Sustainable Cropping Systems

Abstract

Crop production must increase substantially to meet the needs of a rapidly growing human population, but this is constrained by the availability of resources such as nutrients, water, and land. There is also an urgent need to reduce negative environmental impacts from crop production. Collectively, these issues represent one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century. Sustainable cropping systems based on ecological principles, appropriate use of inputs, and soil improvement are the core for integrated approaches to solve this grand challenge. This special issue includes several review and original research articles on these topics for an array of cropping systems, which can advise implementation of best management practices and lead to advances in agronomics for sustainable intensification of crop production.