Soil degradation in both agricultural and urban environments is accelerating due to intensive land use, plastic pollution, construction practices, and climate change, threatening ecosystem stability, food security, and carbon storage capacity. This review synthesizes current advances in biopolymeric materials as regenerative alternatives to conventional soil management approaches. Biopolymers derived from natural sources—including polysaccharides, proteins, and lignin-based compounds—are examined for their multifunctional roles in improving soil structure, enhancing water retention, optimizing nutrient delivery, stabilizing slopes, and supporting pollutant immobilization. Recent developments highlight the emergence of stimuli-responsive hydrogels, controlled-release fertilizer matrices, and composite soil conditioners capable of simultaneously addressing water stress, salinity, erosion, and contamination. In parallel, biodegradable agricultural films and in-soil degradable materials offer pathways to reduce microplastic accumulation while maintaining agronomic performance. Beyond agriculture, bio-based construction materials and bio-receptive design strategies extend biopolymeric interventions into the built environment, promoting soil permeability, microbial diversity, and circular material flows. The review emphasizes the need for context-specific formulation, long-term field validation, and life-cycle assessment to ensure environmental safety and scalability. By integrating soil science, polymer chemistry, and regenerative design, biopolymeric systems are described here as tools for restoring soil health and fostering resilient urban–rural ecosystems under conditions of environmental change.

Persistent toxic substances (PTS), including heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and persistent, mobile, and toxic/very persistent and very mobile (PMT/vPvM) substances present an increasing menace to soil health, alimentary systems, atmospheric cleanliness as well as human health. Despite the large amount of literature on each of the individual groups of contaminants, there is still no unified model that connects the dynamics of the soil-atmosphere environment, bioaccumulation in the food chain, new detection techniques, and policy measures. This review presents an interdisciplinary synthesis of dynamics in the PTS in the agricultural environment, explicitly incorporating (i) historic contaminants and emerging PMT/vPvM chemicals, (ii) soil-crop-livestock-human transfer pathways, and (iii) the state-of-the-art remediation and monitoring technologies into a single management framework. We critically evaluated conventional remediation methods alongside next-generation methods, such as engineered consortia of microorganisms, synergistic phytotransformation of plants and microbes, biochar-assisted immobilization, nanosensor-based detection, IoT-based soil sensing, precision agriculture, machine-learning-driven risk prediction, and blockchain-based traceability. Contrary to the previous reviews, which only take into account the remediation, detection, and policy separately, this study presents a systems-based approach, which integrates technological innovation, sustainable agronomic practices, and multilayered governance tools (such as the Stockholm Convention, REACH, and national soil action plans). We highlight the fact that the combination of smart agricultural technology and regenerative land management will help reduce the accumulation of PTS and maintain productivity, especially in resource-scarcity settings. The review outlines the research gaps, including contaminant-microbiome interactions, longitudinal deterioration of ecosystem services, and socioeconomic barriers to technology adoption. We propose a transdisciplinary roadmap that aligns environmental toxicology, soil science, public health, and policy innovation to mitigate PTS and safeguard food security. This integrative approach provides a strategic framework for advancing sustainable management of persistent toxic substances in agricultural systems.

Calcium (Ca2+) plays a pivotal dual role in grapevine physiology, acting both as a structural element essential for cell wall integrity and membrane stability, and as a secondary messenger regulating plant growth and stress responses. Calcium accumulation in grape berries significantly affects composition and wine chemistry, influencing one of the most complex forms of wine instability: calcium tartrate (CaT) precipitation. CaT instability remains difficult to predict due to its slow crystallisation kinetics, delayed precipitation onset, and the complex interactions among calcium, tartaric acid, and the various components of the wine matrix. This review integrates past and current findings from soil science, plant physiology, berry development, and wine chemistry (integrated “vineyard → winery” approach) to provide a comprehensive overview of Ca2+ dynamics from vineyard to bottle. Key agronomic factors, including soil composition, active limestone content, rootstock selection, irrigation strategies, and climate change, are explored for their influence on calcium uptake and distribution within grape tissues. At the oenological level, this review analyses the main biochemical and physicochemical factors influencing CaT precipitation, including pH, ethanol, organic acids, phenolic compounds, and macromolecules such as grape-derived polysaccharides and mannoproteins. It further evaluates both traditional and innovative stabilisation strategies, such as cold treatment, electrodialysis, ion-exchange resins, and protective colloids, assessing their effectiveness and impact on wine quality. Finally, it highlights existing knowledge gaps and emphasises the need for an integrated vineyard-to-winery approach to develop predictive models (e.g., Calcium Tartrate Risk Index) and optimise stabilisation techniques, ensuring wine stability and preserving sensory quality under changing climatic conditions.

