Editorial: Nutrient Use-Efficiency in Plants: An Integrative Approach

Abstract

Modern agriculture faces major issues resulting from the need to ensure crop production for a growing population while also minimizing the environmental impact of agricultural practices as well as the cost associated with them, all of which can be worsened by the high incidence of abiotic stresses imposed by climate change. The agricultural use of land for crop production leads to the continuous extraction of soil nutrients. In the absence of adequate nutrient replenishment, a subsequent decrease of soil nutrient availability may occur, exerting a negative effect on yield. Yield limitation could also occur as a consequence of there being intrinsically low levels of nutrients in soils. Strategies to overcome low nutrient availability in soils mainly rely on the use of fertilizers and crop breeding. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 2019), approximately 109 Mt of nitrogen (N), 45 Mt of phosphorus (P), and 38 Mt of potassium (K+) were used during 2017. Some of the fertilizers applied are based on the use of rock reservoirs that constitute a non-renewable resource. In addition, the use of fertilizers can result in collateral problems, as they can harm ecosystems, with additional costs to agricultural practices. This is a major drawback for low input agriculture as practiced in some regions. In this complex context, ensuring sustainable agriculture requires the adoption of innovative strategies that involve new concepts in the management of agroecosystems, including the use of bio-fertilizers, and the genetic improvement of crops and pastures. One promising goal is to develop crops with high nutrient use efficiency and high resilience to environmental constraints.