A new era in agriculture

Abstract

For millennia, agricultural science has been an integral part of human civilization. From the field of “agriculture” to the practice of “cultivation”, these concepts have been fundamental in shaping human “culture”. As modern humans have existed for around 50,000 years, the total number of people who have ever lived on Earth is estimated to be over 108 billion. However, more than 99% of those people were born within the last 8000 years, following the first agricultural revolution.1 From “slash-and-burn” to “primitive agriculture”, the agricultural revolutions have been significant steps in raising humanity's capabilities. Today, agriculture stands as one of the most vital industries in the world, providing food, fibre, and energy to billions of people every day. However, the field also faces some of the more pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, chemical pollution, soil degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. Addressing these issues requires innovative, interdisciplinary, and sustainable approaches. This is why we are thrilled to introduce Modern Agriculture, a comprehensive, high-quality journal that will serve as a leading platform for discussions, discoveries, and development in the field of agriculture. By prioritising cutting-edge research and sustainable practices, the journal is poised to make significant impacts on the industry and beyond. It will bridge the gap between excellent scientific research on the bench and the pressing challenges facing the agriculture, bringing together scientists, engineers, farmers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and the public society. Modern Agriculture aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on innovative agriculture and its impact on society by publishing high-quality articles related to various aspects of agricultural sciences, which can be outlined in three layers. First, the functions of agriculture in modern time, such as producing sufficient food and other products, promoting human health, and ensuring resource and environmental sustainability. Second, fulfiling these functions requires expertise from several disciplines, including green agriculture, smart agriculture, soil science, microbiology, pathology, chemistry, agroecology, economics, policies, social science, and veterinary science. Third, the journal's scope covers cutting-edge sciences and technologies in each of the disciplines, such as agricultural biotechnology, engineering, crop design, breeding, informatics, and farming techniques. The journal's multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach aims to bridge the gap between different disciplines, facilitate collaboration and innovation, and promote the development of modern agriculture. In this very first issue, we are excited to present an article that lists “100 Essential Questions for the Future of Agriculture”.2 These questions were rigorously selected from over 400 submissions gathered from diverse communities around the world. Our objective was to explore the full spectrum of challenges facing agriculture and to prioritise research and problem-solving efforts that foster socioeconomic development and applications to fulfil the key functions of modern agriculture. These questions chosen by the Selection Committee2 will not only inspire and motivate agricultural researchers and practitioners but also provide a blueprint for future agricultural innovation. We hope that this article will spark new ideas and collaborations that will propel us towards a more productive, healthy, sustainable, and equitable agricultural future. Furthermore, we have published a Perspective article discussing the posibility of cutting respiratory CO2 to sustain crop productivity and manage atmospheric carbon,3 a Commentary article on a recent breakthrough in vertical farming,4 and several Reviews, and other articles covering topics, such as modern forestry,5 smart breeding,6 carbon-nitrogen interplay,7 and selenium in modern agriculture.8 There are various article types for the authors to choose including Original Research articles that report on new scientific findings, Resource articles that provide useful resources or tools for agricultural research or practice, Review/Perspectives that provide an overview or analysis of a particular topic or field related to agriculture, Correspondence that respond to or comment on previously published articles, Commentary that presents the author's opinion or perspective on a particular issue related to agriculture, News and Views that report on recent developments or news related to agriculture, and Patent articles that report on new patents related to agricultural innovations. More article types and explanations are available in the Author Guidelines. By providing a holistic view of innovative agriculture and its wider societal impact, Modern Agriculture will be at the forefront of the global effort to find solutions to some of the grand challenges facing the world today, such as climate change, food security, and the sustainable use of natural resources. The editorial team of Modern Agriculture is currently led by three Editors in Chief—Professor Qifa Zhang, Professor Yong-Guan Zhu, and Dr. Lei Lei—with their expertise in plant genetics, soil environment, and agricultural biotechnology, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the journal. Our team is further supported by an international full-time editorial team and part-time editorial board located in various regions, including Asia-Pacific (East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia), the Americas (North and South America), Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and other areas. We believe that this diverse and experienced lineup ensures that the journal has a truly global scope and impact. To further enhance the journal's reach and impact, we offer an open invitation to talented and passionate experts from around the world to join our editorial team and board and help shape the future of this exciting new journal. Modern Agriculture is a Gold Open Access journal that offers free access to all its contents, enabling wider dissemination of research findings, increasing the visibility and impact of published work, and promoting more equitable access to scientific literature for all. This open-access publishing model can lead to higher downloads, citations, and attention for the articles published in the journal. By providing open access, the journal can reach a broader audience beyond academia, including practitioners and other aforementioned communities. Moreover, this journal is currently waiving article publication fees until 2025 upon author's requests. For more information about the Open Access policies of Modern Agriculture, please visit Modern Agriculture (wiley.com). To save author's time, Modern Agriculture offers a simplified and streamlined submission process through its Free Format submission. The journal boasts a team of full-time professional editors who provide high-quality author services and comprehensive technical support to ensure the rapid publication, review, and operation of articles. In addition, Modern Agriculture stands out for its multimedia global promotion strategy, whereby outstanding manuscripts from each issue are selected and a video abstract is produced for each selected article. These videos and posts will be promoted through various social media platforms, such as Twitter and WeChat, effectively reaching a wide audience of agricultural professionals, researchers, and practitioners. In conclusion, we are proud to introduce Modern Agriculture, a journal aiming at becoming the foremost voice in the agricultural field. With its comprehensive coverage, exceptional editorial team, efficient and open publishing model, and multimedia global promotion strategy, Modern Agriculture is poised to lead the advancement of agricultural innovation and sustainability. We welcome you to join us in this exciting new era of agriculture and eagerly anticipate collaborating with you to make Modern Agriculture, the premier platform for discussions and discoveries in the field.