scholarly journals Comparison of Soil Biology Quality in Organically and Conventionally Managed Agro-Ecosystems Using Microarthropods

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1022
Author(s):  
Cristina Mantoni ◽  
Marika Pellegrini ◽  
Leonardo Dapporto ◽  
Maria Maddalena Del Gallo ◽  
Loretta Pace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
Land Protection ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Hill Numbers ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Since management practices profoundly influence soil characteristics, the adoption of sustainable agro-ecological practices is essential for soil health conservation. We compared soil health in organic and conventional fields in the Abruzzi region (central Italy) by using (1) the soil biology quality (QBS) index (which expresses the level of specialisation in soil environment shown by microarthropods) and (2) microarthropod diversity expressed by Hill numbers. QBS values were calculated using both the original formulation based on only presence/absence data and a new abundance-based version. We found that organic management improves soil biology quality, which encourages the use of organic farming to maintain soil health. Including arthropod abundance in QBS calculation does not change the main outcomes, which supports the use of its original, speedier formulation. We also found that agricultural fields included in protected areas had greater soil health, which shows the importance of the matrix in determining agricultural soil health and highlights the importance of land protection in preserving biodiversity even in managed soils. Finally, we found that soil biology quality and microarthropod community structure are distinctly influenced by certain physical and chemical characteristics of the soil, which supports the use of microarthropods as biological indicators.

Soil Health, Soil Biology, Soilborne Diseases and Sustainable Agriculture

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Stirling ◽  
Helen Hayden ◽  
Tony Pattison ◽  
Marcelle Stirling
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Soilborne Diseases ◽  
Root Diseases ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Biological Farming

Our capacity to maintain world food production depends heavily on the thin layer of soil covering the Earth's surface. The health of this soil determines whether crops can grow successfully, whether a farm business is profitable and whether an enterprise is sustainable in the long term. Farmers are generally aware of the physical and chemical factors that limit the productivity of their soils but often do not recognise that soil microbes and the soil fauna play a major role in achieving healthy soils and healthy crops. Soil Health, Soil Biology, Soilborne Diseases and Sustainable Agriculture provides readily understandable information about the bacteria, fungi, nematodes and other soil organisms that not only harm food crops but also help them take up water and nutrients and protect them from root diseases. Complete with illustrations and practical case studies, it provides growers and their consultants with holistic solutions for building an active and diverse soil biological community capable of improving soil structure, enhancing plant nutrient uptake and suppressing root pests and pathogens. The book is written by scientists with many years' experience developing sustainable crop production practices in the grains, vegetable, sugarcane, grazing and horticultural industries. This book will be useful for: growers, consultants, agronomists and soil chemists, extension personnel working in the grains, livestock, sugarcane and horticultural industries, professionals running courses in soil health/biological farming, and students taking university courses in soil science, ecology, microbiology, plant pathology and other biological sciences.

scholarly journals Herbicidal effect on the bio-indicators of soil health- A review

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 2438-2448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheeja K Raj ◽  
Elizabeth K Syriac
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
System A ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Soil Microbial Population ◽  
The Impact

Soil microbial population, earth worms in soil, soil enzyme activity and organ carbon content in soil are considered as the bio indicators of soil health. They are used as indicators of soil health because of their active role in soil organic matter production, decomposition of xenobiotics and cycling of nutrients, ease of measurement and rapid response to changes in management practices. The assessment of soil health can be used to develop more sustainable crop production system. A number of herbicides have been introduced as pre and post emergence weed killer. The impact of herbicides on soil health depends on the soil type, type and concentration of herbicide used, sensitivity to non-target organisms and environmental conditions. The review elaborates the impact of herbicidal application on the biological indicators of soil health.

scholarly journals The effect of seaweed extract on tomato plant growth, productivity and soil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hashmath Inayath Hussain ◽  
Naga Kasinadhuni ◽  
Tony Arioli
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Tomato Plant ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Bacterial Count ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Seaweed Extract ◽  
Total Bacterial Count ◽  
Soil Biology

