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Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 18112

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Dr. Xiangdong Yang

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Guest Editor

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China/ Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: novel fertilizer; smart environment-responsive fertilizer; controlled-release fertilizer; biodegradable coating; nutrient use efficiency

Dr. Przemysław Barłóg

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Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environmental Biogeochemistry, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71F, 60-625 Poznan, Poland
Interests: plant nutrition; fertilizers and fertilization; nutrient use efficiency; plant testing methods; nutrient imbalance; yield physiology; crop quality; soil–microbe–plant interaction; nitrogen fixation; sustainable agriculture
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Dr. Xinhua He

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Guest Editor

1. Centre of Excellence for Soil Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: application of 15N stable isotope; nitrogen movement between plants; nutrient use efficiency, plant–soil–microbe interaction; responses of plant and soil process to elevated CO₂
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Crop production significantly correlates to fertilizer type and/or application. Without sufficient nutrients, crops may not grow to their full potential and fail to produce a high yield. Fertilizers replenish the nutrients that are used by crops and maintain soil fertility, which is crucial for crop growth and yield.

The application of the right amount and type of fertilizers can significantly enhance crop production by improving plant growth, yield, and quality. However, the excessive use of fertilizers can cause environmental pollution through leaching and runoff of nutrients, which can contaminate waterways and cause eutrophication. Therefore, the appropriate and efficient use of fertilizers must be considered to ensure effective crop production while minimizing environmental damage.

Recent advances in producing and applying novel fertilizers have significantly improved crop production around the world. These developments have focused on improving nutrient uptake efficiency, reducing environmental pollution, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

One advance is the employment of precision agriculture, which involves technologies to map soil nutrient variability and apply fertilizers precisely to optimize crop yields while minimizing misuse or excessive application. This precision approach ensures that the right amount of fertilizer is applied to the right location, time, and plant, leading to greater nutrient use efficiency and crop yield, yet less environmental impact.

Another advance is the application of slow/controlled-release fertilizers, which are designed to concurrently release and provide nutrients to plants gradually over a more extended period. These types of fertilizers have many remarkable advantages including improving plant nutrient use efficiency and production, reducing resource consumption and carbon emissions, and protecting the ecological environment.

The smart environment-responsive fertilizer can change water absorbency, water-holding capacity, and nutrient release behavior by intelligently regulating water and nutrients in soil according to specific stimulus-response signals of the soil environment, such as temperature, humidity, pH value, and so on. With important tendency in agriculture and horticulture field, these types of fertilizers have great potential in fertilizer development and application.

The production of nano-fertilizers is a recent development in the fertilizer industry. They are designed to deliver essential nutrients to plants at a molecular level. Nano-fertilizers have been demonstrated to promote plant growth and yield while reducing fertilizer application rates.

Biological fertilizers or microbial fertilizers that involve microbial activities have gained popularity in recent years. Biological fertilizers have been found to enhance nitrogen fixation, nutrient uptake, and plant growth and yield while promoting soil health, reducing environmental pollution, and improving sustainability.

Fertilization aiming to improve nutrient use efficiency also requires monitoring the nutritional status of plants. In this aspect, it is necessary to use appropriate procedures and diagnostic tools to support decision-making processes regarding the selection of an appropriate fertilization strategy.

Advances in plant nutrition and novel fertilizers have been instrumental in improving crop production and sustainable agriculture. These developments have provided more precise and efficient approaches to rational nutrient management, reduced environmental impacts, and improved soil health. These improvements will continue to be crucial in meeting global food demand while minimizing ecological footprints.

We invite you to contribute your research outcomes or comprehensive reviews on any aspect related to the theme of this Special Issue to further our understanding of the principles of plant nutrition and novel fertilizers.

Dr. Xiangdong Yang
Dr. Przemysław Barłóg
Dr. Xinhua He
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biodegradable coating technology
biological fertilizers
smart environment-responsive fertilizer
controlled-release strategy
diagnostic approaches and tools
fertilizer application rate
nano-fertilizers
new fertilizer
nutrient use efficiency
relation of plant nutrition and fertilizer

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 9822 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Effects of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Rates and Fertilizer Placement Methods on P Accumulations in Maize

by Sharifullah Sharifi, Songmei Shi, Hikmatullah Obaid, Xingshui Dong and Xinhua He

Plants 2024, 13(13), 1778; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131778 - 27 Jun 2024

