Topic Editors

1. College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
2. Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid Areas of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Prof. Dr. Xianqing Hou
School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Dr. Peng Wu
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China

High-Efficiency Utilization of Water-Fertilizer Resources and Green Production of Crops, 2nd Edition

Abstract submission deadline
30 April 2027
Manuscript submission deadline
30 June 2027
Viewed by
2038

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Arid and semi-arid areas account for about 36% of total global land area, hosting more than 80 countries and 40% of the global population. They compose the main food production regions and contain abundant soil and photothermal resources. However, agricultural production in these areas is limited by drought, infertility, soil erosion, etc. Additionally, traditional agronomic management approaches have greatly affected arid and semi-arid agroecosystems through soil degradation, soil nutrient loss, water pollution, etc. The imbalance between agricultural production and the environment seriously hinders the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to agriculture in these regions. Recently, many agronomic management approaches have been proposed to promote crop production, increase resource efficiency, and improve farmland environments in arid and semi-arid regions, i.e., film mulching, organic matter application, fertilizer reduction, straw return, intercropping, water-efficient irrigation, and conservation tillage. Thus, we need to explore the mechanisms of these management approaches on crop production and the environment, plant nutrition and nutrient use efficiency under drought and temperature stress, as well as their synergistic effects on production and ecological functioning. Therefore, we welcome high-quality interdisciplinary research that addresses the conflict between agricultural production and environmental sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • Studies on crop management practices that enhance water–fertilizer use efficiency and promote green production;
  • Investigations into plant–microbe–soil interactions and their role in nutrient cycling and soil health;
  • Systems-based approaches that integrate agronomic, ecological, and physiological perspectives to advance sustainable dryland farming.
  • We also welcome studies that investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers on nutrient use efficiency and environmental impacts in arid and semi-arid regions.

Dr. Peng Zhang
Prof. Dr. Xianqing Hou
Dr. Wenyi Dong
Dr. Peng Wu
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • field crop
  • nutrient use efficiency
  • crop nutrition dynamics
  • nitrate leaching
  • N2O emissions
  • crop nutrition under stress
  • high-efficiency utilization
  • soil water and fertilizer management
  • soil health
  • semiarid area
  • dryland farming

