Special Issue "Recent Advances in Soil Heavy Metals Remediation, Soil Fertility Management and Crops Productivity: Changing Climatic Conditions"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Subhan Danish
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan
Interests: soil science; plant nutrition; biofertilizers; heavymetal; biocomposites.
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Dr. Muhammad Arif Ali
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800 Pakistan
Interests: environment; soil fertility; plant nutrition; soil science; nutrient cycling; biofertilizers; soil microbiology; soil ecology; phosphorus; inoculation; zinc; mycorrhiza fungi
Dr. Shah Fahad
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430060, China
2. Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan
Interests: soil science; agricultural plant science; agronomy; temperature stress
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Dr. Valerie Vranová
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: agricultural and biological Sciences
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Dr. Rahul Datta
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: soil fauna microbial interaction; soil enzymes; soil nutrient cycling; soil remediation; sustainable agriculture; organo-mineral interactions; carbon sequestration in the soil; biochar; biofertilizers
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil contamination by heavy metals is a major environmental issue. Many meteorological factors, i.e., temperature, humidity, and precipitation, directly affect heavy metals exposure in our environment. Furthermore, anthropogenic activities are also playing an essential role in the development of heavy metals toxicity. Field applicability of different remediation technologies mostly encountered various obstacles, such. Scientists are trying to introduce new techniques for increasing the yield of crops without disturbing the environment. Integrated approaches for remediation of heavy metals as pollutants and improving soil fertility status under changing climatic conditions are gaining attention. The use of organic amendments and biofertilizers can immobilization these heavy metals in soil. They can also improve the bioavailability of macro and micronutrients by improving the physio-chemical properties of soil. Cultivation of hyperaccumulators can effectively remove the heavy metals contaminants in polluted lands. They can also facilitate the proliferation of heavy metals resistant microorganisms in the rhizosphere that have the potential to change the transition state of toxic metals. The issue of heavy metals and poor fertility level needs serious and more scientific attention. That’s why we invite researchers to contribute to the Special Issue on Recent Advances in Soil Heavy Metals Remediation and Soil Fertility Management: Changing Climatic Conditions, which intended to serve as a unique multidisciplinary forum covering broad aspects of meteorological stress generating factors, environmental science, soil fertility and detoxification of hazardous heavy metals. This Special Issue, “Recent Advances in Soil Heavy Metals Remediation and Soil Fertility Management: Changing Climatic Conditions" aims to fill the gaps in the scientific literature concerning this crucial area as much as possible, to highlight its importance, and to provide a platform for the dissemination of state-of-the-art advances in this field.

Please

(1) Heavy metals remediation technologies

(2) Use of inorganic fertilizers with organic amendments

(3) Climatic changes and soil heavy metals contamination

(4) Improvement in fertilizer use efficiency under changing climate

(5) Response of different crops towards nutrients deficiency and heavy metals toxicity

Dr. Subhan Danish
Dr. Muhammad Arif Ali
Dr. Shah Fahad
Dr. Valerie Vranová
Dr. Rahul Datta
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 papers will be 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 1900 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

  • heavy metals
  • fertilizers
  • manures
  • compost
  • biochar
  • mulching
  • biocontrol agents
  • chemical controlling agents
  • agronomic practices
  • crops growth and productivity
  • ethylene

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

Article
Supplemental Effects of Biochar and Foliar Application of Ascorbic Acid on Physio-Biochemical Attributes of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under Cadmium-Contaminated Soil
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9128; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169128 - 14 Aug 2021
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Abstract
Biochar, prepared from organic waste materials, can improve the quality of contaminated soil areas. Biochar can be used as an economic centerpiece over other available resources and can properly utilize large amounts of waste. Soil contaminated with cadmium (Cd) is a worldwide problem [...] Read more.
Biochar, prepared from organic waste materials, can improve the quality of contaminated soil areas. Biochar can be used as an economic centerpiece over other available resources and can properly utilize large amounts of waste. Soil contaminated with cadmium (Cd) is a worldwide problem that poses potential agricultural and human health hazards. Moreover, Cd toxicity causes serious problems for sustainable food production, especially in food crops like barley. High cadmium concentration in soil is phytotoxic and decreases plant growth and ultimately yields. Biochar and ascorbic acid in ameliorating Cd stress are economically compatible and consistent approaches in agriculture. The present study aimed to evaluate biochar’s and foliar-applied ascorbic acid’s influence on some growth and biochemical characteristics of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to Cd stress. The soil was supplemented with biochar 2% w/w and 20 mg Cd kg−1. The foliar application of 30 mM ascorbic acid was done on plants. The results revealed that Cd stress decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. It also increased oxidative stress indicators, i.e., APX, COD, POD, flavonoids, anthocyanin, phenolics, and electrolyte leakage, in barley with Cd-contamination. A significant enhancement in root and shoot length, gas exchange attributes, and chlorophyll contents validated the effectiveness of Bio + Asa treatments over all other treatments under Cd contamination. In conclusion, the sole applications of biochar and Asa in Cd contamination are also effective, but Bio + Asa is a better amendment for Cd stress alleviation in barley plants. Full article
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