Anthropogenic polymers have become an increasingly important class of emerging contaminants in terrestrial ecosystems. While extensive research has focused on microplastics in aquatic environments, their interactions with soil systems and particularly with soil organic matter (SOM) remain insufficiently understood. Soil represents a major environmental sink for polymer residues originating from agricultural practices, urban activities, and atmospheric deposition. Accordingly, associations between polymers and SOM, including humic substances, may significantly influence the retention, mobility, and transformation of carbon in soil systems. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the influence of synthetic polymers on soil organic matter dynamics. A bibliometric and qualitative literature analysis based on publications indexed in Web of Science and Scopus from 1979 to 2025 was conducted to identify major research trends and knowledge gaps. The results indicate that polymer particles can alter soil structure, microbial activity, and sorption processes, thereby affecting the stability and cycling of soil organic carbon. Interactions between polymer surfaces and humic substances may modify aggregation processes and influence the persistence and mobility of both polymers and organic carbon compounds. Despite the rapid growth of research on microplastics, studies addressing polymer–SOM interactions remain limited and methodologically heterogeneous. Greater integration between polymer research, soil science, and land use studies is necessary to better understand the implications of polymer contamination for soil quality and carbon cycling. The findings highlight the need for standardized analytical approaches and interdisciplinary research frameworks to assess the long-term effects of polymers in soil ecosystems.

Bali has 4 natural lakes, one of which is Lake Tamblingan. The existence of the lake has an ecological function, namely creating a distinctive microclimate and affecting the lifestyle of the surrounding community, including farming patterns and tourism activities. The soil quality data obtained can be used as a reference for soil management that can improve soil quality to increase land productivity in Lake Tamblingan. The purpose of the research is to analyze and map soil quality on agricultural land in Lake Tamblingan; analyzing the limiting factors of soil quality on agricultural land in Lake Tamblingan; provide management directions on agricultural land based on the limiting factors obtained in Lake Tamblingan. The research was carried out from July 2025 to October 2025 in Lake Tamblingan which included several villages such as Munduk Village, Gobleg Village, Pancasari Village and Gesing Village. Soil analysis was carried out at the Soil and Environmental Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University. This study uses survey and scoring methods with the help of the Geographic Information System (GIS) for soil sampling. Measured soil quality parameters: soil volume weight, soil texture, porosity, field capacity moisture content, pH, C-organic, CEC, KB, nutrients (N, P and K), and C-biomass. The results of the analysis of soil quality criteria based on the MDS method carried out on the Homogeneous Land Unit (SLH) of Lake Tamblingan obtained soil quality results found in the Homogeneous Land Units including I, II, III, VII, VIII, IX, and XI with consecutive values of 23; 21; 21,6; 21,6; 23,3; 22; and 24. Meanwhile, the quality is very good in the Homogeneous Land Units including IV, V, VI, X and XII with consecutive values of 18.6; 18; 13,6; 20 and 19. Excellent soil quality is essential to support human activities, maintain water availability, and sustainably maintain agricultural yields. One of the efforts that can be made is to maintain the land sustainably so that the quality of the soil is maintained and ideal for meeting plant nutrients. The limiting factors in the study area include: texture, CEC, N-total, P-available, and C-organic. It is recommended to manage the soil using organic fertilizers and fertilization in a balanced manner. Specifically, based on the results of the research, farmers are advised to fertilize using organic fertilizers in all SLH. Fertilization with organic fertilizers and Urea is recommended for SLH I and VII. Fertilization with organic fertilizers, Urea and TSP/SP-36 is recommended for SLH II, III, IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII.

