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Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 17173

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Concetta Eliana Gattullo

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Guest Editor

Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari “A. Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: soil hydrology; soil conservation
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Prof. Anna Maria Stellacci

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Guest Editor

Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari “A. Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: precision agriculture; linear mixed effects models; spatial and temporal residual autocorrelation; sustainable agronomic management; soil physical quality indicators and soil quality indices computation
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Dr. Mirko Castellini

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Guest Editor

Council for Agricultural Research and Economics - Research Center for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: soil hydraulic conductivity; soil water retention; soil physical quality; soil management; soil conditioners
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil degradation is one of the most topical environmental threats. A number of processes causing a decline of soil quality, specifically erosion, compaction, salinization, pollution, and loss of both organic matter and soil biodiversity, are strictly connected to agricultural activity and its intensification. The development and adoption of sustainable agronomic practices able to preserve and enhance the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and improve agroecosystem function is a challenge for both scientists and farmers. In recent decades, much progress has been achieved in the development of sustainable practices based on minimal soil disturbance, use of cover crops, organic mulching, crop rotations, water and nutrient conservation, recycling of biomasses to be used as biofertilizers or soil amendments, and precision agriculture. Several natural mechanisms of plants and microorganisms have also been usefully applied to control weeds and pests, as well as to abate soil pollution. Collaboration among different scientific disciplines has increased the ability to investigate problems and find practical solutions. In particular, the availability of innovative methods for rapid and accurate soil–plant system monitoring (proximal sensors, expeditious methods), for soil characterization at the microscale (X-ray based techniques), as well as for data analysis, has improved the understanding of soil processes and the adoption of sustainable management options. In addition, the sustainability assessment of agricultural systems performed by different methodologies, such as energy analysis and carbon footprint evaluation, is a crucial step in facing environmental threats like greenhouse gas (GHG) emission that lead to global warming.

This Special Issue welcomes original research papers and reviews focusing on recent advances and novelties in the field of sustainable and conservative agriculture. Multidisciplinary investigations are strongly encouraged.

Dr. Concetta Eliana Gattullo
Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Stellacci
Dr. Mirko Castellini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

soil fertility and nutrient cycling
carbon sequestration
soil degradation
cover crops
soil biodiversity
soil pollution and remediation
water conservation practices
soil monitoring and characterization
proximal sensing for precision input applications
sustainability assessment

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 185 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II

by Concetta Eliana Gattullo, Mirko Castellini and Anna Maria Stellacci

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9383; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169383 - 18 Aug 2023

Viewed by 993

Abstract

The use of sustainable soil conservation practices has become more and more widespread in recent decades due to the growing awareness that soil, a non-renewable resource delivering multiple ecosystem services, is increasingly being menaced by various processes, such as erosion, pollution, loss of [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 2714 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Revealing Fungal Diversity in Mesophilic and Thermophilic Habitats of Sewage Sludge Composting by Next-Generation Sequencing

by Mariana Petkova and Stefan Shilev

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5546; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095546 - 29 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1653

Abstract

The accumulation of sewage sludge is a severe problem in many countries. Its utilization through composting has the potential to become a widely applied technology. From this perspective, our study investigated the diversity of fungi in mesophilic and thermophilic habitats when composting biosolids, cow manure and wheat straw. It was conducted using a metagenomic approach and next-generation Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencing to reveal the fungal diversity. We found significantly enhanced microbial activity in the thermophilic phase. In contrast, the activity of enzyme β-glucosidase was 29% higher in the mesophilic zone. The range of α-diversity values was more pronounced in the mesophilic habitats than in the thermophilic habitats based on diversity indices. At the class level, the mesophilic fungi were represented by Sordariomycetes—58.7%, Pezizomycetes—15.1% and Agaricomycetes—12.3%, while the most abundant thermophilic fungi found were Sordariomycetes—39.5% and Pezizomycetes—9.8%. In the further clarification of genera diversity, it is striking that at 37.2 °C, Psathyrella was the most abundant with 35.91%, followed by Chaetomidium with 20.11%. Among the thermophiles, Thielavia and Mortierella were the most common. Further research on microbial diversity changes over time is needed to manage the metabolic processes in obtaining quality soil amendment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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15 pages, 1210 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Storage Potential and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Mineral-Fertilized and Manured Soil

by Tomasz Sosulski, Amit Kumar Srivastava, Hella Ellen Ahrends, Bożena Smreczak and Magdalena Szymańska

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4620; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074620 - 6 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2325

