Soil health and fertility are continuously declining due to the removal of essential plant nutrients from the soils in the current changing climate scenario. Due to less soil organic carbon (SOC) and growing of high-yielding varieties and hybrids further increases deficiencies of both macro and micronutrients that had a negative impact on soil health, crop productivity, food security, and growers. Integrated nutrients management not only increases crop productivity and growers' income but also increases soil fertility, health, and sustainability in changing climates. Integrated nutrients management (INM) refers to the maintenance of soil fertility and improvement in crop productivity with the application of plant nutrients through the combined application of organic fertilizers (animal manures and plant residues), chemical fertilizers (urea, SSP, DAP, etc.) and bio-fertilizers (beneficial microbes).
The 4‰-Initiative aims to improve the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and promote carbon sequestration could be achieved with best agronomic practices, especially INM. Higher SOC increases soil resistance to erosion (reduces soil degradation), increases water retention in soils (improving water use efficiency), increases soil fertility (improving nutrient use efficiency), and also increases soil biodiversity and sustainability. Stable and productive soils have a sufficient amount of SOC and beneficial microbes that affect the resilience of farms to cope with the negative effects of climate change. The use and application of beneficial microbes (Biofertilizers) increase nutrient use efficiencies, yield, grower’s income, soil health, and sustainability.
INM means the combined application or integrated use of organic fertilizers + chemical fertilizers + bio-fertilizers: a good approach to sustainable soil management (SSM), sustainable crop production (SCP), and food security in changing climates. INM is therefore key for SSM and SCP which significantly reduce costs of chemical fertilizers through the use of low-cost organic fertilizer (making fertilizers from wastes) and bio-fertilizers (beneficial microbes).
In this Research Topic, both review and original research papers dealing with INM for improvement in SSM, soil health, crop productivity, and profitability are welcomed. This Research Topic aims to collate the latest research on INM in field crop production. Widespread adoption of SSM and SCP practices generates multiple socio-economic benefits for both smallholder farmers and large-scale agricultural producers important for sustainable development goals (SDGs).
We, therefore, welcome all types of submissions, but are not limited to, the following subtopics:
- Fertilizers
- Chemical fertilizers
- Organic fertilizers
- Soil organic carbon
- Animal manures
- Crop residues
- Farmyard manure
- Bio-fertilizers
- Beneficial microbes
- Nano-fertilizers
- Essential nutrients
- Macronutrients (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, etc.)
- Micronutrients (B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, etc.)
- Beneficial nutrients (Al, Co, Na, Se, Si, etc.)
- Yield
- Productivity
- Food Security
- Economic analysis
- Profitability
- Climate change
Soil health and fertility are continuously declining due to the removal of essential plant nutrients from the soils in the current changing climate scenario. Due to less soil organic carbon (SOC) and growing of high-yielding varieties and hybrids further increases deficiencies of both macro and micronutrients that had a negative impact on soil health, crop productivity, food security, and growers. Integrated nutrients management not only increases crop productivity and growers' income but also increases soil fertility, health, and sustainability in changing climates. Integrated nutrients management (INM) refers to the maintenance of soil fertility and improvement in crop productivity with the application of plant nutrients through the combined application of organic fertilizers (animal manures and plant residues), chemical fertilizers (urea, SSP, DAP, etc.) and bio-fertilizers (beneficial microbes).
The 4‰-Initiative aims to improve the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and promote carbon sequestration could be achieved with best agronomic practices, especially INM. Higher SOC increases soil resistance to erosion (reduces soil degradation), increases water retention in soils (improving water use efficiency), increases soil fertility (improving nutrient use efficiency), and also increases soil biodiversity and sustainability. Stable and productive soils have a sufficient amount of SOC and beneficial microbes that affect the resilience of farms to cope with the negative effects of climate change. The use and application of beneficial microbes (Biofertilizers) increase nutrient use efficiencies, yield, grower’s income, soil health, and sustainability.
INM means the combined application or integrated use of organic fertilizers + chemical fertilizers + bio-fertilizers: a good approach to sustainable soil management (SSM), sustainable crop production (SCP), and food security in changing climates. INM is therefore key for SSM and SCP which significantly reduce costs of chemical fertilizers through the use of low-cost organic fertilizer (making fertilizers from wastes) and bio-fertilizers (beneficial microbes).
In this Research Topic, both review and original research papers dealing with INM for improvement in SSM, soil health, crop productivity, and profitability are welcomed. This Research Topic aims to collate the latest research on INM in field crop production. Widespread adoption of SSM and SCP practices generates multiple socio-economic benefits for both smallholder farmers and large-scale agricultural producers important for sustainable development goals (SDGs).
We, therefore, welcome all types of submissions, but are not limited to, the following subtopics:
- Fertilizers
- Chemical fertilizers
- Organic fertilizers
- Soil organic carbon
- Animal manures
- Crop residues
- Farmyard manure
- Bio-fertilizers
- Beneficial microbes
- Nano-fertilizers
- Essential nutrients
- Macronutrients (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, etc.)
- Micronutrients (B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, etc.)
- Beneficial nutrients (Al, Co, Na, Se, Si, etc.)
- Yield
- Productivity
- Food Security
- Economic analysis
- Profitability
- Climate change