From innovation to integration: Plant and soil sciences for people and planet

Understanding microbial roles in nutrient cycling is essential in environmental science and engineering education, yet students often struggle with these topics due to limited microbiology background and the abstract nature of microbial processes. To support deeper learning, I developed a flexible, low-cost classroom activity using narrative-style flashcards representing soil microorganisms for my Soil Science class on soil microbiology session. Rather than delivering nutrient cycles through direct instruction, I facilitated a student-centered session in which learners collaboratively mapped microbial transformations across the nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles. Students first identified key nutrient forms and then used their flashcards to construct systems diagrams through guided reasoning, peer discussion, and instructor cues. The activity emphasized connections between microbial function, environmental context, and ecosystem outcomes, with applications to real-world systems such as wastewater treatment. Post-activity quiz results showed high content retention (average 9.5/10), and classroom observations indicated strong engagement and emerging systems thinking. This approach offers an accessible model for introducing microbiological concepts in interdisciplinary environmental curricula.

Soil security: Australia’s future beneath our feet A practical framework for aligning farming, planning and policy with soil capacity, condition and long-term natural capital. Soil underpins food and fibre production, water regulation, carbon storage, biodiversity, and the viability of rural economies. Yet it is still too often treated as a passive backdrop to agriculture and development, rather than an asset that needs active stewardship. Soil security brings soil into the same decision space as water, biodiversity and climate risk. It links soil science to the choices made on farms, in planning systems and across government – so land use and investment are guided by soil limits and opportunities, not just short-term convenience.

The study was conducted during June, 2024–August, 2025 at the division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India to investigate the efficacy of chemically engineered biochars for remediating arsenic (As)-contaminated soils and reducing its uptake by rice. Engineered biochars were produced from rice straw (RBC), sugarcane bagasse (SBC), and jute stalk (JBC) by chemical modifications with FeCl3, goethite (FeOOH), and magnetic iron oxides. Initial screening in an As-spiked acidic Inceptisol from Assam demonstrated a strong dose-dependent immobilization effect. The FeCl3-modified biochars, particularly those from rice straw (RBC-FeCl3) and sugarcane bagasse (SBC-FeCl3), achieved the highest arsenic immobilization efficiencies, up to 81.0%, at an application rate of 6.70 g kg-1 soil. Detailed sorption-desorption studies revealed that SBC-FeCl3 exhibited the maximum adsorption capacity and strongest binding affinity for As, characterized by high Freundlich adsorption intensity and significant positive hysteresis (Desorption Index>1), indicating stable, long-term retention. Superior performance was attributed to the formation of reactive iron oxide phases (akaganéite and hematite) on the biochar surface, as confirmed by XRD and FTIR analyses. A net house pot experiment with rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. Ranjit) showed that SBC-FeCl3 application (6.67 g kg-1) significantly reduced extractable soil As by 46% and lowered As concentration in rice straw by 64% compared to the control. The study concluded that FeCl3-engineered biochar, especially SBC-FeCl3, was a highly effective, dual-benefit strategy for immobilizing arsenic in acidic soils and mitigating its transfer into the food chain.

Abstract Asynchronous video lectures are regularly used in higher education, and students are commonly able to manipulate playback of these videos by adjusting playback speed and turning on closed captioning. The impact of these types of adjustments on student learning has been studied in a few fields, but additional study of the topic is needed, and the combination of the use of captions with video speed adjustments has only been minimally evaluated. In this study, we used a survey with embedded short lecture videos at controlled playback speeds (1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, and 2x), with or without auto‐generated captions, followed by short quizzes to evaluate the impact of video speed on short‐term retention. The assessment was completed by 468 students in an introductory soil science course, with videos focused on soil science concepts at an upper‐division undergraduate level. Most students reported that they habitually turn on captions and increase playback speed for lecture videos, with 1.25x being the most commonly reported speed. We found that in some, but not all cases, increasing playback to 2x speed had small but significant negative impacts on student performance on post‐video quizzes relative to 1.5x speed, but there were no negative impacts up to 1.5x speed. The addition of auto‐generated captions did not impact learning outcomes, and there were no differences as a function of gender, year in school, or video playback habits. We conclude that increasing playback speed for video lectures is unlikely to have major negative impacts on student learning.

