Integrated Nutrient Management of Fruits, Vegetables, and Crops through the Use of Biostimulants, Soilless Cultivation, and Traditional and Modern Approaches—A Mini Review

Awais Ali, Genhua Niu, Joseph Masabni, Antonio Ferrante and Giacomo Cocetta ()
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Awais Ali: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, MI, Italy
Genhua Niu: Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Dallas, TX 75252, USA
Joseph Masabni: Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Dallas, TX 75252, USA
Antonio Ferrante: Institute of Crop Science, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, PI, Italy
Giacomo Cocetta: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, MI, Italy

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-28

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. 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.

Keywords: aeroponics; aquaponics; hydroponics; soil improvement; sustainable agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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