Chapter 6 - Soil health and plant stress mitigation

Abstract

Soil is a continuously evolving complex system, subject to abiotic and biotic environmental processes. Soil health describes the capacity of the soil to support the functions of a plethora of bacteria, archaea, fungi, protista, plants, and animals, and on the other hand, to exchange matter and energy with the abiotic components of the environment. Soil health status can be verified indirectly by measuring indicators of soil attributes such as humus levels, soil respiration, microbiological activity, microbial abundance, and biodiversity. A greater soil health status translates into greater productive potential and, in turn, more plant photosynthates and water and mineral absorption, and consequently more resources directed to the metabolism that induces greater tolerance to stress in plants, with the consequent lower losses due to weather incidents and the impact of pathogens and pests. Consequently, it has been proposed that the management of soils and crops can be based on the preservation or increase of the soil health status. Among the soil health attributes that are recommended to be evaluated and maintained—or increased—are biodiversity and soil organic carbon. When it is possible to obtain an increased level of biodiversity and soil organic carbon, the plants show more growth and yield. This chapter notes that the increase in soil health provides more growth and yield, and other advantages such as the increase in the water use efficiency and nutrient use efficiency, and higher nutritional and nutraceutical quality of the crops.