Carbon farming is the collection of agricultural best practices specifically designed to maximize the capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide in soils and plant biomass, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cultivation practices. Carbon farming can be viewed as a promising pathway to simultaneously address climate change mitigation, soil degradation, and farmer welfare. For example, if the entire agricultural cropland in India practices carbon farming, this will spectacularly offset about 50% of emissions from the country’s annual transport-sector emissions. However, practical deployment of carbon farming is constrained by scientific challenges, inherent complexity, and fragmented understanding across disciplines. As a result, in India, for example, fewer than 1% of farmers participate in carbon credit programs. This inter-disciplilinary, expository survey offers the first unified treatment of carbon farming for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. The survey integrates insights from agronomy, soil science, climate science, measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV), economics, carbon markets, and policy design. We begin by establishing the conceptual foundations of soil organic carbon dynamics and agricultural carbon sequestration, and compare carbon farming with the paradigms of sustainable, regenerative, and organic agriculture. We then present a comprehensive landscape analysis of carbon-farming best practices, including both generic and crop-specific interventions, and systematically examine their co-benefits and trade-offs. The paper offers a rigorous review of MRV frameworks, emerging digital MRV technologies, and the carbon-credit project life cycle, followed by a structured analysis of voluntary and compliance carbon markets. Drawing on six representative case studies, we synthesize implementation models, successes, and failure modes. Building on this integrated analysis, we highlight key scientific, economic, institutional, and adoption challenges, and propose potential remedies to make carbon farming a credible, scalable, and attractive proposition for global agriculture. We finally highlight the important role that artificial intelligence, game theory, and computation can play in improving various dimensions of carbon farming.

Hyperspectral remote sensing (HRS) is gaining widespread adoption within the geoscience and Earth observation communities. It fosters diverse applications, including precision agriculture, soil science, mineral exploration, and carbon detection, to name a few. Recent technological advancements facilitated a growing number of satellite missions as well as an increase in the availability of commercial sensors and platforms, such as drones. A significant challenge in deploying the varied platforms and sensors is the design and optimization of the hyperspectral surveys. Forward modelling simulators are valuable for optimizing mission parameters and estimating imaging performance. Limited accessibility of open-source simulators presents an obstacle for users who seek to benefit from such tools. To bridge this gap, HySIMU (Hyperspectral SIMUlator) was developed and described herein. It is an open-source, forward modelling toolkit that combines and integrates a primary processing pipeline with various open-source packages into a transparent and modular workflow. It offers a cost-effective approach to evaluating the performance of hyperspectral surveys. HySIMU is designed to simulate hyperspectral imagery based on user-defined targets, platforms, and sensor parameters. Features include (i) a ground truth data cube builder for customizable input parameters, (ii) a terrain-based solar and view geometry calculator for illumination modelling, (iii) integrated open-source radiative transfer models for incorporating atmospheric effects, and (iv) spatial resampling filters. In this manuscript, the initial framework for HySIMU is presented with some example applications, including two validation studies with real hyperspectral images. As remote sensing technologies advance, forward modelling toolkits such as HySIMU play a crucial role in refining mission designs and assessing survey feasibility. The scalability for arbitrary hyperspectral sensors, platforms, and spectral libraries ensures broad applicability. Of particular importance is support for parameter optimization for both scientific and commercial HRS campaigns.

Cuban-born Pedro A. Sanchez (1940-2026) became the face of tropical soil science at Cornell University and the North Carolina State University. His combination of process-based understanding of soils, emphasis on farmer choices and conducive policy environments earned him the 2022 World Food prize. After leadership roles in international agroforestry research in Kenya, he returned to academia at Columbia University and the University of Florida, and as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

A study was conducted to assess smallholder farmers' perceptions and degree of adoption of Tithonia diversifolia chimato compost among the smallholder farmers in Ming'ongo Extension Planning Areas in Lilongwe.Primary data regarding smallholder farmers' knowledge, perception and adoptions levels on making and using T. diversifolia chimato compost were collected through a questionnaire interview with household heads and their spouses.Descriptive and inferential statistics as well as regression analysis were used to analyse the data.Results indicated that 87% of the smallholder farmers have limited knowledge of T. diversifolia potential in improving soil fertility whereas 92% lacked knowledge of recommended blending composition of nitrogen rich and nitrogen poor organic natural resources.The results further indicated that adoption of making and supplementing T. diversifolia composts positively correlated with good education of household heads (P=0.12,ɑ=0.001), low vulnerability levels of households (P=0.207,ɑ=0.001), larger household size and labour force (P=0.47,ɑ=0.001), knowledge of nutrient richness of T. diversifolia (P=0.01,0.001) and available extension services in the area (P=0.27,ɑ=0.05).A strong negative correlation was observed between households' decisions to make and use composts and double poor education levels of household heads (P=0.12,ɑ=0.001), high vulnerability levels of households (P=0.207,ɑ=0.001), low household labour force (P=0.47,ɑ=0.001), lack of knowledge of richness of T. diversifolia (P=0.01,0.001) and inadequate extension services in the area (P=0.27,ɑ=0.05).Smallholder farmers should be sensitised on benefits of T. diversifolia chimato composts in soil enrichment.

