Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.9
3.3
Journals
Agriculture
Special Issues
Fertilizer Management Strategies for Enhancing the Growth, Yield and Quality...
share announcement

Fertilizer Management Strategies for Enhancing the Growth, Yield and Quality in Crops

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2025 | Viewed by 10402

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Peiyuan Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province/Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Interests: crop cultivation; crop high-yield physiology; fertilizing efficiency; rice; wheat

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fertilizer management has always played an indispensable role in enhancing crop growth and promoting yield formation. The marginal effect of yield enhancement of essential macroelements, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, is considerably reduced when used in large quantities, and also leads to a high pressure on the environment. Nutrient use efficiency can be further improved through a series of fertility management measures such as controlled release of fertilizers, elemental interactions, organic fertilizers or novel application techniques for fertilizers. Crop quality is regulated through both genotype and cultivation practices. In the pursuit of high yields, the heavy use of chemical fertilizers may result in a decline in crop quality. In the meantime, people's concerns about crop quality are continuously increasing, whether it is the nutritional quality, appearance quality, processing quality and so on. This Special Issue aims to discuss various fertilizer management strategies enhancing crop growth, yield and quality. Studies regarding nutrient management, precision agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, application methods, slow-release and controlled-release fertilizers, soil amendments or other products, crop rotation and cover cropping are invited for submission.

Dr. Peiyuan Cui
Guest Editor

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. Agriculture 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 2600 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

  • inorganic fertilizers
  • organic fertilizers and biofertilizers
  • soil amendments
  • controlled-release fertilizers
  • micronutrients fertilizer
  • nutrient management
  • soil fertility
  • crop growth
  • yield and quality