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Agriculture
agriculture
3.6 6.3 2011 18.8 Days CHF 2600 Submit
Agronomy
agronomy
3.4 6.7 2011 17 Days CHF 2600 Submit
Crops
crops
1.9 2.4 2021 22.4 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Nitrogen
nitrogen
2.3 2.8 2020 16.7 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Plants
plants
4.1 7.6 2012 16.5 Days CHF 2700 Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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24 pages, 6369 KB  
Article
The Combined Application of Organic Fertilizer and Chemical Fertilizer Increases Alfalfa Yield, Enhances Soil Nutrient Availability, and Improves Soil Biological Properties
by Xuerong Ma, Lan Wang, Zhuang Xue, Qi Wang, Yihan Qian, An Yan and Lu Cai
Agronomy 2026, 16(8), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16080795 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 441
Abstract
This study focused on alfalfa (Medicago sativa cv. Xinmu No. 4) as the experimental material, and a two-year field plot controlled experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different co-application ratios of organic and chemical fertilizers on alfalfa yield, soil nutrient [...] Read more.
This study focused on alfalfa (Medicago sativa cv. Xinmu No. 4) as the experimental material, and a two-year field plot controlled experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different co-application ratios of organic and chemical fertilizers on alfalfa yield, soil nutrient status, and soil biological characteristics. The six fertilization treatments were as follows: CM0 (100% cattle manure), CM1 (75% cattle manure + 25% chemical fertilizer), CM2 (50% cattle manure + 50% chemical fertilizer), CM3 (25% cattle manure + 75% chemical fertilizer), CM4 (100% chemical fertilizer), and CK (no fertilizer application). The results showed that alfalfa hay yield was highest under the CM3 treatment in both 2024 and 2025, representing increases of 38.03% and 40.85%, respectively, compared with the control (CK). Relative to the other treatments, CM3 significantly increased soil total nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, readily available potassium, and organic matter contents. In addition, CM3 markedly enhanced the activities of soil nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), and the root enzymes glutamate synthase (GOGAT) and glutamine synthase (GS). The combined application of organic and chemical fertilizers significantly reshaped the soil bacterial community structure associated with alfalfa. Under the CM3 treatment, Chao1, Shannon, and ACE indices of soil bacterial diversity increased, whereas the Simpson index decreased. Moreover, the CM3 treatment was associated with higher relative abundances of several key bacterial phyla and genera. The 25% cattle manure plus 75% chemical fertilizer (CM3) treatment exhibited the strongest overall effects, significantly increasing total alfalfa hay yield, enhancing soil macronutrient availability and key enzyme activities, improving soil microbial α-diversity, and optimizing soil bacterial community structure. This treatment consistently outperformed the no-fertilizer control (CK) and all other organic–inorganic fertilizer combinations. Collectively, these findings provide robust scientific evidence supporting strategies to increase forage productivity, mitigate environmental impacts, and promote the sustainable development of the grassland industry. Full article
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23 pages, 1518 KB  
Article
Effect of Tillage and Fertilization Practices on Soil Physical Properties and Grain Yield in the Tableland Region of China’s Loess Plateau
by Xujiao Zhou, Shuying Wang, Jianjun Zhang, Gang Zhao, Yi Dang, Lei Wang, Gang Zhou, Wenbo Mi, Jingyu Hu, Shangzhong Li, Tinglu Fan and Wanli Cheng
Agriculture 2026, 16(5), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16050591 - 4 Mar 2026
Viewed by 461
Abstract
Water scarcity, poor soil, and low water and fertilizer utilization are major challenges on agricultural production in the tableland region of China’s Loess Plateau. Optimizing tillage patterns and improving soil nutrient status can improve crop yield and water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. A [...] Read more.
Water scarcity, poor soil, and low water and fertilizer utilization are major challenges on agricultural production in the tableland region of China’s Loess Plateau. Optimizing tillage patterns and improving soil nutrient status can improve crop yield and water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. A field trial was initiated in 2005 to assess the impacts of various tillage and fertilization practices on dryland agricultural production. A split-plot design was used, with tillage practices (traditional tillage and no tillage) as the main plot treatment and fertilization management (no fertilization (CK), mineral nitrogen (N), mineral phosphorus (P), composted cow manure (M), a combination of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), and a combination of mineral nitrogen, phosphorus, and composted cow manure (NMP)) as the split-plot treatment. An experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2024. The NMP treatment resulted in lower bulk density, a lower three-soil-phase index, and higher mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, soil water storage, total nitrogen, and soil organic matter than the CK. In the no-tillage treatment, the crop roots were less effective at extracting water from the deep subsoil, leading to greater residual moisture at depth (especially in the 120–200 cm soil layer) and lower yield and water use efficiency than in traditional tillage. The grain yield and water use efficiency were 9.2% and 8.4% lower, respectively, under no tillage than under traditional tillage. The NMP under traditional tillage exhibited lower surface soil bulk density and a higher three-soil-phase index, mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and water use efficiency than the unfertilized control, resulting in higher grain yields. The NMP under traditional tillage is recommended to increase grain yield and water use efficiency in wheat–maize rotation systems in the tableland region of China’s Loess Plateau. Future studies should analyze the deep root architecture and the effect of weed competition on soil water depletion. Full article
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17 pages, 819 KB  
Article
Integrating Agronomic Traits and Physiological Responses for Drought Resistance Screening in Wheat Germplasms
by Wenwen Cui, Yan Jin, Baoyuan Zhou, Liang Chen, Jiajing Song and Quanhao Song
Plants 2026, 15(4), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15040576 - 12 Feb 2026
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Drought stress is a critical limiting factor for wheat yield. Wild relatives of wheat have proven to be valuable genetic resources for desirable traits. This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of agronomic traits, photosynthetic physiological parameters, and antioxidant components among 26 [...] Read more.
Drought stress is a critical limiting factor for wheat yield. Wild relatives of wheat have proven to be valuable genetic resources for desirable traits. This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of agronomic traits, photosynthetic physiological parameters, and antioxidant components among 26 heterogermplasm wheat cultivars under well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) conditions over two consecutive years. The results revealed that all nine agronomic traits were adversely affected under WS conditions. Four agronomic traits were selected based on the drought-resistance coefficient (DC < 0.8) and heritability (H2 < 0.7) to calculate the membership function value of drought resistance (MFVD), including flag leaf area (FLA), tiller number (TN), grain yield per plant (GYPP), and biomass per plant (BMPP). All wheat genotypes clustered into three groups based on their mean value of MFVD in two years. Under drought stress, wheat germplasms classified within the high MFVD group demonstrate significantly enhanced drought adaptability, as evidenced by superior photosynthetic performance with elevated photosynthesis rate (Pn), the actual photochemical quantum efficiency of photosystem II (ΦPSII), and the electron transfer rate (ETR), increased chlorophyll retention (higher SPAD values), strengthened antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced stomatal limitation. Correlation analyses further reveal that MFVD exhibits significant positive correlations with Pn, ΦPSII, ETR, SPAD, and key antioxidant enzymes, while displaying a significant negative correlation with stomatal limitation value (Ls). These consistent physiological and biochemical patterns corroborate that the constituent agronomic traits—tiller number (TN), flag leaf area (FLA), biomass per plant (BMPP), and grain yield per plant (GYPP)—serve as robust and integrated phenotypic indicators for comprehensively evaluating drought resistance in wheat germplasm. Among the evaluated lines, lines 6, 15, 17, 21, and 22 exhibited significantly higher levels of drought resistance. These results highlight the presence of genetic variability among heterogermplasm wheat cultivars, which can be harnessed in breeding programs to develop drought-tolerant wheat varieties. Full article
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