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of seaweed extract (SWE) made from the brown algae Durvillaea potatorum and Ascophyllum nodosum on plants and soil. The application of SWE to soil growing tomato plants showed dual effects. SWE comprehensively improved tomato plant growth (flower clusters, flower number, fruit number, root length, root and shoot dry weight, SPAD) and increased plant productivity (yield and quality). Similarly, SWE application effected soil biology at the soil root zone by increasing total bacterial count and available soil nitrogen and impacting bacterial community diversity with an increase in certain bacterial families linked to soil health. A broader understanding of the effects of SWE on the plant-soil ecosystem may offer breakthrough approaches for sustainable food production.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Humic Fertilizers Applied at Full and Reduced Nitrogen Rates on Kentucky Bluegrass Quality and Soil Health

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 395
Author(s):  
Alex J. Lindsey ◽  
Adam W. Thoms ◽  
Marshall D. McDaniel ◽  
Nick E. Christians
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Humic Substances ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Turfgrass Quality ◽  
N Rates ◽  
Fertilizer Rates

Soil health and sustainable management practices have garnered much interest within the turfgrass industry. Among the many practices that enhance soil health and sustainability are applying soil additives to enhance soil biological activity and reducing nitrogen (N) inputs—complimentary practices. A two-year study was conducted to investigate if reduced N fertilizer rates applied with humic substances could provide comparable turfgrass quality as full N rates, and whether humic fertilizers would increase biological aspects of soil health (i.e., microbial biomass and activity). Treatments included synthetic fertilizer with black gypsum (SFBG), poly-coated humic-coated urea (PCHCU; two rates), urea + humic dispersing granules (HDG; two rates), urea, stabilized nitrogen, HDG, and a nontreated control. Reduced rates of N with humic substances maintained turfgrass quality and cover, and reduced clipping biomass compared to full N rates. There were no differences in soil physical and chemical properties besides soil sulfur (S) concentration. SFBG resulted in the highest soil S concentration. Fertilizer treatments had minimal effect on microbial biomass and other plant-available nutrients. However, PCHCU (full rate) increased potentially mineralizable carbon (PMC) and N (PMN) by 68% and 59%, respectively, compared to the nontreated control. Meanwhile SFBG and stabilized nitrogen also increased PMC and PMN by 77% and 50%, and 65% and 59%, respectively. Overall, applications of reduced N fertilizer rates with the addition of humic substances could be incorporated into a more sustainable and environmentally friendly turfgrass fertilizer program.

Impacts of switching tillage to no-tillage and vice versa on soil structure, enzyme activities, and prokaryotic community profiles in Argentinean semi-arid soils

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
L A Gabbarini ◽  
E Figuerola ◽  
J P Frene ◽  
N B Robledo ◽  
F M Ibarbalz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Prokaryotic Community ◽  
C Cycle

Abstract The effects of tillage on soil structure, physiology, and microbiota structure were studied in a long-term field experiment, with side-to-side plots, established to compare effects of conventional tillage (CT) vs. no-till (NT) agriculture. After 27 years, part of the field under CT was switched to NT and vice versa. Soil texture, soil enzymatic profiles, and the prokaryotic community structure (16S rRNA genes amplicon sequencing) were analysed at two soil depths (0–5, 5–10 cm) in samples taken 6, 18, and 30 months after switching tillage practices. Soil enzymatic activities were higher in NT than CT, and enzymatic profiles responded to the changes much earlier than the overall prokaryotic community structure. Beta diversity measurements of the prokaryotic community indicated that the levels of stratification observed in long-term NT soils were already recovered in the new NT soils thirty months after switching from CT to NT. Bacteria and Archaea OTUs, which responded to NT were associated with coarse soil fraction, SOC and C cycle enzymes while CT responders were related to fine soil fractions and S cycle enzymes. This study showed the potential of managing the soil prokaryotic community and soil health through changes in agricultural management practices.