Viewed by 932

Abstract

Crop production in Afghanistan suffers from limited phosphorus (P) availability, which severely hinders national agriculture sustainability. This study hypothesized that deep fertilizer placement could significantly enhance the uptake of immobile P and, thus, tissue P accumulation and crop yield. A two-year pot experiment growing two maize (Zea mays) hybrid cultivars (Xida-789 and Xida-211) was, therefore, conducted to test these hypotheses under three contrasting fertilizer placement methods (broadcast, side band, and deep band). In doing so, P concentrations in both maize tissues and soils were compared at 45, 60, and 115 days after sowing (DAS) under nine combinations of nitrogen (N) and P fertilizer rates (kg ha⁻¹: N112P45, N112P60, N112P75, N150P45, N150P60, N150P75, N187P45, N187P60, N187P75). Results have shown that deep band placement significantly increased P uptake efficiency, leading to greater P concentration and accumulation in maize tissues compared to the other two fertilization methods. This improved P uptake was attributed to several factors associated with deep placement, including reduced P fixation, enhanced root access to P, and moisture availability for P uptake. Additionally, deep band placement combined with higher N application rates (N187 and N150) further enhanced plant P uptake by promoting P availability and utilization mechanisms. Deep band placement also resulted in significantly higher total soil P, Olsen-P, and P use efficiency than broadcast and side band methods, indicating a more efficient P fertilization strategy for maize that can improve growth and yield. This study also found positive correlations between P concentration in plant organs and soil Olsen-P, highlighting the importance of adequate soil P levels for optimal plant growth. Overall, our results have shown that deep band fertilizer placement emerged as a superior strategy for enhancing P uptake efficiency, utilization, and maize productivity compared to broadcast and side band placement. The outcome generated from the deep band fertilization by this greenhouse study can be recommended for field practices to optimize P fertilizer use and improve maize production while minimizing potential environmental P losses associated with broadcast fertilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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15 pages, 5122 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Exogenous Organic Matter on Phosphorus Forms in Middle-High Fertility Cinnamon Soil

by Xiaodi Shi, Duanyin Gu, Haotian Yang, Yun Li, Yaqun Jiang, Nanbiao Zhan and Xiumin Cui

Plants 2024, 13(10), 1313; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101313 - 10 May 2024

Viewed by 828

Abstract

Objectives: To slow down the chemical fixation of phosphate fertilizer, reduce the risk of active phosphorus leaching, stimulate the inherent phosphorus resource activity of soil, and improve phosphorus supply capacity. Methods: This study utilized a combination of field experiments and indoor chemical analysis. Six types of exogenous organic matter (fulvic acid, biochar, compound microbial fertilizer, high-energy microbial inoculum, pig manure-vermicompost, cow manure-vermicompost) were added based on conventional fertilization. The experiment was conducted under the wheat-maize rotation system in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Results: Compared with control (CK) without exogenous organic matter (EOM), all the other treatments with EOM had an enhancing effect on the available phosphorus of the cultivated soil. During the maize harvest, the combined application of biochar, pig manure-vermicompost and cow manure-vermicompost treatment significantly increased the content of available phosphorus in 0–20 cm soil by 45.87–56.59% compared with CK. The combined application of fulvic acid, biochar, pig manure-vermicompost and cow manure-vermicompost treatment significantly increased the content of Ca₂-P in 0–20 cm soil by 34.04–65.14%. The content of Ca₁₀-P in each treatment with EOM exhibited a lower level compared to CK. EOM could slow down the fixation of phosphorus to some degree. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between Ca₂-P, Ca₈-P, Al-P, Fe-P, neutral phosphatase activity, acid phosphatase activity, and the available phosphorus content in the soil. The combined application of fulvic acid, biochar, and cow manure-vermicompost could enhance the activity of neutral and acid phosphatase in topsoil to a certain extent, thereby facilitating the conversion of phosphorus into highly available Ca₂-P. EOM could enhance the soil phosphorus availability and decelerate the conversion of soil phosphorus into O-P and Ca₁₀-P forms with low availability. Among all treatments, biochar exhibited the most pronounced efficiency in mitigating phosphorus leaching downward. Conclusions: All the EOMs had the potential to enhance the conversion of phosphorus into soluble phosphorus (Ca₂-P), thereby mitigating the chemical fixation of soil phosphorus and ameliorating non-point source pollution caused by phosphorus. EOM enhanced the activity of neutral and acid phosphatase, which was beneficial to the conversion of organic phosphorus to inorganic phosphorus and increasing the content of available phosphorus. All EOMs had good effects on the retention of soil effective phosphorus, among which biochar had the best effect on retaining effective phosphorus in the tillage layer and blocking phosphorus leaching downward. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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16 pages, 1796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Long-Term Controlled-Release Urea on Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions in an Open-Field Lettuce System

by Xuexia Wang, Bing Cao, Yapeng Zhou, Meng Zhao, Yanhua Chen, Jiajia Zhang, Jiachen Wang and Lina Liang

