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Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus
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Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 8318

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ram Swaroop Meena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
Interests: soil health restoration and policies; carbon sequestration and stabilization; resources use efficiency; climate change; crop; productivity; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sandeep Kumar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Regional Station, Karnal, Hariyana 132001, India
Interests: agronomy; resource conservation technology; enhancing input use efficiency and productivity of pulse production systems; agroecosystem management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Panneerselvam Peramaiyan

E-Mail
Guest Editor
South Asia Regional Center, International Rice Research Institute, Varanasi 221106, India
Interests: sustainable intensificaitons; climate resilient production systems; data-driven nutrient management; nano-fertilizers; rice-based cropping systems; soil–plant–human health nexus; organic agriculture; regenerative agriculture
Dr. Surendra Singh Jatav

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (UP) 221 005, India
Interests: micronutrients and heavy metal pollutant elements; restoration ecology; climate-resilient agriculture (CRA); soil carbon flux and soil environment management; sustainable agriculture; cropping systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change and unpredictability have a growing negative influence on agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. Therefore, creating climate-resilient agriculture is crucial for maintaining food supply and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which calls for a thorough understanding of the relationship between the soil, water, plant and environmental systems, as well as their reactions to climatic change. Climate change mitigation and adaptation measures have been established to create a sustainable environment and agricultural production. This Special Issue aims to synchronize all of the aforementioned climate issues, related to soil, water, plants and the environment, and help to achieve long-term sustainability. This Special Issue may offer a current scientific analysis of agricultural sustainability in light of climate change. In order to keep our soil healthy and guarantee a sustainable agricultural production system, we focus on the relationship between soil, water, crops and environmental management. This collection of articles will provide a new roadmap for producers, scientists, policymakers and government planners to achieve the goals decided under COP 26 and the SDGs.

The aim of this issue is to address the soil–water–plant–environment relationship, as well as the steps needed to achieve long-term sustainability. Soil and water interactions are key factors in the path towards high productivity under eco-friendly agroecosystems. Regrettably, stakeholders and decision makers seem to be generally ignorant of these realities, and effective soil and environmental degradation control techniques and approaches are still not routinely applied. Based on these studies, innovative strategies are required to reposition soils on the social and political agenda.

  • Organic carbon, water footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change;
  • Soil and human health, food, and nutritional and environmental security;
  • Advances in resource management and flow in agroecosystems;
  • Soil–water–plant–environment nexus to ensure sustainability;
  • Energy flow in agricultural systems;
  • Resource and fertilizer use efficiency.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ram Swaroop Meena
Dr. Sandeep Kumar
Dr. Panneerselvam Peramaiyan
Dr. Surendra Singh Jatav
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

  • agricultural sustainability
  • soil health
  • carbon footprint
  • water footprint
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • climate change
  • soil–water–plant–environment nexus

