Resilient Legume-Based Cropping Systems: Integrating Agronomic, Soil and Nutrient Perspectives
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Systems and Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 May 2026) | Viewed by 1091
Special Issue Editors
Interests: crop production; sustainable agriculture; soil tillage systems; biodiversity; forecrop; residue management; soil and nutrient management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: sustainable agriculture; crop cultivation; seeds quality; soil management; crop nutrition; microorganisms; farming technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Legume-based cropping systems have long played a vital role in agricultural sustainability, owing to their capacity for biological nitrogen fixation, contribution to soil health and diversification of cropping rotations. Historically, legumes were central to low-input systems, but modern intensification has often relegated them, reducing their resilience and ecosystem services. Today, amidst climate uncertainty, resource constraints and soil degradation, there is renewed interest in developing resilient legume-rich systems that can anchor sustainable production.
In this Special Issue, we aim to explore the integration of agronomic practices, soil functioning and nutrient-cycling dynamics in legume-based systems to advance resilience in cropping systems. Research topics of interest include the following: the role of legume species diversity and mixture designs in enhancing system stability; the interactions of legumes with soil microbial communities and soil organic matter accrual; nutrient flows (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, micronutrients) under legume-based rotations; resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses (drought, heat, pests); and the integration of legumes in novel cropping systems. We are soliciting original research articles that address the following: agronomic strategies to integrate legumes effectively; soil–nutrient–microbe interactions underpinning legume system resilience; assessment of nutrient use efficiency, soil health indicators and yield stability in legume-based systems; and system-level evaluations of legume integrations in diverse environments.
Dr. Agnieszka Faligowska
Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Panasiewicz
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- legume-based cropping systems
- soil health
- nutrient cycling
- agronomic resilience
- cover crops
- biological nitrogen fixation
- cropping system diversification
- soil carbon sequestration
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