Plants 2024, 13(8), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081071 - 10 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1370

Abstract

Controlled-release urea (CRU) fertilizers are widely used in agricultural production to reduce conventional nitrogen (N) fertilization-induced agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and improve N use efficiency (NUE). However, the long-term effects of different CRU fertilizers on GHGs and crop yields in vegetable fields remain relatively unexplored. This study investigated the variations in GHG emissions at four growth stages of lettuce in the spring and autumn seasons based on a five-year field experiment in the North China Plain. Four treatments were setup: CK (without N application), U (conventional urea—N application), ON (20% reduction in urea—N application), CRU (20% reduction in polyurethane-coated urea without topdressing), and DCRU (20% reduction in polyurethane-coated urea containing dicyandiamide [DCD] without topdressing). The results show that N application treatments significantly increased the GHG emissions and the lettuce yield and net yield, and DCRU exhibited the lowest N₂O and CO₂ emissions, the highest lettuce yield and net yield, and the highest lettuce N content of the N application treatments. When compared to U, the N₂O emission peak under CRU and DCRU treatments was notably decreased and delayed, and their average N₂O emission fluxes were significantly reduced by 10.20–20.72% and 17.51–29.35%, respectively, leading to a significant reduction in mean cumulative N₂O emissions during the 2017–2021 period. When compared to U, the CO₂ fluxes of DCRU significantly decreased by 8.0–16.54% in the seedling period, and mean cumulative CO₂ emission decreased by 9.28%. Moreover, compared to U, the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of the DCRU treatment was significantly alleviated by 9.02–17.13% and 16.68–20.36%, respectively. Compared to U, the N content of lettuce under DCRU was significantly increased by 6.48–17.25%, and the lettuce net yield was also significantly increased by 5.41–7.71%. These observations indicated that the simple and efficient N management strategy to strike a balance between enhancing lettuce yields and reduce GHG emissions in open-field lettuce fields could be obtained by applying controlled-release urea containing DCD without topdressing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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16 pages, 14193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evaluation of a Long-Term Experiment on the Relationships between Weather, Nitrogen Fertilization, Preceding Crop, and Winter Wheat Grain Yield on Cambisol

by Lukáš Hlisnikovský, Ladislav Menšík, Muhammad Roman and Eva Kunzová

Plants 2024, 13(6), 802; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060802 - 12 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1020

Abstract

In this paper, a sequence (1979–2022) of a long-term trial established in Lukavec in 1956 (Czech Republic) focusing on the effect of weather, various nitrogen (N) fertilization methods (control, PK, N1PK, N2PK, and N3PK) and preceding crops (cereals, legumes, and oil plants) on winter wheat grain yield is presented. The weather significantly changed at the site of the long-term trial. While the trend in the mean temperature significantly increased, precipitation did not change significantly over the long term. Four relationships between weather and grain yield were evaluated to be significant: (a) the mean temperature in February (r = −0.4) and the precipitation in (b) February (r = −0.4), (c) March (r = −0.4), and (d) May (r = 0.5). The yield trends for all the fertilizer treatments increased, including the unfertilized control. The N3PK treatment provided the highest mean grain yields, while the unfertilized control had the lowest yields. Comparing the preceding crops, the highest yields were harvested when the wheat followed the legumes. On the other hand, the cereals were evaluated as the least suitable preceding crop in terms of grain yield. According to the linear-plateau model, the optimal nitrogen (N) dose for modern wheat varieties, following legumes and under the trial’s soil climate conditions, was 131 kg ha⁻¹ N, corresponding to a mean grain yield of 8.2 t ha⁻¹. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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21 pages, 4983 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lanthanum Significantly Contributes to the Growth of the Fine Roots’ Morphology and Phosphorus Uptake Efficiency by Increasing the Yield and Quality of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Taproots

by Tingting Jia, Junjun Gu, Miao Ma and Yuyang Song

Plants 2024, 13(4), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040474 - 7 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1356

Abstract

The occurrence of different degrees of phosphorus deficiency in the vast majority of G. uralensis cultivation regions worldwide is common. There is a pressing need within the cultivated G. uralensis industry to identify appropriate exogenous substances that can enhance the uptake of phosphorus and improve both the yield and quality of the taproots of G. uralensis. This study was conducted to investigate the fine root and taproot morphology, physiological characteristics, and secondary metabolite accumulation in response to the supply of varying concentrations of LaCl₃ to G. uralensis, to determine the optimal concentration of LaCl₃ that can effectively enhance the yield and quality of G. uralensis’s taproots, while also alleviating its reliance on soil phosphate fertilizer. The findings indicate that the foliar application of lanthanum enhanced root activity and increased APase activity, eliciting alterations in the fine root morphology, leading to promoting the accumulation of biomass in grown G. uralensis when subjected to P-deficient conditions. Furthermore, it was observed that the nutrient uptake of G. uralensis was significantly improved when subjected to P-deficient conditions but treated with LaCl₃. Additionally, the yield and quality of the medicinal organs of G. uralensis were significantly enhanced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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29 pages, 20954 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variations in Nitrogen Accumulation and Use Efficiency in Maize Differentiate with Nitrogen and Phosphorus Rates and Contrasting Fertilizer Placement Methodologies

by Sharifullah Sharifi, Songmei Shi, Xingshui Dong, Hikmatullah Obaid, Xinhua He and Xirong Gu

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3870; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223870 - 16 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1366

Abstract

Balanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) rates, coupled with rational fertilization methodology, could promote crop N accumulation, N use efficiency, and yield production, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions. To test these characteristics, a two-year (2018 and 2019) pot experiment was performed by growing summer maize in a rain-proof glass greenhouse under nine combined N (112, 150, and 187 kg ha⁻¹, urea) and P (45, 60, and 75 kg ha⁻¹ calcium superphosphate) rates and three contrasting fertilizer placements. The fertilizers were placed by broadcast on the soil surface (Broadcast), a side band on a 4 cm strip of soil surface within 7 cm from the sowing line (Side band), and a deep band on a 4 cm strip below 7 cm soil depth within 7 cm from the sowing line (Deep band). Results from three maize growth stages (eight-leaf, 45 days after sowing, DAS; tasseling, 60 DAS; and harvest, 115 DAS) showed that leaf, stem, root N accumulation, and total soil N were significantly increased under Deep band than under both Side band and Broadcast at N150P60, N187P60, N150P75, and N187P75, but not at N112P45, N150P45, N187P45, N112P60, and N112P75. Significantly greater leaf, stem, and root N accumulations were also displayed at N150 and N187 than at N112 for the same P60 or P75 under the Deep band at 60 DAS and 115 DAS; while for leaf and stem, N accumulations were greater at P75 and P60 than at P45 for the same N150 under Deep band at 45 DAS, 60 DAS, and 115 DAS. Significantly greater agronomy N use efficiency, partial factor productivity, and N use efficiency were exhibited under the Deep band than under the Side band and Broadcast at N150P75 and N187P75, but at N150P60 and N187P60 for NUE only. In addition, leaf, stem, seed, and root N concentrations positively correlated with their own N accumulations or soil N concentrations at the tasseling and harvest stages. Our results demonstrate that a synchronized N150P60, N187P60, N150P75, or N187P75 fertilization rate with Deep band placement can improve soil N availability and root N uptake, and thereby, increase aboveground N accumulation, N use efficiency, and yield production of maize, which is particularly practical for small-holder farmers globally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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13 pages, 1613 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Magnesium Imbalance on Root Growth and Nutrient Absorption in Different Genotypes of Vegetable Crops

by Shuai Qu, Huixia Li, Xueke Zhang, Jingbo Gao, Rui Ma, Ling Ma and Jing Ma

Plants 2023, 12(20), 3518; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203518 - 10 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2559

