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Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 4973

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bogdan Saletnik

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Guest Editor
Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 2D Ćwiklińskiej Street, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: thermal modification of plant materials—pyrolysis; biochar in the agri-food sector; mobility of heavy metals in the soil-water environment; analysis of energy value and elemental composition of food products and plant biomass
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marcin Bajcar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 2D Ćwiklińskiej Street, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: functional beverages; sports drinks; hydration; dehydration; CHO-enriched beverages; lipid-enriched beverages; protein-enriched beverages; osmolality; athletes; performance; recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Zaguła

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 2D Ćwiklińskiej Street, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: functional beverages; sports drinks; hydration; dehydration; CHO-enriched beverages; lipid-enriched beverages; protein-enriched beverages; osmolality; athletes; performance; recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. The main aim of individual innovative activities is the sustainable and economical use of resources combined with environmental requirements and food safety. Agriculture plays the most important role in creating food security and safe food. The effects of activities used in agricultural production, taking into account environmental conditions, influence the availability of food as well as the quality of manufactured products. The use of various types of production systems, such as ecological or environmentally sustainable systems, and the implementation of innovative systems can influence the environment and thus food quality and the health of consumers. In turn, the search for and improvement of alternative energy sources is crucial for energy and environmental protection, and broadly defined sustainable development. The argument for exploring new technologies, including those using biomass and crop production, is the slow depletion of fossil fuel resources, including hard coal, lignite, oil and natural gas. Less and less favourable forecasts cause prices of these raw materials to rise on the world market, which, without using new technologies, could lead to conflicts and crises.

In this Special Issue, authors are actively invited to submit their papers covering high-quality novel research, as well as review studies regarding current research and innovations used in agriculture for energy and food production. This Special Issue is devoted to interdisciplinary research on plant production systems, methods of plant raw material processing, production of biofuels and high-quality foods.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Bogdan Saletnik
Dr. Marcin Bajcar
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Zaguła
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

  • innovations in agriculture
  • sustainable agriculture
  • food production
  • food safety
  • food preservation methods
  • biochar
  • pyrolysis
  • waste management
  • carbon sequestration
  • soil fertilization
  • magnetic fields

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1097 KiB  
Article
Reduced Soil Moisture Decreases Nectar Sugar Resources Offered to Pollinators in the Popular White Mustard (Brassica alba L.) Crop: Experimental Evidence from Poland
by Bożena Denisow, Sławomir Michałek, Monika Strzałkowska-Abramek and Urszula Bronowicka-Mielniczuk
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6550; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146550 - 17 Jul 2025
Viewed by 206
Abstract
Climate change can severely impact plant-pollinator interactions and have serious effects on ecosystem services such as pollination. This study was carried out in 2023 and 2024, and it examined the effects of drought on flowering and nectar production in one cultivar of white [...] Read more.
Climate change can severely impact plant-pollinator interactions and have serious effects on ecosystem services such as pollination. This study was carried out in 2023 and 2024, and it examined the effects of drought on flowering and nectar production in one cultivar of white mustard (Brassica alba cv. Palma), an important entomophilous crop of the temperate zone with several attributes that make it promising for sustainable agricultural practices. Drought-stressed plants delayed the flowering time, shortened the flowering duration, and developed significantly fewer flowers. Nectar production in white mustard depends on soil moisture levels and short-term changes in meteorological conditions (e.g., air humidity, air temperature). At reduced soil moisture, the total sugar yield per plant decreased by 60%, compared to control plants, resulting in lower availability of caloric food resources, which should be considered when developing strategies supporting pollinators. Changes in floral traits resulted in differences in the frequency of insect visits, which may exert a negative impact on white mustard pollination under drought stress and may have indirect consequences for seed yield resulting from increased drought intensity associated with climate change. The results provide important data for the management of the white mustard crop and indicate the need for broader evaluation of cultivars to promote drought-resistant B. alba cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety)
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16 pages, 6892 KiB  
Article
Interrelation Between Growing Conditions in Caucasus Subtropics and Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’ Yield for the Sustainable Agriculture
by Tsiala V. Tutberidze, Alexey V. Ryndin, Tina D. Besedina, Natalya S. Kiseleva, Vladimir Brigida and Aleksandr P. Boyko
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6499; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146499 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 217
Abstract
Kiwifruit is a high-value subtropical crop with significant nutritional and economic importance, but its cultivation faces growing challenges due to climate change, particularly in Caucasus. This study aims to study the impact of abiotic stressors such as temperature extremes, drought, and frost on [...] Read more.
Kiwifruit is a high-value subtropical crop with significant nutritional and economic importance, but its cultivation faces growing challenges due to climate change, particularly in Caucasus. This study aims to study the impact of abiotic stressors such as temperature extremes, drought, and frost on the yield of the ‘Hayward’ cultivar over a 20-year period (from 2003 to 2022). Using a combination of agroclimatic data analysis, measurements of soluble solid content, and soil moisture assessments, this research identified key factors which limit kiwifruit cultivation productivity. The results revealed a high yield variability—68%, with the mean value declining by 16.6% every five years due to increasing aridity and heat stress. Extreme temperature rises of up to 30 °C caused yield losses of 79–89%, and the presence of frost led to declines of 71–94%. In addition, it is objectively proven that the vulnerability of kiwifruit is subject to climate-driven water imbalances. This highlights the need for adaptive strategy formation in the area of optimized irrigation for the sustainable cultivation of fruit in the subtropics. One of the study’s limitations was that it was organized around a single variety of kiwifruit (‘Hayward’). In view of the fact that there are significant differences in growth characteristics among kiwifruit varieties, future research should focus on overcoming this shortcoming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety)
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16 pages, 456 KiB  
Article
Influence of Biochar Foliar Application on Malvazija Istarska Grapevine Physiology
by Igor Palčić, Dominik Anđelini, Melissa Prelac, Igor Pasković, Marko Černe, Nikola Major, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Zoran Užila, Marijan Bubola, Dean Ban, Ivan Nemet, Tomislav Karažija, Marko Petek, Ana-Marija Jagatić Korenika and Danko Cvitan
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5947; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135947 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 244
Abstract
Biochar has attracted interest in viticulture for its potential to enhance nutrient uptake and improve grapevine physiology under changing climatic conditions, particularly in Mediterranean regions. However, the widespread adoption of biochar has been limited due to economic and logistical constraints associated with its [...] Read more.
