Innovative Applications for Sustainable Agriculture: Strategies for Soil Fertility, Plant Growth, and Stress Mitigation
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1748
Special Issue Editors
Institute of Agronomy, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
Interests: soil organic matter; humic substances; biochar; soil fertility; plant nutrition; stress protection; enhanced efficiency fertilizers; spectroscopy characterization; chemometric analysis
Institute of Agronomy, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
Interests: soil organic matter; humic substances, biochar, soil fertility, plant nutrition, stress protection, enhanced efficiency fertilizers; spectroscopy characterization, chemometric analysis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sustainable agriculture faces significant challenges, including soil degradation, reduced fertility, and the effects of climate change. Biochar and humic substances have emerged as promising solutions, offering benefits such as improved soil fertility, enhanced plant growth, and the mitigation of abiotic and biotic stresses. These materials, derived from renewable resources, also contribute to carbon sequestration, aiding in the global effort to combat climate change. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding their mechanisms of action, their interactions with soil–plant systems, and how to optimize their properties for different agricultural contexts.
This Special Issue aims to present cutting-edge research on the applications of biochar, humic substances, and their engineered derivatives to enhance soil fertility, promote plant growth, and mitigate stress in agricultural systems. We also seek to explore their broader role in achieving sustainability in soil management, carbon sequestration, and environmental protection. This Special Issue welcomes contributions that bridge fundamental science and practical applications, emphasizing strategies to optimize their use and impact in agriculture.
We invite high-quality research articles, reviews, and case studies on the following themes:
1. Enhancing Soil Fertility and Carbon Management
- Mechanisms of nutrient retention, release, and availability.
- Effects on soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity.
- Biochar and humic substances as tools for increasing soil organic carbon stocks and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Plant Growth and Stress Tolerance
- Applications in seed germination, root development, and biomass production.
- Mitigation of abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, and heavy metals.
- Protection against biotic stresses, such as enhancing resistance to pathogens.
3. Innovative Technologies and Derivatives
- Development of biochar–humic composites and engineered materials for specific agricultural needs.
- Nanotechnology applications to enhance the efficiency of biochar and humic-based solutions.
- Integration with precision agriculture and digital farming technologies.
4. Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts
- Life cycle assessments of biochar- and humic-based technologies.
- Role in promoting circular economies and reducing waste.
- Challenges and opportunities for scaling up in diverse agricultural systems.
Original research articles and reviews are welcome on topics such as:
- Soil science and fertility management.
- Carbon sequestration and soil organic carbon dynamics.
- Biochar production, characterization, and application.
- Humic substances: extraction, properties, and agricultural uses.
- Plant responses to biochar and humic amendments.
- Mitigation of abiotic stresses (e.g., drought, salinity).
- Development of biochar–humic composites.
- Nanotechnology in biochar and humic substance technologies.
- Microbial interactions and the role of soil microbiomes.
- Greenhouse gas emissions and climate-smart agriculture.
- Precision agriculture integration.
- Life cycle assessments and sustainability.
- Socioeconomic impacts of biochar and humic technologies.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Andrés García
Dr. Danielle Franç Oliveira Torchia
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
- biochar
- humic substances
- soil fertility
- carbon sequestration
- soil–plant interactions
- abiotic stress mitigation
- plant growth stimulation
- sustainable agriculture
- soil organic carbon
- agricultural innovations
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.
