opportunity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Soil and Water Conservation on Sustainable Agriculture)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 266 KiB  
Review
Roles of Organic Agriculture for Water Optimization in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions
by Shikha Sharma, Matt A. Yost and Jennifer R. Reeve
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5452; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125452 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 950
Abstract
Water scarcity is a critical challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, where agricultural water consumption accounts for a significant portion of freshwater use. Conventional agriculture (CA) methods with high reliance on chemical and mechanical inputs often exacerbate this issue through soil degradation and [...] Read more.
Water scarcity is a critical challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, where agricultural water consumption accounts for a significant portion of freshwater use. Conventional agriculture (CA) methods with high reliance on chemical and mechanical inputs often exacerbate this issue through soil degradation and water loss. This review aims to examine how different organic practices, such as mulching, cover cropping, composting, crop rotation, and no-till (NT) in combination with precision technologies, can contribute to water optimization, and it discusses the opportunities and challenges for the adoption and implementation of those practices. Previous findings show that organic agriculture (OA) may outperform CA in drought conditions. However, the problems of weed management in organic NT, trade-offs in cover crop biomass and moisture conservation, limited access to irrigation technologies, lack of awareness, and certification barriers challenge agricultural resilience and sustainability. Since the outcomes of OA practices depend on the crop type, local environment, and accessibility of knowledge and inputs, further context-specific research is needed to refine a scalable solution that maintains both productivity and resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Soil and Water Conservation on Sustainable Agriculture)
Back to TopTop