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) plays a crucial role in crop growth, but how Mg supply level affects root growth and nutrient absorption in vegetable crops with different genotypes has not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, the responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) crops to different levels of Mg supply were explored. Four levels of Mg treatment (i.e., 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 mmol/L) were applied under hydroponic conditions, denoted as Mg0.2, Mg1, Mg2, and Mg3, respectively. The results showed that with increasing Mg levels, the plant biomass, root growth, and nutrient accumulation in both vegetable crops all increased until reaching their maximum values under the Mg2 treatment and then decreased. The total biomass per tomato plant of Mg2 treatment was 30.9%, 14.0%, and 14.0% higher than that of Mg0.2, Mg1, and Mg3 treatments, respectively, and greater increases were observed in cucumber plant biomass (by 54.3%, 17.4%, and 19.9%, respectively). Compared with the Mg0.2 treatment, the potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) contents in various plant parts of both crops remarkably decreased under the Mg3 treatment. This change was accompanied by prominently increased Mg contents in various plant parts and para-hydroxybenzoic acid and oxalic acid contents in root exudates. Irrespective of Mg level, plant biomass, root growth, nutrient accumulation, and root exudation of organic acids were all higher in tomato plants than in cucumber plants. Our findings indicate that excessive Mg supply promotes the roots to exude phenolic acids and hinders the plants from absorbing K and Ca in different genotypes of vegetable crops despite no effect on Mg absorption. A nutritional deficiency of Mg stimulates root exudation of organic acids and increases the types of exuded organic acids, which could facilitate plant adaption to Mg stress. In terms of root growth and nutrient absorption, tomato plants outperform cucumber plants under low and medium Mg levels, but the latter crop is more tolerant to Mg excess. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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18 pages, 3326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Covered Rutile-TiO₂ Nanoparticles Enhance Tomato Yield and Growth by Modulating Gas Exchange and Nutrient Status

by Eneida A. Pérez-Velasco, Luis A. Valdez-Aguilar, Rebeca Betancourt-Galindo, José Antonio González-Fuentes and Adolfo Baylón-Palomino

Plants 2023, 12(17), 3099; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173099 - 29 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1273

Abstract

Nanotechnology has developed materials that can increase food production while reducing the use of conventional fertilizers. In this study, the effect of two forms of application (foliar and drench) as well as covering or non-covering of the surface of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO₂) with maltodextrin (MDX) at 1500 ppm was investigated on tomato plants. The results show that treatment of tomato with nTiO₂ increased yield (+21%), while covering the surface of the NPs resulted in a further yield increase (+27%). Similar trends were observed in the dry weight of vegetative plant parts. Fruit firmness (+33%) and total soluble solids (+36%) were enhanced by MDX-covered nTiO₂. Application of nTiO₂ resulted in enhanced SPAD index, photosynthesis rate, NO₃⁻, K, and Ca concentration in the petiole sap, whereas in the fruits there was an increase in P and K in MDX-covered nTiO₂. Considering the dilution effect due to the higher fruit yield, N, P, Mg, Cu, and B increased in plants treated with nTiO₂. Covering the surface with MDX resulted in an enhanced response to nTiO₂, as fruit yield and quality increased compared to plants treated with non-covered nTiO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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21 pages, 939 KiB

Open AccessReview

Progress in Microbial Fertilizer Regulation of Crop Growth and Soil Remediation Research

by Tingting Wang, Jiaxin Xu, Jian Chen, Peng Liu, Xin Hou, Long Yang and Li Zhang

Plants 2024, 13(3), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13030346 - 24 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6130

Abstract

More food is needed to meet the demand of the global population, which is growing continuously. Chemical fertilizers have been used for a long time to increase crop yields, and may have negative effect on human health and the agricultural environment. In order to make ongoing agricultural development more sustainable, the use of chemical fertilizers will likely have to be reduced. Microbial fertilizer is a kind of nutrient-rich and environmentally friendly biological fertilizer made from plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR). Microbial fertilizers can regulate soil nutrient dynamics and promote soil nutrient cycling by improving soil microbial community changes. This process helps restore the soil ecosystem, which in turn promotes nutrient uptake, regulates crop growth, and enhances crop resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This paper reviews the classification of microbial fertilizers and their function in regulating crop growth, nitrogen fixation, phosphorus, potassium solubilization, and the production of phytohormones. We also summarize the role of PGPR in helping crops against biotic and abiotic stresses. Finally, we discuss the function and the mechanism of applying microbial fertilizers in soil remediation. This review helps us understand the research progress of microbial fertilizer and provides new perspectives regarding the future development of microbial agent in sustainable agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Nutrition and Novel Fertilizers)

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