About this Research Topic
The field of agricultural science is currently grappling with the challenge of feeding a projected global population of 10 billion people by 2050. This task is compounded by the anticipated decline in productivity of two-thirds of worldwide agricultural land due to climate change and the intensification of agriculture, which has led to soil degradation and reduced fertility.
Current agricultural practices heavily rely on fertilizers to boost crop productivity, but improper application can result in significant economic, environmental, and social issues, including nutrient runoff and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies have highlighted the need for sustainable intensification of agriculture, emphasizing the importance of developing next-generation fertilizers that are both efficient and environmentally friendly. Despite advancements, there remains a critical gap in understanding and implementing innovative fertilizer technologies that can sustainably enhance crop yields.
This research topic aims to explore and develop new and sustainable technologies for next-generation fertilizers that can improve crop nutrition efficiency, increase yields, and promote sustainable agriculture while minimizing environmental impacts. The primary objectives include investigating innovative approaches to fertilizer production, understanding the molecular mechanisms of action, and evaluating the potential of these new technologies to replace conventional fertilizers. Key questions to be addressed include how these novel fertilizers can enhance nutrient use efficiency, promote crop tolerance to various stresses, and improve the nutritional quality of crops.
To gather further insights into the boundaries of next-generation fertilizers, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Innovative approaches and advanced methods to produce and characterize next-generation fertilizers (e.g., rhizosphere microbiome engineering, atmospheric nitrogen fixation, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, biodegradable coatings for controlled release)
• Systems of bioactive-based novel fertilizers, including biostimulants, nutrients, signaling molecules, and (in)organic molecules
• Development of next-generation fertilizers for enhanced nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in crops
• Promoting crop tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses using new fertilizers
• Synergies between the bioactivities of different fertilizers
• Improving crop nutritional quality and functionality using next-generation fertilizers
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of novel fertilizers in imparting stress tolerance and NUE in crops.
Current agricultural practices heavily rely on fertilizers to boost crop productivity, but improper application can result in significant economic, environmental, and social issues, including nutrient runoff and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies have highlighted the need for sustainable intensification of agriculture, emphasizing the importance of developing next-generation fertilizers that are both efficient and environmentally friendly. Despite advancements, there remains a critical gap in understanding and implementing innovative fertilizer technologies that can sustainably enhance crop yields.
This research topic aims to explore and develop new and sustainable technologies for next-generation fertilizers that can improve crop nutrition efficiency, increase yields, and promote sustainable agriculture while minimizing environmental impacts. The primary objectives include investigating innovative approaches to fertilizer production, understanding the molecular mechanisms of action, and evaluating the potential of these new technologies to replace conventional fertilizers. Key questions to be addressed include how these novel fertilizers can enhance nutrient use efficiency, promote crop tolerance to various stresses, and improve the nutritional quality of crops.
To gather further insights into the boundaries of next-generation fertilizers, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Innovative approaches and advanced methods to produce and characterize next-generation fertilizers (e.g., rhizosphere microbiome engineering, atmospheric nitrogen fixation, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, biodegradable coatings for controlled release)
• Systems of bioactive-based novel fertilizers, including biostimulants, nutrients, signaling molecules, and (in)organic molecules
• Development of next-generation fertilizers for enhanced nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in crops
• Promoting crop tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses using new fertilizers
• Synergies between the bioactivities of different fertilizers
• Improving crop nutritional quality and functionality using next-generation fertilizers
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of novel fertilizers in imparting stress tolerance and NUE in crops.
Keywords: Next-generation fertilizers, Agriculture, Crop production, Crop quality, Nutrient use efficiency, Stress tolerance, Soil fertility, Biostimulants, Controlled-/slow-release fertilizers, Nano-fertilizers, Food security, Climate change
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