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3554 KiB  
Article
Improving the Physical Properties and Water Retention of Sandy Soils by the Synergistic Utilization of Natural Clay Deposits and Wheat Straw
by Abdulaziz G. Alghamdi, Mosaed A. Majrashi and Hesham M. Ibrahim
Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010046 - 20 Dec 2023
Viewed by 993
Abstract
Improving the physical properties and water retention of sandy soils is of critical importance in arid and water-scarce regions such as Saudi Arabia. The impacts of organic amendments of different particle sizes coupled with natural clay deposits on improving the soil physio-chemical characteristics, [...] Read more.
Improving the physical properties and water retention of sandy soils is of critical importance in arid and water-scarce regions such as Saudi Arabia. The impacts of organic amendments of different particle sizes coupled with natural clay deposits on improving the soil physio-chemical characteristics, nutrient availability, and growth of Sudan grass were investigated in this study. A loamy sand soil was amended with natural clay deposits at 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10% (w/w) application rates, and in combination with 1.0% (w/w) wheat straw of different particle sizes. The water infiltration, evaporation, and retention characteristics of the amended soil were studied for 9 weeks, and then Sudan grass was grown for 7 weeks. The impacts of the particle size of wheat straw on soil properties and nutrient availability were significant (p < 0.05) when combined with clay deposits. The highest application rate of clay (10%) demonstrated the highest water content (20.63–21.73%), and increased P and K availability to 35.54 and 6980 mg kg−1, respectively, in soil, which were 33% and 88% higher, respectively, compared to the control. Plant N, P, and K concentrations were increased to 0.95%, 0.26%, and 4.33%, respectively, which were 2–3.5-fold higher than the control. Therefore, the integrated application of natural clay deposits and wheat straw of fine particle size could be an effective strategy in improving plant production in water-scarce regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus)
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13 pages, 4331 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Soil Salinity and Correlation with Groundwater Depth in the Karamay Irrigation District of China
by Guohui Liu, Changyan Tian, Wenxuan Mai, Ahmad Azeem and Jige Yang
Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15680; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215680 - 7 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 760
Abstract
The secondary salinization of irrigated areas poses a direct threat to both the sustainable development of oasis agriculture and ecological stability in arid regions. In this study, we conducted an experiment to examine alterations in groundwater levels and soil salinity within the plow [...] Read more.
The secondary salinization of irrigated areas poses a direct threat to both the sustainable development of oasis agriculture and ecological stability in arid regions. In this study, we conducted an experiment to examine alterations in groundwater levels and soil salinity within the plow layer, as well as their combined impact, in arid regions following extended reclamation in standard diversion irrigation areas. For this experiment, the Karamay irrigation district was selected. Four different years, namely, 1996, 2006, 2016, and 2021, were selected for soil sampling and groundwater monitoring data. Descriptive statistics, along with the use of GIS technology and Pearson’s correlation, were employed to analyze the data in order to discern the patterns of soil salinity and groundwater depth within the plow layer. Additionally, this approach helped establish the correlation between these factors over the last 25 years of reclamation in the Karamay irrigation district. The results showed that, (1) due to an increase in the reclamation duration, the groundwater depth in the irrigation area decreased year by year, and the salinity of the arable soil showed an overall decreasing trend, but it increased in local low-lying areas; (2) the influence of the groundwater depth on the salinity of the arable soil had a threshold value. It decreased from 3.1 m in 2016 to 2.4 m in 2021, and a significant negative correlation was observed between salinity and the depth of groundwater. When the groundwater depth was shallower than the threshold value, the soil salinity in the plow layer was negatively correlated with the groundwater depth. In the arid irrigation zone, inadequate drainage facilities resulted in a significant rise in the groundwater table due to the excessive amount of irrigation water. This created secondary salinization of the arable soil. It is thus concluded that implementing adequate drainage systems in arid irrigation regions will help prevent secondary salinization and promote the sustainable development of agriculture in these areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus)
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13 pages, 3199 KiB  
Article
Climate-Resilient Rice Establishment Practices: Findings and Lessons from Two Villages in Bihar, India
by Subhashisa Praharaj, Ratnesh Kumar Jha, Anil Kumar Singh, Shishir Kumar Gangwar, Rajendra Pratap Singh, Madhu Sudan Kundu, Abdus Sattar, Chelpuri Ramulu, Abhinav Kumar Singh, Surendra Singh Jatav and Abhik Patra
Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411082 - 15 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1352
Abstract
A growing population, changing climate, scarcity of resources, and the urgent need to achieve sustainable development goals makes it imperative to reimagine agriculture in a way that makes it economically profitable, climate-resilient, resource-efficient. Traditional rice production technology involving puddling and transplanting has often [...] Read more.