Biochar has attracted interest in viticulture for its potential to enhance nutrient uptake and improve grapevine physiology under changing climatic conditions, particularly in Mediterranean regions. However, the widespread adoption of biochar has been limited due to economic and logistical constraints associated with its large-scale application. To address these barriers hindering the widespread adoption of biochar, this study investigates the effects of foliar-applied water suspensions of biochar at concentrations of 300 mg/L (B300), 600 mg/L (B600), and 1200 mg/L (B1200), compared to a water-only control (C), as a practical alternative application method. The research focused on Malvazija istarska (Vitis vinifera L.), an indigenous Croatian grapevine variety, conducted in an experimental vineyard in Poreč, Croatia. The key physiological parameters examined included photo-synthetic activity, leaf water potential, the elemental composition of the grapevine leaves, and grape yield. Foliar applications were administered three times during the growing season, with five replicates per treatment. The results indicated that biochar treatments had no significant impact on photosynthetic activity, suggesting that foliar application did not cause leaf shading. However, higher biochar concentrations (B600 and B1200) led to increased leaf concentrations of nitrogen (2.1–3.8%), potassium (10.1–18.4 g/kg), sulfur (2.2–2.5 g/kg), boron (65.1–83.6 mg/kg), and manganese (42.4–69.8 mg/kg) compared to B300 and C treatments. Conversely, magnesium content decreased (2.1–2.7 g/kg), likely due to potassium–magnesium antagonism. Furthermore, the B600 treatment produced the highest grape yield (2.67 kg/vine), representing up to a 37% increase compared to other treatments. These findings suggest that the foliar application of biochar can be an effective and sustainable strategy to enhance vineyard productivity. Moreover, it offers a circular economy approach by valorizing grapevine pruning waste as a biochar source. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety)
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12 pages, 1270 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Tests of Tomato Plant Protection Method with Ozone Gas Fumigation Supported with Hydrogen Peroxide Solution and Its Effect on Some Fruit Parameters
by Miłosz Zardzewiały, Natalia Matłok, Tomasz Piechowiak, Bogdan Saletnik, Maciej Balawejder and Józef Gorzelany
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3481; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083481 - 22 Apr 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2048
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine the impact of hydrogen peroxide spraying and ozone gas fumigation during the growing season of tomato plants grown under cover on the mechanical and chemical parameters of fruit harvested from these plants. Tomato plants were [...] Read more.
The aim of this research was to determine the impact of hydrogen peroxide spraying and ozone gas fumigation during the growing season of tomato plants grown under cover on the mechanical and chemical parameters of fruit harvested from these plants. Tomato plants were grown under cover in accordance with the principles of good agricultural practice in the soil and climatic conditions of southeastern Poland. During the growing season, tomato fruits were collected for testing in order to determine the impact of the applied variable factors on the modification of selected metabolic pathways of bioactive compounds. As part of the tests on the chemical properties of the fruits, the content of ascorbic acid, the total content of polyphenols, and the antioxidant potential were determined. Additionally, the influence of the tested variable factors on the mechanical properties of tomato fruits was determined. In the case of the total polyphenol content, the most beneficial effects were observed for fruits collected from plants treated with ozonation at a dose of 2 ppm for 3 min and spraying the plants with 1% hydrogen peroxide. The highest antioxidant potential was recorded for fruits of the variants ozonated with doses of 2 ppm for 1 min, 2 ppm for 1.5 min, and 2 ppm for 3 min compared to the remaining variants and controls. In turn, the vitamin C content increased significantly in the tested fruits after the ozonation of plants with a dose of 2 ppm for 1 min and ozonation with a dose of 2 ppm for 3 min combined with spraying plants with 3% hydrogen peroxide. In the case of the mechanical properties of tomato fruits, only the ozonation dose of 2 ppm for 3 min significantly improved them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety)
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15 pages, 1481 KiB  
Article
Pyrolysis as a Method for Processing of Waste from Production of Cultivated Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)
by Bogdan Saletnik, Marcin Fiedur, Radosław Kwarciany, Grzegorz Zaguła and Marcin Bajcar
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2749; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072749 - 26 Mar 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1582
Abstract
Because of the current energy crisis, researchers are looking into new potential substrates for production of biofuels and for possible ways to enhance their parameters. In line with such efforts, the current study focuses on the feasibility of processing waste from the production [...] Read more.
Because of the current energy crisis, researchers are looking into new potential substrates for production of biofuels and for possible ways to enhance their parameters. In line with such efforts, the current study focuses on the feasibility of processing waste from the production of cultivated tobacco. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of tobacco waste as a raw material for the production of solid biofuels, such as biochar produced through pyrolysis, and to determine its basic physicochemical properties, compared to other materials used for the production of green fuels. The analyses showed calorific values of 16.16 MJ kg−1 for the raw biomass and those in the range of 24.16–27.32 MJ kg−1 for the products of pyrolysis conducted at temperatures of 400–500 °C and with a heating time in the range of 5 to 15 min. To address the safety-related issues, the study also measured the explosion index (Kst max), which, in the raw biomass, amounted to 72.62 bar s−1 and in the biochar was in the range between 82.42 and 88.11 bar s−1. The registered maximum explosion pressure was 7.37 bar in the case of raw biomass, whereas in the biochars, the value ranged from 8.09 to 8.94 bar. The findings show that tobacco waste has parameters comparable to those identified in the case of other solid biofuels, whereas the process of pyrolysis enhances the energy-related parameters without increasing the explosion class of the product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture in Issues of Energy Production and Food Safety)
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