Abstract

Two important goals of sustainable agriculture are food production and preserving and improving soil health. The soil organic carbon content is considered an indicator of soil health. The evaluation of the methods to increase the soil organic carbon content in long-term experiments is usually carried out without considering its environmental effects, (e.g., CO₂–C soil emission). This study hypothesized that sandy soils have a low carbon storage potential, and that the carbon accumulation in the soil is accompanied by increased CO₂–C emissions into the atmosphere. The study was carried out as a long-term fertilization experiment in Central Poland using a rye monoculture. The changes in the soil organic carbon content (SOC), CO₂–C emissions from soil, and plant yields were examined for two soil treatments: one treated only with mineral fertilizers (CaNPK) and one annually fertilized with manure (Ca + M). Over the 91 years of the experiment, the SOC content of the manure-fertilized treatment increased almost two-fold, reaching 10.625 g C kg⁻¹ in the topsoil, while the content of the SOC in the soil fertilized with CaNPK did not change (5.685 g C kg⁻¹ in the topsoil). Unlike mineral fertilization, soil manuring reduced the plant yields by approximately 15.5–28.3% and increased the CO₂–C emissions from arable land. The CO₂–C emissions of the manured soil (5365.0 and 5159.2 kg CO₂–C ha⁻¹ in the first and second year of the study, respectively) were significantly higher (by 1431.9–2174.2 kg CO₂–C ha⁻¹) than those in the soils that only received mineral fertilizers (3933.1 and 2975.0 kg CO₂–C ha⁻¹ in the first and second year of the study, respectively). The results from this experiment suggest that only long-term fertilization with manure might increase the carbon storage in the sandy soil, but it is also associated with higher CO₂–C emissions into the atmosphere. The replacement of mineral fertilizers with manure, predicted as a result of rising mineral fertilizer prices, will make it challenging to achieve the ambitious European goal of carbon neutrality in agriculture. The increase in CO₂–C emissions due to manure fertilization of loamy sand soil in Central Poland also suggests the need to research the emissivity of organic farming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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18 pages, 2630 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Copper Bioavailability and Leaching in Conventional and Organic Viticulture under Environmental Stress

by Erika Jez, Elisa Pellegrini and Marco Contin

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2595; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042595 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2278

Abstract

The continuous use of Cu-based fungicides in viticulture has caused Cu accumulation in soils, which represents a major environmental and toxicological concern. The purpose of this study was to verify whether the organic management would be more resilient to temperature and moisture stresses in comparison to conventional practices. Two organic and two conventional vineyard soils, contrasting in pH, were exposed for six months to temperature stress (29 °C), moisture stress (10% water holding capacity—WHC), and combined stresses (29 °C—10% WHC). Main soil properties, Cu speciation, bioavailability, and leaching were monitored before and after 6 months’ incubation. Results confirm that the increase of temperature caused a decrease in both total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (up to 19% and 49%, respectively), a decrease in available ammonium, and an increase in nitrate. Moisture stress tends to mitigate some of these changes. Despite that, changes of Cu bioavailability and leaching were limited and rarely significant. Moreover, no regular trends between conventional and organic management could be observed. Changes in soil pH and total N (TN) appeared as the most influencing properties to regulate Cu behavior in vineyard soils. Calcareous soils were more resistant to environmental stresses compared to acid soils, regardless of the type of management (conventional or organic). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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15 pages, 4792 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A 3D Model Applied to Analyze the Mechanical Characteristic of Living Stump Slope with Different Tap Root Lengths

by Xueliang Jiang, Wenjie Liu, Hui Yang, Zhenyu Li, Wenchen Fan and Feifei Wang

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1978; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031978 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1706

Abstract

Although the current ecological engineering technology can reinforce shallow landslides, it cannot reinforce deep landslides. A new type of ecological engineering technology-living tree stump slope protection was developed, aiming at the deficiency of current ecological engineering technology. For living stumps with different tap root lengths, the mechanical properties of the living stump slope and root system were analyzed. The model was based on the finite element method, using the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion to consider the mechanical plasticity of the soil. The three-dimensional (3D) models of living stumps with different tap root lengths were simulated by embedded beam elements. Changes in stress and strain of soil and root system were simulated. The strength reduction method was used here to calculate the safety factor of the slope. The results showed that long taproots moved the soil shear stress area to deeper soil layers, increasing the stability of the slope. The root system in the middle and lower part of the slope mainly exerted its tensile strength and played a positive role in the stability of the slope. The longer the taproots, the more stable the slope. Slope stability may be affected by root length, spatial root morphology, and the spatial layout of the root system on the slope. Planting living stumps in the middle and lower part of the slope densely was recommended in ecological engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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16 pages, 2092 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vis-NIR Reflectance Spectroscopy and PLSR to Predict PCB Content in Severely Contaminated Soils: A Perspective Approach

by Natalia Leone, Valeria Ancona, Ciro Galeone, Carmine Massarelli, Vito Felice Uricchio and Antonio Pasquale Leone