A growing population, changing climate, scarcity of resources, and the urgent need to achieve sustainable development goals makes it imperative to reimagine agriculture in a way that makes it economically profitable, climate-resilient, resource-efficient. Traditional rice production technology involving puddling and transplanting has often been criticized for its inefficient resource utilization, high cost of production, and emission of greenhouse gases such as methane. Direct-seeded rice (DSR), promoted for its climate-resilient nature, is often utilized by farmers in three different ways: broadcasting, line sowing, and zero tillage. However, these establishment methods have certain advantages and limitations, as perceived by farmers. The present study attempts to closely study the crop performance of rice under the abovementioned crop establishment methods. The study was conducted in farmers’ fields in a way where both the farmers’ freedom and research conditions were equally taken care of. The study aims to analyze crop performance while emphasizing farmers’ field-based knowledge to ensure a lab-land-lab loop for understanding the scope of refinement in agronomic as well extension strategies. The results of this study reveal the superiority of zero tillage over broadcasting and line sowing in terms of crop performance and economic performance in the northwest alluvial plain zone of Bihar. The study has also identified the constraints associated with adoption of line sowing and zero tillage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus)
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22 pages, 3760 KiB  
Article
Air Quality—Meteorology Correlation Modeling Using Random Forest and Neural Network
by Ruifang Liu, Lixia Pang, Yidian Yang, Yuxing Gao, Bei Gao, Feng Liu and Li Wang
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4531; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054531 - 3 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1921
Abstract
Under the global warming trend, the diffusion of air pollutants has intensified, causing extremely serious environmental problems. In order to improve the air quality–meteorology correlation model’s prediction accuracy, this work focuses on the management strategy of the environmental ecosystem under the Artificial Intelligence [...] Read more.
Under the global warming trend, the diffusion of air pollutants has intensified, causing extremely serious environmental problems. In order to improve the air quality–meteorology correlation model’s prediction accuracy, this work focuses on the management strategy of the environmental ecosystem under the Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm and explores the correlation between air quality and meteorology. Xi’an city is selected as an example. Then, the theoretical knowledge is explained for Random Forest (RF), Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN), and Genetic Algorithm (GA) in AI. Finally, GA is used to optimize and predict the weights and thresholds of the BPNN. Further, a fusion model of RF + BP + GA is proposed to predict the air quality and meteorology correlation. The proposed air quality–meteorology correlation model is applied to forest ecosystem management. Experimental analysis reveals that average temperature positively correlates with Air Quality Index (AQI), while relative humidity and wind speed negatively correlate with AQI. Moreover, the proposed RF + BP + GA model’s prediction error for AQI is not more than 0.32, showing an excellently fitting effect with the actual value. The air-quality prediction effect of the meteorological correlation model using RF is slightly lower than the real measured value. The prediction effect of the BP–GA model is slightly higher than the real measured value. The prediction effect of the air quality–meteorology correlation model combining RF and BP–GA is the closest to the real measured value. It shows that the air quality–meteorology correlation model using the fusion model of RF and BP–GA can predict AQI with the utmost accuracy. This work provides a research reference regarding the AQI value of the correlation model of air quality and meteorology and provides data support for the analysis of air quality problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus)
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13 pages, 3611 KiB  
Article
Selenium Application Improves Drought Tolerance during Reproductive Phase of Rice
by Girija Prasad Patnaik, V. Monisha, N. Thavaprakaash, M. Djanaguiraman, S. Sachin, Kannamreddy Vikram, Thaimadam Girwani, M. Jeeva, M. Monicaa, Likhit Patnaik, Biswaranjan Behera, Kancheti Mrunalini, G. Srinivasan, Mude Ashok Naik, S. V. Varshini and S. Sapthagiri
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2730; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032730 - 2 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2232
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield is reduced by drought stress during reproductive stages. In this work, the effects of foliar selenium (Se) spray on the reduction of drought stress are measured and the most critical stage of rice is identified. Three [...] Read more.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield is reduced by drought stress during reproductive stages. In this work, the effects of foliar selenium (Se) spray on the reduction of drought stress are measured and the most critical stage of rice is identified. Three field experiments were carried out. In experiments I and II, the sensitive stage was determined by imposing drought stress at the panicle initiation and flowering stages by withholding irrigation for 10, 15, 20, and 25 days. In experiment III, drought stress was induced by depriving plants of moisture for 20 or 25 days. Se spray was then applied at rates of 0, 10, and 20 mg L−1 to alleviate the drought, and its effects were evaluated. Overall, it was reported that the panicle initiation stage was more vulnerable to drought stress than the flowering stage, as evidenced by a larger reduction in grain yield. Employing Se as a foliar spray at a rate of 20 mg L−1 under drought stress enhanced the number of filled grains m−2, the total number of grains m−2, and grain yield ha−1 by 22.0, 4.3, and 11.0%, respectively, over water spray. This shows a positive interaction or synergistic interaction between drought tolerance and selenium application. These results demonstrate that foliage supplementation of Se at a dosage of 20 mg L−1 alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress at the panicle initiation stage in rice cultivation. Se mitigated the negative effects of drought by improving the membrane stability index, relative water content, and proline content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil-Water-Plants and Environmental Nexus)
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