Current Agricultural Practices Research Articles

Biodegradation of PBSA Films by Elite Aspergillus Isolates and Farmland Soil.

Plastic films are widely used in current agricultural practices; however, most mulch films used are discarded and buried in the land after harvest, having adverse environmental impacts. To solve this environmental problem, the demand for biodegradable mulch has been increasing in recent years. Polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) is a biodegradable polymer with good ductility and can be used for packaging and mulching. In this study, we isolated two elite fungal strains for PBSA degradation from farmlands, i.e., Aspergillus fumigatus L30 and Aspergillus terreus HC, and the latter showed better degradation ability than the former. It is noteworthy that biodegradation of PBSA by A. terreus is reported for the first time, which revealed unique characteristics. In the soil burial test, even the soil with relatively poor degradation ability could be improved by the addition of elite fungal mycelia. In substrate specificity analyses of soil samples, PBSA could induce the synthesis of lipolytic enzymes of indigenous microbes to degrade substrates with medium and long carbon chains in soil. Furthermore, PBSA residues or fungal mycelia supplementation in soils had no adverse effect on the seed germination rate, seedling growth, or mature plant weight of the test green leafy vegetable. Taken together, the results of this study not only advance our understanding of the biodegradation of PBSA films by filamentous fungi but also provide insight into improving the efficiency of biodegradation in soil environments.

Perception of the environmental impact of chemical fertilizer application by vegetable farmers along River Ngadda of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

There is an increasing global concern on the current agricultural practices that are not sustainable owing to adverse impact of chemical fertilizer application on environment. This study identifies types of fertilizer applied, examined farmers knowledge on fertilizer application and assessed farmers perception of the impact of fertilizer on environment along river Ngadda in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were generated through field observation and anonymous structured interview questionnaire were used, while the secondary data was obtained from relevant literature. Through purposeful sample, 120 farmers were selected for the study. Findings revealed that farmers applied NPK fertilizer were 31.9%, Urea fertilizer 27.1%, Phosphorus 19.4% and those applied combined Urea and NPK were 21.5%. The study revealed farmers knowledge on fertilizer application, 50.8% have no formal training, 28.3% trained by extension workers and 20.8% were trained by World Food Program. Findings also revealed that 6.0% of the respondents perceived fertilizer pollute air, contribute to climate change were 2.7%, contaminate soil 25.7% while 3.8% perceived fertilizer build-up heavy metals in soil. Those perceived pollute groundwater were 12.0% and causes eutrophication 21.9%. The study concluded that chemical fertilizer increases plant growth and vigor, hence meets the food security of the world, but its continuous use degrades the soil and environmental pollutions. We recommended that opting organic farming and biofertilizers will create a healthy natural environment for the present as well as future generation.

Linking Soil Microbial Diversity to Modern Agriculture Practices: A Review.

Agriculture is a multifarious interface between plants and associated microorganisms. In contemporary agriculture, emphasis is being given to environmentally friendly approaches, particularly in developing countries, to enhance sustainability of the system with the least negative effects on produce quality and quantity. Modern agricultural practices such as extensive tillage, the use of harmful agrochemicals, mono-cropping, etc. have been found to influence soil microbial community structure and soil sustainability. On the other hand, the question of feeding the ever-growing global population while ensuring system sustainability largely remains unanswered. Agriculturally important microorganisms are envisaged to play important roles in various measures to raise a healthy and remunerative crop, including integrated nutrient management, as well as disease and pest management to cut down agrochemicals without compromising the agricultural production. These beneficial microorganisms seem to have every potential to provide an alternative opportunity to overcome the ill effects of various components of traditional agriculture being practiced by and large. Despite an increased awareness of the importance of organically produced food, farmers in developing countries still tend to apply inorganic chemical fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides beyond the recommended doses. Nutrient uptake enhancement, biocontrol of pests and diseases using microbial inoculants may replace/reduce agrochemicals in agricultural production system. The present review aims to examine and discuss the shift in microbial population structure due to current agricultural practices and focuses on the development of a sustainable agricultural system employing the tremendous untapped potential of the microbial world.

Pathotype Complexity and Genetic Characterization of Phytophthora sojae Populations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Phytophthora sojae, the causal agent of Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean, has been managed with single Rps genes since the 1960s but has subsequently adapted to many of these resistance genes, rendering them ineffective. The objective of this study was to examine the pathotype and genetic diversity of P. sojae from soil samples across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio by assessing which Rps genes were still effective and identifying possible population clusters. There were 218 pathotypes identified from 473 P. sojae isolates with an average of 6.7 out of 15 differential soybean lines exhibiting a susceptible response for each isolate. Genetic characterization of 103 P. sojae isolates from across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio with 19 simple sequence repeat markers identified 92 multilocus genotypes. There was a moderate level of population differentiation between these four states, with pairwise FST values ranging from 0.026 to 0.246. There were also moderate to high levels of differentiation between fields, with pairwise FST values ranging from 0.071 to 0.537. Additionally, cluster analysis detected the presence of P. sojae population structure across neighboring states. The level of pathotype and genetic diversity, in addition to the identification of population clusters, supports the hypothesis of occasional outcrossing events that allow an increase in diversity and the potential to select for a loss in avirulence to specific resistance genes within regions. The trend of suspected gene flow among neighboring fields is expected to be an ongoing issue with current agricultural practices.

Smart agriculture monitoring system for outdoor and hydroponic environments

<span>Agriculture plays an important role in economic aspects in most countries like India. Numerous problems associated with farming are continuously affecting the actions that are happening in the country. A potential resolution for such issues to be eradicated, one should combine the technological advancements with current ongoing agricultural practices. Good agricultural practice will increase crop productivity and reduce unwanted water usage. Many authors have done research on temperature, nutrition, and pH-controlled systems. But no one concentrated on alert messages sent to the mobile phone. The main objective of the proposed system measures various natural aspects that use a global system for mobile communication (GSM) module that is connected to an Arduino to transfer the data that is obtained by the sensors to an internet of things (IoT) <a name="_Hlk93396762"></a>application programming interface (API) which is a kind of cloud computing of obtained data, this data can be analyzed if needed, and an alert short message service (SMS) is sent to the cell phone/mobile phone. The alert message can be done through conversational artificial intelligence (CAI). It is the collection of technologies behind triggering the message that will be sent automatically to the mobile as an SMS if any of the sensor values that are generating are not under already specified threshold values.</span>

Nanostructured mesoporous silica materials induce hormesis on chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under greenhouse conditions

Current agricultural practices for vegetable production are unsustainable, and the use of certain nanomaterials has shown significant potential for either plant growth promotion or defense induction in crop species. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the possible effects of two SBA nano-structured silica materials differing in morphology; SBA-15, with porous structure in parallel and with a highly ordered hexagonal array and SBA-16, with spheric nano-cages located in cubic arrays, as plant growth promoters/eustressors on chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) during cultivation under greenhouse conditions. The study was carried out at three foliarly applied concentrations (20, 50 and 100 ppm) of either SBA materials to determine effects on seed germination, seedling growth, plant performance and cold tolerance under greenhouse. Phytotoxicity tests were carried out using higher concentrations (100, 1000 and 200 ppm) applied by dipping or spraying onto chili pepper plants. Deionized water controls were included. The results showed that the SBA materials did not affect seed germination; however, SBA-15 at 50 ppm and 100 ppm applied by imbibition significantly increased seedling height (up to 8-fold) and provided enhanced growth performance in comparison with controls under select treatment regimes. Weekly application of SBA-15 at 20 ppm significantly increased stem diameter and cold tolerance; however, SBA-16 showed significant decreases in plant height (20 ppm biweekly applied) and stem diameter (20, 50 and 100 ppm biweekly applied). The results demonstrate that both SBA materials provided hormetic effects in a dose dependent manner on chili pepper production and protection to cold stress. No phytotoxic response was evident. These findings suggested the nanostructured mesoporous silica have potential as a sustainable amendment strategy to increase crop production under stress-inducing cultivation conditions.

Fungal Endophytes and Their Role in Agricultural Plant Protection against Pests and Pathogens.

Virtually all examined plant species harbour fungal endophytes which asymptomatically infect or colonize living plant tissues, including leaves, branches, stems and roots. Endophyte-host interactions are complex and span the mutualist–pathogen continuum. Notably, mutualist endophytes can confer increased fitness to their host plants compared with uncolonized plants, which has attracted interest in their potential application in integrated plant health management strategies. In this review, we report on the many benefits that fungal endophytes provide to agricultural plants against common non-insect pests such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, and mites. We report endophytic modes of action against the aforementioned pests and describe why this broad group of fungi is vitally important to current and future agricultural practices. We also list an extensive number of plant-friendly endophytes and detail where they are most commonly found or applied in different studies. This review acts as a general resource for understanding endophytes as they relate to potential large-scale agricultural applications.

Silvopastoralism, local ecological knowledge and woodland trajectories in a category V- type management area

Preserving landscape heritage elements and indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) is an increasingly popular approach in conservation. We focus on a globally very contentious practice, silvopastoral livestock raising, which along with other peasant practices, is slated for elimination according to projected Chilean conservation policy. We used ecological surveys to ask how central Chilean semi-arid woodlands in the locality of Alhué have responded to past human livelihoods practices, including silvopastoralism. Using interviews, we examined local ecological knowledge and uses of forest plants. We also conducted surveys on current agricultural practices. Many residents maintain a diversified, smallholder subsistence agricultural strategy. Residents identified 113 plants with 73 uses. They also demonstrated a good knowledge of woodland regulations. We found that woodlands recover well from historical disturbances over 50–100 year time scales. In fact, the presence of cattle year-round in the woodlands was associated with greater tree regeneration. We find that despite the conservation discourse, there is no evidence of a degradation problem, and we hypothesize based on our findings that eradicating peasants’ silvopastoralism and other practices could increase degradation. We recommend that the Conservation Landscape programme be used to save key traditional practices, which should be studied further to determine optimal management. We show how conflicts and misalignments within and between ILK, data, and environmental discourse can signal complex socio-ecological issues where a closer look at how the evidence fits together is necessary.

Wood Ash Based Treatment of Anaerobic Digestate: State-of-the-Art and Possibilities

The problem of current agricultural practices is not limited to land management but also to the unsustainable consumption of essential nutrients for plants, such as phosphorus. This article focuses on the valorization of wood ash and anaerobic digestate for the preparation of a slow-release fertilizer. The underlying chemistry of the blend of these two materials is elucidated by analyzing the applications of the mixture. First, the feasibility of employing low doses (≤1 g total solids (TS) ash/g TS digestate) of wood ash is explained as a way to improve the composition of the feedstock of anaerobic digestion and enhance biogas production. Secondly, a detailed description concerning high doses of wood ash and their uses in the downstream processing of the anaerobic digestate to further enhance its stability is offered. Among all the physico-chemical phenomena involved, sorption processes are meticulously depicted, since they are responsible for nutrient recovery, dewatering, and self-hardening in preparing a granular fertilizer. Simple activation procedures (e.g., carbonization, carbonation, calcination, acidification, wash, milling, and sieving) are proposed to promote immobilization of the nutrients. Due to the limited information on the combined processing of wood ash and the anaerobic digestate, transformations of similar residues are additionally considered. Considering all the possible synergies in the anaerobic digestion and the downstream stages, a dose of ash of 5 g TS ash/g TS digestate is proposed for future experiments.

OLYMERIC NANOFORMULATION OF A NON-SYSTEMIC DITHIOCARBAMATE PESTICIDE: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND BIOASSAY

The current agricultural practice is to develop novel Nano agrochemicals in the form of Nano pesticides. Many researchers in the world have foretold an upheaval in present agricultural practice. This paper aims at the application of nanotechnology for plant protection in the form of Nano pesticides. Our study endowed with a novel polymeric Nano formulation of a dithiocarbamate nonsystemic agricultural fungicide called Mannose (MCB) by using polycaprolactone as a capping agent. The encapsulated dithiocarbamate complex was characterized by using analytical techniques like UV-Visible spectroscopy, Dynamic light scattering, Scanning electron microscope, and Transmission electron microscope. The particle size distribution emerged at 17-44nm. The bioassay was conducted against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Rhizoctonia solani. The bioassay illustrated better results as compared to the commercial pesticide.

Risks and opportunities associated with pollinators’ conservation and management of pollination services in Latin America

The conservation status of pollinators and pollination in Latin America (LA) is reviewed. The knowledge regarding native and managed pollinators (e.g., honeybee and stingless bees) and pollination services was synthetized, and the guidelines to improve the opportunities for conservation are provided, considering the threats to pollinators and the perspectives from traditional and local knowledge. The analysis indicates that diverse threats (e.g., large-scale agriculture, deforestation, overuse of agrochemicals) are linked with pollination and pollinator decline, which affect the reproduction of most native plants and the yields of many crops. LA harbours the highest bee diversity worldwide, with 26% of the total recorded species, and it is a biodiversity hotspot of vertebrate pollinators, including hummingbirds, perching birds, nectarivorous bats and other mammal pollinators. Specific recommendations to conserve native pollinators and to improve pollination services are provided, which could be considered by stakeholders and governments aiming to elaborate biocultural conservation. For example, introducing policies and legal responses for incentives to help farmers maintain natural habitats and forests, to replace or reduce agrochemicals and to improve diversified crop production with agroecological practices; refining agrochemical regulations to minimize the exposure of pollinators to insecticides and herbicides; improving knowledge and education on pollinators and pollination gives societies worldwide the opportunity to change current hegemonic agricultural practices and consumption patterns; integrating different land ethical views of ethnic minorities on a sustainable relationship between production and biodiversity. A wider view combining social, ecological, cultural dimensions may support better decision making. This holistic socio-agroecological perspective is urgently needed to conserve and manage pollinators at different spatial and temporal scales, and to integrate pollination services, pollinator-friendly habitat management approaches and diversified farming systems.

Evaluating the Hydrologic and Water Quality Impacts of the Revised SCS CN Method and its Implications on Decision-Making

Highlights The revised CN equation uses decreased CN values, causing decreased initial abstraction values and increased runoff. SWAT’s water balance approach simulated increased runoff to decrease groundwater flow and associated baseflow with the revised SCS CN method. Landscape analysis showed minor changes in runoff and nutrient loadings, except in row cropping areas in high runoff potential soils. Reduced mitigation occurs if post-development runoff increases by a greater margin than the pre-development runoff. Abstract. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number (CN) method is a widely used model developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that estimates surface runoff generated from a land area using factors such as land cover, soil type, and precipitation depth. However, because this empirical model was developed over 60 years ago with limited data, the NRCS is considering revising it with the help of an ASCE-ASABE task group. The proposed revisions include updating the initial abstraction (Ia) ratio in the CN equation and modifying the curve number (CN) for all land use and soil hydrologic group combinations. The proposed revisions are expected to alter the hydrologic response estimation, especially for low flow events. Since surface runoff is driving sediment, nutrients, and the transport of chemicals in natural systems, this study aims to understand how predicted hydrologic and water quality variables vary between the original and the proposed revised versions of the SCS CN method using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Additionally, a case study site was selected to understand how the revisions alter the design storm runoff analysis. Results from the simulation case study on a 36,900 ha mixed land-use watershed located in central Pennsylvania, USA indicate a 5% to 14% increase in annual runoff predictions with the revised equation compared to the original equation. Though most average monthly runoff depths increased by 1% to 25% using the revised equation, winter months generally simulated runoff depths that were 1% to 5% lower than the original equation. Average daily loadings at the watershed outlet increased by 11% to 19% and 4% to 11% for nitrate and mineral phosphorus, respectively. The SWAT simulation results suggest that current agricultural and urban best management practices (BMPs) will experience higher runoff volumes on a yearly time scale due to the decrease in the Ia term, while the design storm case study results suggest that urban BMPs can be smaller in size when rural lands are urbanized due to the reduction in runoff estimation from the initial land use with the revised equation. Additional detailed evaluations of the proposed SCS CN method are required for water quality simulations, stormwater management, and BMP designs. Keywords: Hydrology, Revised curve number method, SCS Curve Number Method, Soil and Water Assessment Tool, Water quality.

Changing Paradigm in the epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis in India.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a very serious public health problem in India and the conducive environment permit its emergence in non-endemic areas in the country. There are constant changes taking place in the pattern of current agricultural practices and vector breeding habitats which had far-reaching consequences on the epidemiology of JE and the severity of epidemic outbreaks today. Due to the continuous ecological changes taking place, vectors changed in their breeding dynamics, feeding, and resting behavior and started invading previously non-endemic areas. JE has recently spread to new territories due to land-use changes, including forest fragmentation and concentrated livestock production. Changes in the livestock population decreased the cattle pig ratio which enhanced the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. This review brings forth the present widespread changes encountered that grossly impact the risk of infection in many places for the emergence of Japanese encephalitis and to address the implications for its control.

Iron fortification of food crops through nanofertilisation

Micronutrient deficiencies are a significant cause of malnutrition worldwide, particularly in developing countries, affecting nearly 1.8 billion people worldwide. Agriculture is the primary source of nutrients for humans, but the increasing population and reducing arable lands areas are putting the agricultural sector under pressure, particularly in developing and less developed countries, and calls for intensive farming to increase crop yield to overcome food and nutrients deficiency challenges. Iron is an essential microelement that plays a vital role in plant and human growth, and metabolism, but its deficiency is widely reported and affects nearly one-third of the world population. To combat micronutrient deficiency, crops must have improved nutritional qualities or be biofortified. Several biofortification programs with conventional breeding, biotechnological and agronomic approaches have been implemented with limited success in providing essential nutrients, especially in developing and under-developed countries. The use of nanofertilisers as agronomic biofortification method to increase yields and nutrients, micronutrient availability in soil and uptake in plant parts, and minimising the reliance on harmful chemical fertilisers is essential. Using nanoparticles as nanofertilisers is a promising approach for improving the sustainability of current agricultural practices and for the biofortification of food crop production with essential micronutrients, thus enhanced nutritional quality. This review evaluates the current use of iron nanofertilisers for biofortification in several food crops addressing critical knowledge gaps and challenges that must be addressed to optimise the sustainable application.

PHOTOSYNTHETIC INOCULANTS FOR PROMOTING SEED GERMINATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TOMATO PLANTS

Microalgae and cyanobacteria are a potentially sustainable alternative for the improvement and protection of agricultural crops. Mineral fertilizers raise environmental and health issues. and current agricultural practices depend to a large extent on the application of fertilizers and pesticides. In this study. we examined the effect of cyanobacteria and microalgae on tomato seed germination. seedling growth. green and dry biomass. gas exchange from leaves (plant photosynthesis and transpiration). and the chlorophyll content of leaves (chlorophyll a. b and carotene). as well as on the soil respiration process. The obtained results highlight higher values of green and dry biomass in the variants inoculated with cyanobacteria and microalgae compared to the control variant and comparable to the values obtained in the technologically fertilized variants. Tomato seedlings showed higher photosynthesis values compared to the control and compared to the technologically fertilized variant in the soil of the pea plot (7.06 μmol CO2 / m2 / s compared to 6.33μmol CO2 / m2 / s in the control variant and 7.06 μmol CO2 / m2 / s in the technologically fertilized version). And in the case of the soil in the museum plot. the values of photosynthesis in the version with the inoculum of cyanobacteria and microalgae were statistically assured compared to the control.

Impact of agrochemicals on the environment and human health: The concerns and remedies

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are essential aids in current agricultural practice to achieve the growing population's need worldwide. Excessive use of these agrochemicals often exerts toxic effects and imposes acute risks on human health and the surrounding environment. Importantly, they have negative impacts on the farmers during agricultural practice without proper safety measures. When a human comes in contact with these toxic chemicals due to leaching and drifting causes serious health hazards including diabetes, reproductive disorders, neurological dysfunction, cancer, and respiratory diseases. In this paper, we discussed the benefits and adverse effects of agrochemicals on humans and the ecology. Moreover, we also discussed some important remedial measures to reduce the toxic effects in farming. We have mentioned recent state-of-art nanotechnology techniques to improve agricultural research. This paper will give new insights into current farming strategies by which farmers will be able to decrease the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Fodder development in sub‐Saharan Africa: An introduction

AbstractLivestock systems play a key role in the sustainability and livelihood of sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). The human population in SSA is rapidly increasing, resulting in steady growth in the demand for animal‐sourced foods (ASF). Most current agricultural production practices in SSA coupled with poor management, health challenges and indigenous breeds, result in low crop and livestock productivity and often do not meet local demands. To improve productivity, locally adapted technologies and management practices need to be widely adopted. This special issue is a collection of contributions addressing major aspects of crop and livestock systems in SSA. Key topics addressed include the present status of feedstuff availability in SSA, improved fodder production and utilization practices, new cultivars, soil management, forage conservation, use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) tools to measure forage nutritive value, and social and economic aspects of crop‐livestock systems. The overarching goal of this special issue is to provide insightful information that can be used for the future development and implementation of efficient and sustainable integrated systems. SSA will have a key role in feeding itself and the world in the future, and livestock systems and cropping practices are crucial components of this process.

Conservation agriculture can help the South American Andean region achieve food security

AbstractThe Andean region of Ecuador is dominated by small‐scale agriculture on steep slopes vulnerable to erosion, soil degradation, and subsequent productivity loss. Soil erosion rates exceed the average rate of soil formation by 9–286 times, making current agricultural practices in the region unsustainable, and threatening to increase food insecurity. The projected effects of a changing climate vary across the Andean region, with higher precipitation and erosion rates projected for some areas. However, even in areas where the precipitation rates are expected to be lower, the projected erosion rates will still be unsustainable. Research on conservation agriculture (CA) practices conducted from 2008 to 2017 in the highlands of Ecuador suggests that yields and cost savings ultimately make several CA production systems profitable compared to conventional practices. In the very short term, large gains did not emerge, and the best that could be said about CA is that it did not reduce productivity. Over the medium term, improvements in soil health (lower erosion) led to higher profitability that made the practices more profitable than conventional practices over the entire rotation. However, adoption of these alternatives by local producers, even in research areas, is low. Lack of public or private agricultural extension contributes to slow diffusion of new technology and best management practices in the region. There is a need to develop improved communication with local farmers to more effectively relay how CA protects the soil, mitigates degradation, and provides a means to achieve food security and avoid a humanitarian crisis.

An In Situ FTIR Study of DBD Plasma Parameters for Accelerated Germination of Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds.

Current agricultural practices are not sustainable; however, the non-thermal plasma treatment of seeds may be an eco-friendly alternative to alter macroscopic plant growth parameters. Despite numerous successful results of plasma-seed treatments reported in the literature, the plasma-treatment parameters required to improve plant growth remain elusive due to the plethora of physical, chemical, and biological variables. In this study, we investigate the optimal conditions in our surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) setup, using a parametric study, and attempt to understand relevant species in the plasma treatment using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy. Our results suggest that treatment time and voltage are key parameters for accelerated germination; however, no clear conclusion on causative agents can be drawn.

Soil erosion as a factor of desertification of agrolandscapes in Ukraine

The description of the typical structure of agricultural landscapes of Ukraine and the most common degradation processes are given. Water and wind erosion are considered as one of the largest contributors to soil degradation in Ukraine, accompanied by declining soil fertility, moisture loss to surface runoff, air and surface water pollution, and degradation of small rivers. The sown areas of main crops for 1990–2020 are analysed per administrative oblast according to the State Statistical Service of Ukraine. A global long-term satellite remote sensing land surface temperature dataset (NOAA AVHRR) was used to analyse the dynamics of the average sum of effective temperatures for the vegetation season in 1982–2019. Sentinel-5P satellite data was used to analyse the spread and exposure of a large-scale dust storm in Polissya region in April 2020. As a result of climate change and economic factors, the area under corn and sunflower has been significantly increased. Due to the increased frequency of stormy rains and strong wind under climate change, the conditions for intensification of water and wind erosion in agricultural landscapes has been created. The local manifestation of wind erosion is typical for Polissya, mainly on overdried peat bogs and cohesive-sandy soils. But in the spring of 2020 a large-scale dust storm was observed for the first time on the territory of Ukrainian and Belarusian Polissya on the area of about 3.5 million hectares.The growing risk of soil erosion due to the climate change and current agricultural practices requires the improvement not only of the state land management system, but also the agri-environmental monitoring system, scientific methodical and information-advisory support of regional governments, landowners and land users. In order to implement state policy and coordinate the work on the rational use and protection of soils, combating their desertification and degradation, as well as adaptation of land use systems to climate change, it is proposed to establish the governing body «Monitoring, land management and soil protection» on the basis of existing specialized units of central and regional governments in the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.