Presence and Production of Tuber Aestivum in Relation with the Soil Environment of a Semi-Natural Experimental Truffle Orchard in Spoleto, Central Italy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilberto Bragato ◽  
Davide Mosetti ◽  
Philippe Turpaud ◽  
Gian Maria Niccolò Benucci ◽  
Domizia Donnini
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
Tuber Aestivum

scholarly journals Soil Health and Related Ecosystem Services in Organic Agriculture

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette K. Abbott ◽  
David A. C. Manning
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Microbial Transformation ◽  
Nutrient Release ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Chemical Processes ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus

<p>Soil health is dependent upon complex bio-physical and bio-chemical processes which interact in space and time. Microrganisms and fauna in soil comprise highly diverse and dynamic communities that contribute, over either short or long time frames, to the transformation of geological minerals and release of essential nutrients for plant growth. Certified organic soil management practices generally restrict the use of chemically-processed highly soluble plant nutrients, leading to dependence on nutrient sources that require microbial transformation of poorly soluble geological minerals. Consequently, slow release of nutrients controls their rate of uptake by plants and associated plant physiological processes. Microbial and faunal interactions influence soil structure at various scales, within and between crystalline mineral grains, creating complex soil pore networks that further influence soil function, including the nutrient release and uptake by roots. The incorporation of organic matter into soil, as either manure or compost in organic farming systems is controlled to avoid excessive release of soluble nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, while simultaneously contributing an essential source of carbon for growth and activity of soil organisms. The interdependence of many soil physical and chemical processes contributing to soil health is strongly linked to activities of the organisms living in soil as well as to root structure and function. Capitalizing on these contributions to soil health cannot be achieved without holistic, multiscale approaches to nutrient management, an understanding of interactions between carbon pools, mineral complexes and soil mineralogy, and detailed examination of farm nutrient budgets.</p>

scholarly journals Effect of three different agronomic conditions on biochemical profile and diversity in the rhizosphere of banana plantations infected with Fusarium oxysporum Race 1

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Sánchez-Zúñiga ◽  
◽  
Ana Tapia-Fernández ◽  
William Eduardo Rivera-Méndez ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Fertility Level ◽  
Biochemical Profile ◽  
Agronomic Conditions

Soil microorganisms play an important role as a link in the transfer of nutrients from the rhizosphere. The physical and chemical properties of soil, the metabolic profiles of microbial communities and different crop management practices can enhance our understanding of hizospheric interactions. This study aimed to establish differences in microbial communities associated with banana crops and the biochemical profile in farms under different agronomic conditions. Seven farms with different levels of intervention, management, and fusariosis severity were analyzed. The biochemical profile of the microbial community was determined using EcoPlates and the main substrates consumed by the microbial communities were identified through multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). Seven microorganisms were selected as indicators of nutrient cycles, pathogenicity and soil health. Also, soil chemical indicators were determined through a complete mineral analysis. For the physiological profile of soil microbial populations, it was observed that farms with the same management tend to be metabolically very similar. In the PCA, two principal components explained 90 % of the variance in the data. It was also determined that the genus Bacillus is predominant in all farms and that farm 4 (medium intervention) presented the most favorable values in all factors analyzed. The effective cation exchange capacity values are highlighted in the chemical analyses, which determined that all farms have a high fertility level. The metabolic profile, diversity and richness of each of the different farms were affected by the type of agronomic management used.

scholarly journals Identifying Sustainable Nitrogen Management Practices for Tea Plantations

Nitrogen ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-57
Author(s):  
Rhys Rebello ◽  
Paul J. Burgess ◽  
Nicholas T. Girkin
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Nitrification Inhibitors ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
High Yields ◽  
N Management

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. It is mostly grown in the tropics with a heavy dependence on mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisers to maintain high yields while minimising the areas under cultivation. However, N is often applied in excess of crop requirements, resulting in substantial adverse environmental impacts. We conducted a systematic literature review, synthesising the findings from 48 studies to assess the impacts of excessive N application on soil health, and identify sustainable, alternative forms of N management. High N applications lead to soil acidification, N leaching to surface and groundwater, and the emission of greenhouse gases including nitrous oxide (N2O). We identified a range of alternative N management practices, the use of organic fertilisers, a mixture of organic and inorganic fertilisers, controlled release fertilisers, nitrification inhibitors and soil amendments including biochar. While many practices result in reduced N loading or mitigate some adverse impacts, major trade-offs include lower yields, and in some instances increased N2O emissions. Practices are also frequently trialled in isolation, meaning there may be a missed opportunity from assessing synergistic effects. Moreover, adoption rates of alternatives are low due to a lack of knowledge amongst farmers, and/or financial barriers. The use of site-specific management practices which incorporate local factors (for example climate, tea variety, irrigation requirements, site slope, and fertiliser type) are therefore recommended to improve sustainable N management practices in the long term.

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