ABSTRACT Technosols are anthropogenic soils, and are mostly intentionally created and/or modified to serve a specific purpose, such as waste management and the restoration of ecosystems degraded by industrial activities. In this sense, open-cast coal mining areas can be classified as Technosols, which already use their own mining waste in their topographic restoration. The construction of Technosols for the purpose of mining waste disposing and recovering degraded areas has the potential to offset up to 60 % of the CO 2 emissions caused by this activity, contributing achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13, 15 and 2 (in some cases, depending on the type of residue to be used in the overburden layer), relating respectively to climate action, the preservation of terrestrial life, and hunger eradication. Therefore, this study aims to provide a literature review of Technosols constructed from coal mining waste, highlighting the challenges that still need to be addressed by soil science to restore these areas ecologically. The methodology consisted of a bibliometric analysis using the terms “Mined Soils” OR “Minesoils” OR “Technosols” AND “Coal” in the Web of Science Core Collection database. The search was restricted to article-type documents published in English between 2004 and 2023, resulting in a dataset of 199 articles. The analysis was performed using VOSviewer and HistCite software, which enable bibliographic coupling between bibliometric variables such as countries, keywords, and citations. The analysis of keyword co-occurrence highlighted a trend towards increased academic relevance of topics related to the environmental contamination potential of coal mining waste, carbon sequestration by Technosols, the morphological characteristics of these soils, and recovery indicators for mined areas. The integration of the properties that characterize soil health, especially the biological ones, is the main gap in this field of study. On a global scale, Technosols are a promising strategy for the recovery of areas degraded by anthropogenic activities, aligning with greater efficiency in waste management and the mitigation of impacts associated with the climate crisis, due to their high potential for CO 2 capture.

Preface to the special section “Progress and future perspectives in the interactions of soil minerals with organic matter and microbes (ISMOM 2024)”: from mechanistic soil science to soil carbon policy

ABSTRACT Aims This article examines the role of soil scientist Fritz Scheffer (1899–1979) under National Socialism and offers a critical assessment of his scientific, institutional, and political positioning between 1933 and 1945. It asks how Scheffer shaped his career within the tension between disciplinary specialization, political expectations, and personal willingness to adapt. Results The analysis shows that although Scheffer was not directly involved in racial or settlement‐related crimes, his work was embedded in key agrarian policy programs of the regime, and he benefited considerably from the National Socialist science system through his functions in the Nazi research service ( Forschungsdienst ), his deanship at the University of Jena, and his integration into politically exposed networks. His programmatic writings contain explicit declarations of loyalty to the goals of the “Greater German Reich,” while his post‐war self‐portrayal in denazification proceedings as an apolitical specialist proves to be highly selective and reductive. Conclusions Overall, Scheffer emerges as a typical representative of an academic functional elite which, without pronounced ideological zeal but through consistent adaptation and strategic self‐presentation, became stably integrated into the structures of the regime. The article thus contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the history of German soil science under National Socialism.

