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The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality
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The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 6773

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eleonora Nistor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Engineering and Aplied Technology, University of Life Sciences “King Michael Ist”, Timisoara, Romania
Interests: vineyards management; climate variability influence on grape yield, grape berries and wine quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Throughout history, a relationship has been established between people, land (as the basis of agriculture), and food sources, which has influenced the success of civilizations. Human society has evolved through the exploitation of resources, including soil and water, allowing people to produce food through agriculture. There are 17 essential elements required for plant growth; the lack of an essential nutrient can limit crop production. The primary macronutrients (N, P, and K) are required as limiting factors for crop growth. Micronutrients are required in trace amounts and can be toxic to plants if consumed in large quantities. The proper application of fertilisers through the use of various techniques (broadcasting, foliar application, fertigation, etc.) improves nutrient uptake efficiency and yield quality production. The function of soil on many agricultural surfaces is frequently compromised as a result of inappropriate practices that are repeated over time. Soil management entails creating an environment that promotes the growth and function of plant roots. Soil not only provides mechanical support to plants but also provides water and nutrients, both of which influence vigour, the balance of plant mass and yield, and the quality of production. Water management requires an understanding of soil's water holding capacity, particularly in the root zone, as well as the rate of water absorption, which is proportional to the amount of water required by plants. As a result, soil moisture must be monitored in order to reduce water waste through irrigation while also ensuring adequate water for quality production. The repeated passage of machines for various operations causes soil compaction, which can have a long-term effect on soil's water permeability in addition to the level of the activity and biodiversity of microorganisms that play an important role in the normal functioning of soil, in the control of diseases, plants, insects, pests, and weeds, and in influencing nitrogen mineralization as well as production. Large agricultural areas, on the other hand, are vulnerable to soil loss due to wind, rainfall intensity, soil bars, or agricultural activities on steep slopes. As a result, healthy soil is the foundation of food systems, with soil quality directly related to food quality and quantity. Healthy soil also helps to mitigate climate change by retaining or increasing its carbon content.

Dr. Eleonora Nistor
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Plants 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 2700 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

  • soil management
  • tillage
  • cover crops
  • compost
  • mulching
  • fertilization
  • water
  • irrigation
  • drought
  • compaction
  • soil erosion
  • soil biodiversity (microflora and microfauna)
  • crop quality