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(16), 8283; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12168283 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1579

Abstract

Soil reclamation from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) requires careful analysis in terms of their concentrations and spatial distribution. Conventional laboratory analysis, even if providing the careful evaluation of PCBs, is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, rapid and cost-effective techniques to replace traditional analytical approaches are required. The utility of visible-near infrared (vis-NIR) reflectance spectroscopy in conjunction with partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis was evaluated in this study. Spectral reflectance was measured in the laboratory on 28 soil samples collected in a highly contaminated area of southern Italy and chemically analysed to determine eighteen PCB congeners, their sum (PCBs₁₈), and extractable organic halogen content (EOX). Spectroscopic data were pre-processed prior to data analysis by combining different methods. Using PLSR analysis, significant relationships were observed between the predicted and the measured content of PCBs₁₈, EOX, and the percentage of several isomeric classes of PCBs. Although rigorous models could not be calibrated, due to the limited number of samples, the preliminary results of this study demonstrated that vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy, coupled with PLSR, can be considered a promising method for a rapid and cost-effective prediction of PCBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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10 pages, 2399 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Pheidole fallax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as an Ecosystem Engineer in Rehabilitated Coal Mine Areas

by Yamileth Domínguez-Haydar, Bleydis Paola Gutierrez-Rapalino, Yair Barros-Torres, Juan José Jiménez, Sergio Esteban Lozano-Baez and Mirko Castellini

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1573; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031573 - 1 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1799

Abstract

Pheidole fallax is one the most abundant ants in sites where coal mines have undergone rehabilitation and in forests without mine intervention. The impact that this species may have as an ecosystem engineer needs to be assessed. We aimed to test whether P. fallax nests have an effect on soil chemical properties, to characterize the organic debris found in the refuse piles, and to describe nest architecture as proxy of the bioturbation effect. The study was carried out in a coal mine in Colombia, in sites with 16 and 20 years of rehabilitation. Samples were taken from inside the nests, from the external refuse pile, and from a control treatment one meter away from the nest. The three sample types were subjected to chemical analysis and near-infrared spectra (NIRS). The biomass of items from the 20-year site was significantly greater, and P. fallax use food resources of different trophic levels, with arthropods and seeds being the main items in their diet. The NIRS analysis enabled us to distinguish the origin of the sample: refuse pile, interior of nest, or control soil. No statistical differences were found between the soil of the nests and control soil. High contents of organic matter and other parameters contributed to the soil nutrient pool through accumulation of organic debris in the refuse piles. Nest molds presented an asymmetric architecture, with mean volume ranging from 30 to 105.7 cm³ and an average of 11.8 chambers per nest. The construction and maintenance of nests may play an important role in the reestablishment of ecological and hydrological processes, such as bioturbation and water infiltration, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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17 pages, 1511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Soil Quality under Different Soil Management Strategies: Combined Use of Statistical Approaches to Select the Most Informative Soil Physico-Chemical Indicators

by Anna Maria Stellacci, Mirko Castellini, Mariangela Diacono, Roberta Rossi and Concetta Eliana Gattullo

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 5099; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11115099 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3368

Abstract

Assessment of soil quality under different management practices is crucial for sustainable agricultural production and natural resource use. In this study, different statistical methods (principal component analysis, PCA; stepwise discriminant analysis, SDA; partial least squares regression with VIP statistics, PLSR) were applied to identify the variables that most discriminated soil status under minimum tillage and no-tillage. Data collected in 2015 from a long-term field experiment on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) were used and twenty soil indicators (chemical, physical and biological) were quantified for the upper soil layer (0–0.20 m). The long-term iteration of different management strategies affected soil quality, showing greater bulk density, relative field capacity (RFC), organic and extractable carbon contents (TOC and TEC) and exchangeable potassium under no-tillage. PCA and SDA confirmed these results and underlined also the role of available phosphorous and organic carbon fractions as variables that most discriminated the treatments investigated. PLSR, including information on plant response (grain yield and protein content), selected, as the most important variables, plant nutrients, soil physical quality indicators, pH and exchangeable cations. The research showed the effectiveness of combining variable selection methods to summarize information deriving from multivariate datasets and improving the understanding of the system investigated. The statistical approaches compared provided different results in terms of variables selected and the ranking of the selected variables. The combined use of the three methods allowed the selection of a smaller number of variables (TOC, TEC, Olsen P, water extractable nitrogen, RFC, macroporosity, air capacity), which were able to provide a clear discrimination between the treatments compared, as shown by the PCA carried out on the reduced dataset. The presence of a response variable in PLSR considerably drove the feature selection process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation II)

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