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 2743 KiB  
Article
Oilseed Radish: Nitrogen and Sulfur Management Strategies for Seed Yield and Quality—A Case Study in Poland
by Artur Szatkowski, Zofia Antoszkiewicz, Cezary Purwin and Krzysztof Józef Jankowski
Agriculture 2024, 14(5), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050755 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1631
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization significantly affect seed yield and quality in Brassica oilseed crops. The effect of N and S management on the crop parameters (plant height, stem-base diameter, and number of branches), yield (seed yield components, seed and straw yields, [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization significantly affect seed yield and quality in Brassica oilseed crops. The effect of N and S management on the crop parameters (plant height, stem-base diameter, and number of branches), yield (seed yield components, seed and straw yields, harvest index—HI), and the quality of the seeds and oil (crude fat—CF, total protein—TP, crude fiber—CFR, fatty acids profile—FA, acid detergent fiber; and neutral detergent fiber) of oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. oleiformis Pers.) was analyzed in the study. The effect of N and S fertilization was evaluated in a field experiment in Bałcyny (north-eastern Poland) in 2020–2022. The experiment had a split-plot design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was the N rate (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg ha−1) and the second factor was the S rate (0, 15, 30 kg ha−1). Nitrogen fertilization stimulated stem elongation and branching. The average oilseed radish (OSR) seed yield ranged from 0.59 to 1.15–1.25 Mg ha−1. Seed yields increased significantly, up to 90 kg N ha−1 and 15 kg S ha−1. The N fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) of OSR decreased with a rise in the N rate (from 4.22 to 2.19 kg of seeds per 1 kg N). The application of S did not increase NFUE. The HI ranged from 10% (0–30 kg N ha−1) to 12% (60 kg N ha−1). The contents of CF, TP, and CFR in OSR seeds (kg−1 dry matter—DM) were 383–384 g, 244–249 g, and 97–103 g, respectively. Nitrogen fertilization decreased the CF content (by 5%) and increased the contents of TP (by 5%) and CFR (by 16%) in OSR seeds. Sulfur fertilizer applied at 30 kg ha−1 decreased the CF content (by 2%), but it did not alter the content of TP or CFR. Oilseed radish oil contained 68–70% of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (erucic acid accounted for 2/3 of the total MUFAs), 24–25% of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), and 6–8% of saturated FAs (SFAs). Nitrogen fertilization increased the proportions of SFAs and PUFAs in OSR oil. Nitrogen rates of 60–90 kg ha−1 increased the contents of alpha-tocopherol (α-T), beta-tocopherol (β-T), and gamma-tocopherol (γ-T) in OSR seeds by 32%, 40%, and 27%, respectively. Sulfur fertilization increased the content of PUFAs and decreased the content of MUFAs in OSR oil, while it increased the contents of α-T (by 15%) and γ-T (by 19%) in OSR seeds. Proper N and S management in OSR cultivation can improve crop productivity and the processing suitability of seeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Management Strategies for Enhancing the Growth, Yield and Quality in Crops)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2131 KiB  
Article
Does the Deep Placement of Fertilizers Increase Potato Yields, Fertilization Efficiency and Reduce N2O Emissions from the Soil?
by Tomasz Niedziński, Magdalena Szymańska, Jan Łabętowicz and Tomasz Sosulski
Agriculture 2024, 14(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14030368 - 25 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1722
Abstract
Despite the notable decline in potato cultivation areas across Poland and Europe, potatoes remain a crucial crop with diverse applications. Achieving the ambitious emission targets set by the EU for agricultural production may be easier with the practice of deep placement of slow-release [...] Read more.
Despite the notable decline in potato cultivation areas across Poland and Europe, potatoes remain a crucial crop with diverse applications. Achieving the ambitious emission targets set by the EU for agricultural production may be easier with the practice of deep placement of slow-release fertilizers, which may increase yields and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To examine the effect of deep placement of slow-release fertilizers on potato tuber yields, plant nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, and soil N2O-N emissions, a two-year field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil classified as Alblic Podzol (Ochric) soil, under temperate climate conditions prevailing in central Poland. The experiment involved a three-field rotation (potatoes, wheat, and peas), with potatoes being cultivated after peas in both years of the study. The experiment compared the effects of applying slow-release fertilizer at soil depths of 10 and 20 cm (DP10 and DP20) to fertilization with single-nutrient fertilizers applied to the soil surface (TD). The experiment utilized increasing doses of nitrogen and phosphorus, denoted as D0 (control), D1, D2, and D3, along with a standard dose of potassium across all tested fertilizer application methods. The results of this study confirmed that deep placement of slow-release fertilizers had limited effects on potato tuber yields. Deep placement of slow-release fertilizer increased plant nitrogen uptake by 2.8–13.5% compared to topdressing. Consequently, there was an improvement in nitrogen use efficiency from 29.8–75.0% on sites with fertilizer topdressing to 38.7–89.8% on sites with slow-release fertilizer deep placement. Phosphorus uptake by plants on sites with slow-release fertilizer deep placement was approximately 9.3–13.0% higher than on sites with fertilizer topdressing. This led to an enhancement in phosphorus use efficiency from about 15.1–19.5% on fertilizer topdressing sites to 19.4–25.4% on slow-release fertilizer deep placement sites. The impact of fertilizer deep placement was found to be less pronounced compared to the effects observed with increased nitrogen and phosphorus doses. The most important factors affecting tuber yield and nutrient use in potatoes were rainfall levels during the growing season. Deep fertilization did contribute to reduce soil N2O emissions by about 14%. However, further research involving different fertilization methods is needed to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of this practice in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Management Strategies for Enhancing the Growth, Yield and Quality in Crops)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 2192 KiB  
Review
Integrated Nutrient Management of Fruits, Vegetables, and Crops through the Use of Biostimulants, Soilless Cultivation, and Traditional and Modern Approaches—A Mini Review
by Awais Ali, Genhua Niu, Joseph Masabni, Antonio Ferrante and Giacomo Cocetta
Agriculture 2024, 14(8), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081330 - 9 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6215
Abstract
The increasing population, its requirements for food, and the environmental impact of the excessive use of inputs make crop production a pressing challenge. Integrated nutrient management (INM) has emerged as a critical solution by maximizing nutrient availability and utilization for crops and vegetables. [...] Read more.
The increasing population, its requirements for food, and the environmental impact of the excessive use of inputs make crop production a pressing challenge. Integrated nutrient management (INM) has emerged as a critical solution by maximizing nutrient availability and utilization for crops and vegetables. This review paper highlights the potential benefits of INM for various vegetables and field crops and explores the conceptual strategies, components, and principles underlying this approach. Studies have shown that a wide range of vegetables and field crops benefit from INM, in terms of increased yield and improvements in yield attributes, nutrient contents and uptake, growth parameters, and various physiological and biochemical characteristics. This paper discusses biostimulants, their categories, and their impact on plant propagation, growth, photosynthesis, seed germination, fruit set, and quality. Additionally, this review explores modern sustainable soilless production techniques such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics. These cultivation methods highlight the advancements of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) and its contribution to nutrient management, food security and minimizing the environmental footprint. The review concludes by proposing methods and fostering discussions on INM’s future development, while acknowledging the challenges associated with its adoption. Finally, this review emphasizes the substantial evidence supporting INM as a novel and ecologically sound strategy for achieving sustainable agricultural production worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fertilizer Management Strategies for Enhancing the Growth, Yield and Quality in Crops)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop