Impact Of Soil Management Practices Research Articles

A field investigation on the soil management practices in a productive vineyard considering C sequestration and water resistance of soil structure

AbstractOptimal soil structure is linked to soil organic matter (SOM). Different soil management practice alternates SOM but the storing C to soil structure formation in vineyard soils is not sufficiently studied. In addition, understanding the impact of soil management practices in vineyard on changes in SOM and soil structure is crucial for sustainable viticulture. In this study conducted in a productive vineyard near Nitra city, Slovakia, we investigated the dynamics of individual size-fractions of water-stable aggregates (WSA) as results of changes in soil organic matter (SOM) under different soil management practices. Five distinct management practices – Intensive tillage system (T); Intensive tillage system with poultry manure (T + M); Strip grass (G); Fertilization in lower rates of NPK (NPK 1) to grass strips; and Fertilization in higher level of NPK (NPK 2) to grass strips were adopted to to be tested. The results have shown that the highest content of soil organic carbon (SOC) 20.3 ± 3.68 g kg−1, labile carbon (CL) 2.71 ± 0.78 g kg−1, and the most favor soil structure were identified in NPK 1, however, the most effectively improved soil structure and C sequestration (SOC: 19.9 ± 3.88 g kg−1; CL: 2.53 ± 0.83 g kg−1) was under G treatment. SOC had a more significant influence on the content of water-stable aggregates than CL. Intense changes in SOM took place in larger size-fractions of water-stable macroaggregates (WSAma) above 2 mm, while smaller WSAma below 2 mm and water-stable microaggregates were more stable.

How to make regenerative practices work on the farm: A modelling framework

CONTEXTWell-managed agricultural land can provide ecosystem services and contribute positively to the environment. Many of these services are mediated through the soil and are referred to as soil functions. Regenerative agriculture is a mode of agriculture that uses soil conservation as the entry point to regenerate and contribute to these ecosystem services, with the aspiration that this will enhance not only environmental, but also social and economic dimensions of food production. OBJECTIVEThe main objective of this paper is to create a modelling framework which allows the ex-ante redesign of diverse farming systems and assessment of ecosystem services associated with regenerative agriculture in diverse pedo-climatic conditions. METHODSWithin this modelling framework we combined two models (Soil Navigator (SN) and FarmDESIGN (FD)) to consider soil attributes at the field-scale and environmental and socio-economic outcomes at farm-scale. We used a Dutch dairy-farm as case-study to demonstrate how this framework can be used to assess associated ecosystem services and explore alternative farm configurations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSCombining SN with FD indicated what ecosystem services could be improved in a local context. Together these models help to evaluate the impact of soil management practices as the basis for exploring the overall socio-economic and environmental sustainability of our dairy case-study farm. For our dairy case-study farm, we found a set of management practices that delivered four out of the five functions at a high capacity, at the expense of primary productivity (from high to medium) and farm profitability (from 55,620 to 40,720 € yr−1). The decline in primary productivity, however, causes an improvement in other ecosystem services such as, climate regulation (increased from medium to high) and the soil organic matter surplus (increased with 7%). While this study successfully demonstrated an initial combination of SN and FD models for the ex-ante redesign and assessment of farming systems towards regenerative agriculture, further model development is essential to widen the applicability of this study to include emerging farming practices and new indicators of sustainability that are measured over a longer period. SIGNIFICANCEFor regenerative agriculture to be meaningful for diverse farming systems, we need methods that give insight into the efficacy of regenerative management to meet multiple ecosystem services within local contexts. As such, our modelling framework can be used by researchers as a tool to help various stakeholders to assess and redesign farms based on the objectives of regenerative agriculture.

Soil attributes, plant nutrition, and Fusarium wilt of banana in São Paulo, Brazil

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is the most destructive banana disease in Brazil. Different epidemic rates of FWB are commonly observed in certain plots of monocrop plantations suggesting that factors suppressing or boosting the disease are in place. The identification and management of predisposing factors to FWB offer a pathway to better management practices and reduced yield losses. In this study, chemical and physical soil attributes and the nutritional status of plants in Foc infested (Foc+) and healthy (Foc−) plots in two contrasting banana production systems in Sao Paulo, Brazil, were analyzed. Nine farms placed in Vale do Ribeira (VR; N = 5) and Sao Bento do Sapucai (SBS; N = 4) were assessed. In VR, where more chemical fertilizers are used, FWB was associated with higher soil acidity and lower levels of phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), and manganese (Mn). In addition, lower values of base saturation were found in Foc+ than in Foc− plots. In SBS, where chemical fertilizers are rarely used, soil chemical attributes were not associated with FWB, except boron (B), which showed lower values in Foc+ than in Foc− plots. However, physical attributes (bulk density and penetration resistance) showed higher values in Foc+ than Foc− plots in SBS. These attributes were not associated with FWB in any of the VR’s farms. Our data also suggest that FWB can significantly affect the plant’s nutritional status. Cations (Ca and K) and their ratios with nitrogen (N) were lower in plant leaves from Foc+ than from Foc− plots in both production systems. The impact of soil management practices on FWB intensity and the need for site-specific approaches to better understand and support disease management strategies are discussed.

Impact of soil management practices on yield quality, weed infestation and soil microbiota abundance in organic zucchini production

In organic farming, reduced tillage aims to maintain the natural fertility of the soil, including its microbiological diversity. Cultivation practices that change the properties of the soil environment determine conditions of plant growth and yield as well as the chemical composition of the biomass. The methods and dates of performing soil cultivation treatments in organic vegetable production were studied in southern Poland, in the years 2016–2018. The following cultivation combinations were applied: conventional autumn ploughing tillage (APT), spring ploughing tillage (SPT), spring rotary tillage (SRT), spring rotary tillage with polypropylene nonwoven (surface mass of 50 g m−2) mulch (SRTPM), and spring rotary tillage with fresh biomass mulch (SRTBM). The experiment was established on a site where a mixture of white clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. ‘RD 84’) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. cv. ‘Gaza’) was grown for green manure, which constituted a forecrop for zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. ‘Partenon’ F1. The fresh biomass of clover and grass was used to mulch the soil on the SRTBM plots. It was shown that the spring soil cultivation with a rotary tiller before planting zucchini plants resulted in a higher marketable yield of zucchini fruit compared to the ploughing performed in the spring (an increase by 34.3%) and the ploughing performed in the autumn (an increase by 25.3%), but these differences are not statistically confirmed. The date of ploughing did not significantly affect the extent of weed infestation on the experimental plots. Zucchini fruit harvested in the last year of study (2018) were characterized by the strongest antioxidant activity and contained the highest amount of total phenols. The study demonstrated a beneficial effect of the reduced tillage and mulching with fresh biomass (SRTBM) on bacterial population (1.56 × 109 CFU g−1 DW) in the soil.

Soil Management Practices to Mitigate Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Inform Emission Factors in Arid Irrigated Specialty Crop Systems

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from arid irrigated agricultural soil in California have been predicted to represent 8% of the state’s total GHG emissions. Although specialty crops compose the majority of the state’s crops in both economic value and land area, the portion of GHG emissions contributed by them is still highly uncertain. Current and emerging soil management practices affect the mitigation of those emissions. Herein, we review the scientific literature on the impact of soil management practices in California specialty crop systems on GHG nitrous oxide emissions. As such studies from most major specialty crop systems in California are limited, we focus on two annual and two perennial crops with the most data from the state: tomato, lettuce, wine grapes and almond. Nitrous oxide emission factors were developed and compared to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission factors, and state-wide emissions for these four crops were calculated for specific soil management practices. Dependent on crop systems and specific management practices, the emission factors developed in this study were either higher, lower or comparable to IPCC emission factors. Uncertainties caused by low gas sampling frequency in these studies were identified and discussed. These uncertainties can be remediated by robust and standardized estimates of nitrous oxide emissions from changes in soil management practices in California specialty crop systems. Promising practices to reduce nitrous oxide emissions and meet crop production goals, pertinent gaps in knowledge on this topic and limitations of this approach are discussed.

Mulch-Based No-Tillage Effects on Weed Community and Management in an Organic Vegetable System

Weeds can cooperate with the agroecosystem’s functioning by providing ecosystem services. Effective weed management should mitigate negative weed–crop interference, while maintaining a functional and balanced weed community. In a two-year trial, the in-line/roller crimper (RC) was used to terminate an agroecological service crop (ASC; here barley, Hordeum vulgare L.) before organic zucchini (Cucurbita pepo, L.) and compared with green manure (GM) ASC and tilled no-ASC with Mater-Bi mulch on the rows (No_ASC). Zucchini yield, soil N availability, weed density/cover, biomass, and community composition were assessed. Analysis of variance, exploratory statistical analysis, and non-parametric inferential approaches were run, respectively, on agronomic data, species-specific weed frequencies, and Shannon diversity. Zucchini yield was the highest in No_ASC, due to soil N immobilization under high C:N barley residues in GM and RC. Multivariate analysis discriminated RC from tilled systems, outlining a specific ensemble of weed species correlated to Shannon diversity. From zucchini fruit set, RC selectively favored Polygonum aviculare L. and Helminthotheca echioides (L.), reasonably because of their oligotrophy and creeping habit. Their dominance finally caused low RC weed control. Results highlight strong weed selective pressure by the mulch-based no-tillage. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning the impact of soil management practices on weed community can drive towards a tailor-made and more effective weed management.

Potentials to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from Swiss agriculture

There is an urgent need to identify and evaluate management practices for their biophysical potential to maintain productivity under climate change while mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from individual cropping systems under specific pedo-climatic conditions. Here, we examined, through DayCent modeling, the long-term impact of soil management practices and their interactions on soil GHG emissions and GHG intensity from Swiss cropping systems. Based on experimental data from four long-term experimental sites in Switzerland (Therwil, Frick, Changins, and Reckenholz), we robustly parameterized and evaluated the model for simulating crop productivity, soil C dynamics and soil N2O emissions across a range of management practices and pedo-climatic conditions. Net soil GHG emissions (NSGHGE) were derived from changes in soil C, N2O emissions and CH4 oxidation. Soils under conventional management acted as a net source of soil GHG emissions (1361–1792 kg CO2eq ha−1 yr−1) and NSGHGE were dominated by N2O (50–63%). Reduced tillage and no-tillage reduced long-term NSGHGE by up to 31 and 58%, respectively. Organic farming, represented by organic fertilization, reduced NSGHGE by up to 31% compared to systems based solely on mineral fertilization. Replacement of slurries with a composted FYM led to an additional reduction in NSGHGE by 46%, although our approach considered only soil GHG emissions and thus did not take into account GHG emissions from the composting process. Cover cropping did not significantly influence NSGHGE, however vetch tended to reduce NSGHGE (-19%). The highest mitigation potential was associated with organic farming plus reduced tillage management, it reduced long-term NSGHGE by up to 128%. Soil C sequestration accounted, on average, for 89% of GHG mitigation potentials, consequently N2O dominated NSGHGE across all treatments and sites (60 − 80%). This indicates that these mitigation potentials are time limited and reversible, if the management is not maintained, in contrast to the reduction in N2O emissions, which is considered permanent. Not all the management practices sustained crop yields. Nevertheless, composting of organic manures, reduced tillage and no-tillage effectively reduced NSGHGE and GHG intensity without a noticeable yield reduction. Our results suggest that implementation of the above soil management practices in Swiss cropping systems have a considerable potential for climate change mitigation, although time-limited.

Soil management and soil properties in a Kenyan smallholder irrigation system on naturally low-fertile soils

In this study we examine the impact of soil management practices on soil properties in a landscape with naturally relatively poor soils on and below the dry slopes of a Rift Valley escarpment in Kenya that have been dominated by extensive smallholder investments in canal irrigation over the last 300 years. We show that farmers in the area have been able to keep up agricultural production in the face of growing population. The actual practices of soil management at one moment in time appear to be of minor importance to soil improvement, as indicated by the low correlation between Soil Management Index (SMI) and soil chemical data. However, cultivation triggers a process of slow soil improvement manifested by a positive correlation between nutrient levels and duration of irrigated cultivation and soil management, which likely explains farmers' confidence in soil productivity. However, we also identify sodicity as a risk connected to intensified irrigation in the area. Finally, we stress the need for further studies integrating investigations of local irrigation and soil management with soil and water quality analyses. These will be crucial to shape sustainable place-based and farmer-led solutions for African agricultural growth.

Zinc concentration affects the functional groups of microbial communities in sugarcane-cultivated soil

The addition of zinc (Zn) to the soil has significant gains in sugarcane productivity. The understanding of the consequences of zinc application requires insight into ecological aspects of changes in soil microbial communities. Here, we evaluated the effects of zinc application on richness, diversity, evenness and structure of microbial functional genes in sugarcane-cultivated soil, and response thresholds of abundance for groups of microbial functional genes on different zinc concentrations added to the soil (0, 5, 10 and 20kg Zn ha−1) in two sugarcane fields in the Northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Using a high-density functional gene array termed GeoChip 5.0, which contains 101,796 distinct probes belonging to gene categories involved in zinc transport, secondary metabolism, stress, virulence and nutrient cycling, differences were observed in the functional gene structure of microbial communities and abundance of specific gene families with a threshold between 5 and 10kg Zn ha−1. However, the richness, diversity and evenness of functional genes did not differ across the zinc gradients in soil. Cluster analysis based on microbial functional subcategories revealed variation in abundances across the gradient of zinc concentrations in soil mainly for virulence, stress, secondary metabolism, and carbon- and phosphorus-cycling-related gene families. A threshold in abundance was observed between 5 and 10kg Zn ha−1 with high abundance of microbial gene families associated with zinc transporter proteins, antioxidant enzymes, exoenzymes associated with infection, secretion proteins, virulence regulatory genes, carbon fixation, and phosphorus utilization in soils supplemented with up to 5kg Zn ha−1. In these same soils, reduced abundance was observed for gene families associated with methanogenesis, metabolism of halogen and carotenoid, and antiphagocytosis compared with soil supplements with 10 or 20kg Zn ha−1. The results suggest that changes in microbial functional gene structure and abundance could be used to evaluate the impact of soil management practices on soil microbial communities in sugarcane production fields.

Impact of soil management practices on yield, fruit quality, and antioxidant contents of pepper at four stages of fruit development

Peppers, a significant component of the human diet in many regions of the world, provide vitamins A (β-carotene) and C, and are also a source of many other antioxidants such as capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and phenols. Enhancing the concentration of antioxidants in plants grown in soil amended with recycled waste has not been completely investigated. Changes in pepper antioxidant content in relation to soil amendments and fruit development were investigated. The main objectives of this investigation were to: (i) quantify concentrations of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, β-carotene, ascorbic acid, phenols, and soluble sugars in the fruits of Capsicum annuum L. (cv. Xcatic) grown under four soil management practices: yard waste (YW), sewage sludge (SS), chicken manure (CM), and no-much (NM) bare soil and (ii) monitor antioxidant concentrations in fruits of plants grown under these practices and during fruit ripening from green into red mature fruits. Total marketable pepper yield was increased by 34% and 15% in SS and CM treatments, respectively, compared to NM bare soil; whereas, the number of culls (fruits that fail to meet the requirements of foregoing grades) was lower in YW compared to SS and CM treatments. Regardless of fruit color, pepper fruits from YW amended soil contained the greatest concentrations of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. When different colored pepper fruits (green, yellow, orange, and red) were analyzed, orange and red contained the greatest β-carotene and sugar contents; whereas, green fruits contained the greatest concentrations of total phenols and ascorbic acid.

Characteristics of Soil Water-Soluble Organic C and N Under Different Land Uses in Alaska

Land use conversion induces quantitative change of soil water-soluble organic matter (WSOM), but knowledge of such change is still limited. In this study, field moist and air-dried soils sampled from subarctic Alaska under three land use managements (i.e., forest, agriculture, and grassland converted from agricultural use and under a Conservation Reserve Program [CRP]) were extracted with deionized water and separated by filtration into different size fractions (2.5 μm, 0.45 μm, and 1 kDa). Water-soluble organic C (WSOC), water-soluble organic N, and fluorescence spectroscopy of each fraction were determined. There were few differences in quantitative data between samples from different land uses with air-dried samples, implying that air-dried samples were not suitable for characterizing the impact of soil management practices on soil WSOM. For field moist soil samples, the WSOC contents decreased in the order forest > CRP > agricultural land. Furthermore, WSOC was dominated by large (>0.45 μm) and small (<1 kDa) size molecules in CRP and forest soils, whereas small molecules predominated in agricultural soils. The WSOM of different size fractions and land use displayed three similar fluorophore components (two humic-like and a tyrosine-like), indicating that the impact of land use was mainly on the quantity, rather than on the composition, of WSOM. In conclusion, our data suggested that the long-term agricultural land use could lower the WSOM levels in soils; however, the decreasing trend could be reversed by conversion of agricultural land to grassland under conservation.

Long-term management effects on organic C and N pools and activities of C-transforming enzymes in prairie soils

Changes in soil microbial and biochemical properties in response to management practices reflect changes in the functional capacity of soil ecosystems. The objectives were to evaluate effects of long-term management practices on different soil organic C and N pools and activities of glycoside hydrolases, including α- and β-glucosidases, α- and β-galactosidases, cellulase, and invertase, in semiarid prairie soils. Soils were sampled from five long-term management systems including: undisturbed, abandoned from cultivation, moderately grazed, heavily grazed, and cultivated with winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Activities of C-transforming enzymes were sensitive in discriminating soil ecosystems under various land uses and can be used as indicators for detecting impact of soil management practices on the soil capacity to cycle C. Long-term cultivation (more than 30 yr) decreased total organic C and N, microbial biomass, and activities of C-transforming enzymes, and led to development of a microbial community with enhanced metabolic activity. Grazing, especially at moderate intensity, did not lessen soil capacity to support microbial life and cycle C. The intermediate status of the chemical, microbial, and biochemical properties in the abandoned from cultivation soils suggested that through secondary succession the soil ecosystem is restoring its capacity to sequester C and support microbial life.

The Soil Management Assessment Framework

Erosion rates and annual soil loss tolerance (T) values in evaluations of soil management practices have served as focal points for soil quality (SQ) research and assessment programs for decades. Our objective is to enhance and extend current soil assessment efforts by presenting a framework for assessing the impact of soil management practices on soil function. The tool consists of three steps: indicator selection, indicator interpretation, and integration into an index. The tool's framework design allows researchers to continually update and refine the interpretations for many soils, climates, and land use practices. The tool was demonstrated using data from case studies in Georgia, Iowa, California, and the Pacific Northwest (WA, ID, OR). Using an expert system of decision rules as an indicator selection step successfully identified indicators for the minimum data set (MDS) in the case study data sets. In the indicator interpretation step, observed indicator data were transformed into unitless scores based on site‐specific algorithmic relationships to soil function. The scored data resulted in scientifically defensible and statistically different treatment means in the four case studies. The efficacy of the indicator interpretation step was evaluated with stepwise regressions using scored and observed indicators as independent variables and endpoint data as iterative dependent variables. Scored indicators usually had coefficients of determination (R2) that were similar or greater than those of the observed indicator values. In some cases, the R2 values for indicators and endpoint regressions were higher when examined for individual treatments rather than the entire data set. This study demonstrates significant progress toward development of a SQ assessment framework for adaptive soil resource management or monitoring that is transferable to a variety of climates, soil types, and soil management systems.

Grassland management regimens reduce small-scale heterogeneity and species diversity of beta-proteobacterial ammonia pxidizer populations.

The impact of soil management practices on ammonia oxidizer diversity and spatial heterogeneity was determined in improved (addition of N fertilizer), unimproved (no additions), and semi-improved (intermediate management) grassland pastures at the Sourhope Research Station in Scotland. Ammonia oxidizer diversity within each grassland soil was assessed by PCR amplification of microbial community DNA with both ammonia oxidizer-specific, 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) and functional, amoA, gene primers. PCR products were analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, phylogenetic analysis of partial 16S rDNA and amoA sequences, and hybridization with ammonia oxidizer-specific oligonucleotide probes. Ammonia oxidizer populations in unimproved soils were more diverse than those in improved soils and were dominated by organisms representing Nitrosospira clusters 1 and 3 and Nitrosomonas cluster 7 (closely related phylogenetically to Nitrosomonas europaea). Improved soils were only dominated by Nitrosospira cluster 3 and Nitrosomonas cluster 7. These differences were also reflected in functional gene (amoA) diversity, with amoA gene sequences of both Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira species detected. Replicate 0.5-g samples of unimproved soil demonstrated significant spatial heterogeneity in 16S rDNA-defined ammonia oxidizer clusters, which was reflected in heterogeneity in ammonium concentration and pH. Heterogeneity in soil characteristics and ammonia oxidizer diversity were lower in improved soils. The results therefore demonstrate significant effects of soil management on diversity and heterogeneity of ammonia oxidizer populations that are related to similar changes in relevant soil characteristics.