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 11067 KiB  
Article
Moderate Water Stress Impact on Yield Components of Greenhouse Tomatoes in Relation to Plant Water Status
by Munia Alomari-Mheidat, Mireia Corell, María José Martín-Palomo, Pedro Castro-Valdecantos, Noemí Medina-Zurita, Laura L. de Sosa and Alfonso Moriana
Plants 2024, 13(1), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010128 - 2 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1129
Abstract
The scarcity of water resources affects tomato production. Deficit irrigation may optimize water management with only a low reduction in yield. Deficit irrigation scheduling based on applied water presented no clear conclusions. Water stress management based on plant water status, such as water [...] Read more.
The scarcity of water resources affects tomato production. Deficit irrigation may optimize water management with only a low reduction in yield. Deficit irrigation scheduling based on applied water presented no clear conclusions. Water stress management based on plant water status, such as water potential, could improve the scheduling. The aim of this work was to evaluate the physiological and yield responses of different tomato cultivars to deficit irrigation. Three experiments were carried out in 2020 and 2022 at the University of Seville (Spain). “Cherry” and “chocolate Marmande” cultivars with an indeterminate growth pattern were grown in a greenhouse. Treatments were: Control (full irrigated) and Deficit. Deficit plants were irrigated based on water potential measurements. Moderate water stress did not significantly reduce the yield, although it affected other processes. Fruit size and total soluble solids were the most sensitive parameters to water stress. The latter increased only when persistent water stress was applied. However, truss development and fruit number were not affected by the level of water stress imposed. Such results suggest that moderate water stress, even in sensitive phenological stages such as flowering, would not reduce yield. Deficit irrigation scheduling based on plant water status will allow accurate management of water stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality)
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18 pages, 3454 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen Application Can Optimize Form of Selenium in Soil in Selenium-Rich Areas to Affect Selenium Absorption and Accumulation in Black Wheat
by Weilin Kong, Ruiwen Huo, Yu Lu, Zhenjie Fan, Runqing Yue, Aixia Ren, Linghong Li, Pengcheng Ding, Yongkang Ren, Zhiqiang Gao and Min Sun
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4160; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244160 - 14 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1056
Abstract
The composition and form of selenium in the soil have significant effects on the selenium content of crops. In this study, we investigated the selenium absorption pathway in plants by studying the interaction between nitrogen fertilizer and soil selenium. Our results showed that [...] Read more.
The composition and form of selenium in the soil have significant effects on the selenium content of crops. In this study, we investigated the selenium absorption pathway in plants by studying the interaction between nitrogen fertilizer and soil selenium. Our results showed that the selenium concentration enrichment factors (CEF) varied within the same region due to nitrogen fertilizer application, where they ranged from 1.33 to 5.02. The soil selenium flow coefficient (mobility factor, MF) increased with higher nitrogen application rates. The sum of the MF values for each soil layer treated with nitrogen application rates of 192 kg hm−2 and 240 kg hm−2 was 0.70, which was 64% higher than that for the control group with no nitrogen application. In the 0–20 cm soil layer, the highest summed water-soluble and exchangeable selenium and relative percentage of total selenium (12.45%) was observed at a nitrogen application rate of 240 kg hm−2. In the 20–40 cm soil layer, the highest relative percentage content of water-soluble and exchangeable selenium and total selenium (12.66%) was observed at a nitrogen application rate of 192 kg hm−2. Experimental treatment of black wheat with various concentrations of sodium selenite showed that selenium treatment at 50 μmol L−1 significantly increased the reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the leaves and roots of seedlings, where the GSH contents increased by 155.4% in the leaves and by 91.5% in the roots. Further analysis of the soil–black wheat system showed that nitrogen application in selenium-rich areas affected the soil selenium flow coefficient and morphological composition, thereby changing the enrichment coefficient for leaves (0.823), transport capacity from leaves to grains (–0.530), and enrichment coefficient for roots (0.38). These changes ultimately affected the selenium concentration in the grains of black wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality)
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25 pages, 7911 KiB  
Article
Identification and Characterization of Beneficial Soil Microbial Strains for the Formulation of Biofertilizers Based on Native Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms Isolated from Northern Mexico
by Carlos Esteban Guardiola-Márquez, María Teresa Santos-Ramírez, Melina Lizeth Figueroa-Montes, Eric Oswaldo Valencia-de los Cobos, Iván Jesús Stamatis-Félix, Diego E. Navarro-López and Daniel A. Jacobo-Velázquez
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3262; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183262 - 13 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2542
Abstract
Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) benefit plant health by enhancing plant nutrient-use efficiency and protecting plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. This study aimed to isolate and characterize autochthonous PGPM from important agri-food crops and nonagricultural plants to formulate biofertilizers. Native microorganisms were isolated [...] Read more.
Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) benefit plant health by enhancing plant nutrient-use efficiency and protecting plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. This study aimed to isolate and characterize autochthonous PGPM from important agri-food crops and nonagricultural plants to formulate biofertilizers. Native microorganisms were isolated and evaluated for PGP traits (K, P, and Zn solubilization, N2-fixation, NH3-, IAA and siderophore production, and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum). Isolates were tested on radish and broccoli seedlings, evaluating 19 individual isolates and 12 microbial consortia. Potential bacteria were identified through DNA sequencing. In total, 798 bacteria and 209 fungi were isolated. Isolates showed higher mineral solubilization activity than other mechanisms; 399 bacteria and 156 fungi presented mineral solubilization. Bacteria were relevant for nitrogen fixation, siderophore, IAA (29–176 mg/L), and ammonia production, while fungi for Fusarium growth inhibition (40–69%). Twenty-four bacteria and eighteen fungi were selected for their PGP traits. Bacteria had significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.05) better effects on plants than fungi; treatments improved plant height (23.06–51.32%), leaf diameter (25.43–82.91%), and fresh weight (54.18–85.45%) in both crops. Most potential species belonged to Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Serratia, and Rahnella genera. This work validated a high-throughput approach to screening hundreds of rhizospheric microorganisms with PGP potential isolated from rhizospheric samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality)
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16 pages, 5378 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Grain Yield and Radiation Use Efficiency through Synergistic Applications of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizers in Super Hybrid Rice
by Jun Deng, Jiayu Ye, Xuefen Zhong, Qingqing Yang, Matthew Tom Harrison, Chunhu Wang, Liying Huang, Xiaohai Tian, Ke Liu and Yunbo Zhang
Plants 2023, 12(15), 2858; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152858 - 3 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1283
Abstract
The remarkable yield performance of super hybrid rice has played a crucial role in ensuring global food security. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the contribution of radiation use efficiency (RUE) to hybrid rice yields under different nitrogen and potassium treatments. [...] Read more.
The remarkable yield performance of super hybrid rice has played a crucial role in ensuring global food security. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the contribution of radiation use efficiency (RUE) to hybrid rice yields under different nitrogen and potassium treatments. In this three-year field experiment, we aimed to evaluate the impact of two hybrid rice varieties (Y-liangyou 900: YLY900 and Quanyouhuazhan: QYHZ) under varying nitrogen regimes (N90: 90 kg N ha−1, N120: 120 kg N ha−1, N180: 180 kg N ha−1) and potassium regimes (K120: 120 kg K2O ha−1, K160: 160 kg K2O ha−1, K210: 210 kg K2O ha−1) on grain yield and its physiological determinants, including RUE, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), aboveground biomass production, and harvest index (HI). Our results revealed that both rice varieties exhibited significantly higher yields when coupled with nitrogen and potassium fertilization. Compared to the N90 × K120 treatment, the N120 × K160 and N180 × K210 combinations resulted in substantial increases in grain yield (12.0% and 21.1%, respectively) and RUE (11.9% and 21.4%, respectively). The YLY900 variety showed notable yield improvement due to enhanced aboveground biomass production resulting from increased IPAR and RUE. In contrast, the QYHZ variety’s aboveground biomass accumulation was primarily influenced by RUE rather than IPAR, resulting in higher RUE and grain yields of 9.2% and 5.3%, respectively, compared to YLY900. Importantly, fertilization led to significant increases in yield, biomass, and RUE, while HI remained relatively constant. Both varieties demonstrated a positive relationship between grain yield and IPAR and RUE. Multiple regression analysis indicated that increasing RUE was the primary driver of yield improvement in hybrid rice varieties. By promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing fertilizer management, elevating nitrogen and potassium levels from a low base would synergistically enhance rice yield and RUE, emphasizing the critical importance of RUE in hybrid rice productivity compared to HI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Soil Management and Fertilization on Crops’ Quality)
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