Soil pore architecture and hydraulic functioning strongly regulate water flow and retention. However, despite the growing application of X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) in soil science, its application in characterizing the pore system and hydraulic functioning of native forest soils converted to sugarcane production systems in northeast Brazil is still poorly known. This study therefore quantified the soil structure, pore system, and hydraulic functioning of a native forest (NF) and an adjacent sugarcane field receiving vinasse and managed without intercropping (sole sugarcane (SG)) and with Brachiaria ruziziensis intercropping (SG + Bra intercrop) in northeastern Brazil, using conventional soil physical measurements and X-ray CT, in three soil layers (0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm). Soil physical and hydraulic properties, as well as soil water retention, were quantified. The native forest soil exhibited a uniformly sandy texture across all depths, whereas sugarcane systems ranged from loam to sandy textures in surface layers due to long-term management. Soil organic matter and total nitrogen in the 0–10 cm layer were approximately 75 and 65% higher, respectively, in sole Sole SG and SG + Bra intercrop than in NF. Soil bulk density increased with depth under sugarcane, reaching values about 10%–13% higher than NF in the 20–40 cm layer. Saturated hydraulic conductivity in the surface layer was higher in the NF, approximately five to nine times greater than in sole SG and SG + Bra intercrop, respectively. Conventional water retention analysis showed that sole SG and SG + Bra intercrop had greater total porosity (0.49–0.55 m3 m−3), microporosity (0.26–0.36 m3 m−3), field capacity (0.19–0.33 m3 m−3), and plant available water (0.09–0.15 m3 m−3) in the upper 20 cm compared with the NF (≤0.10 m3 m−3 available water). In contrast, X-ray CT revealed higher macroporosity (0.20–0.23 mm3 mm−3) and pore connectivity in the NF across all depths, with predominantly complex, inclined to near-horizontal pores and low anisotropy. Intercropping sugarcane with Brachiaria did not significantly alter (p > 0.05) bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, or CT-derived pore connectivity relative to sole sugarcane. The degree of anisotropy and fractal dimension derived from X-ray CT were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with conventionally measured hydraulic properties. The X-ray computed tomography proved effective in linking pore-scale architecture to soil hydraulic functioning, providing insights beyond conventional measurements. The short-term inclusion of Brachiaria as a cover crop at 10 kg seed ha−1 did not result in significant improvements in soil pore structure, indicating that longer-term adoption and/or higher planting densities may be required to induce measurable changes in pore system architecture and soil hydraulic functioning.

Abbas et al. assess the effects of biochar (3%) combined with compost and animal manure (0.5-1%) on soil carbon fractions, soil properties, and maize growth in lowfertility soil. Biochar combined with 1% compost significantly improved plant growth, soil organic matter, microbial biomass, and the carbon pool index. The findings highlight organic amendments as a sustainable strategy to restore degraded soils, enhance crop productivity, and support a circular economy under changing climate conditions. Reyes-Sánchez. examines soil science as an asset for interdisciplinary teaching approaches aimed at fostering values, scientific interest, and environmental responsibility in primary school children. Building on a previous methodological proposal, the study integrates knowledge construction with value formation through a playful, qualitative pedagogical strategy applied to 5th and 6th grade students. It compares children's perceptions of social, political, and environmental issues before and after the intervention, highlighting the role of science education in promoting sustainability-oriented attitudes.Altés et al. analyse salt dynamics and drainage loads in a newly established irrigation district in the Ebro basin (NE Spain) during 2021-2023, including the severe 2023 drought. Monitoring two sub-basins showed that a 31% reduction in irrigation delivery led to a 73% decrease in drainage and a 70% reduction in salt exports. The results highlight the potential of irrigation restrictions to improve water and salt management, while also revealing associated yield losses.Quintana-Esteras evaluate the effects of prescribed burning and selective shrub clearing on subalpine soils and vegetation in the Central Pyrenees. Both treatments similarly increased soil pH and reduced several physical and chemical properties, while microbial functional diversity remained stable. Mechanical clearing enhanced soil microbial activity compared to burning. Two years after intervention, shrub cover remained low in both treatments, although prescribed burning resulted in more bare soil and reduced plant diversity than selective clearing.Aguirre-Arcos et al. assess sap analysis as a rapid tool to diagnose the nutritional status of olive trees under integrated production in southern Spain. Trials across five farms showed clear seasonal nutrient fluxes in sap, influenced by climate and phenology. Comparisons among sap, leaf, and soil analyses highlighted potassium dominance in sap and climate-driven micronutrient variability. The results indicate that sap analysis complements traditional methods, supporting more precise and balanced fertilization strategies in olive orchards.Usón Murillo et al. analyse initiatives to harmonize soil analytical methods in Spain through interlaboratory proficiency tests promoted by the Spanish Society of Soil Science (SECS) and partner institutions. Results from tests in 2019 and 2021 revealed significant methodological differences among laboratories, with partial improvements in performance and persistent weaknesses, particularly in organic matter and texture analyses. The study highlights the need for regular proficiency testing to improve analytical quality and ensure reliable soil data for sustainable soil management and policy implementation.Pérez Moreira and Barral Silva in their article explore the rare but significant representation of soil in Western landscape painting. It identifies periods of naturalistic art, particularly in 17th-century Dutch painting and 19th-century European landscape schools, when artists depicted soils with unusual detail. Some works reveal recognizable soil horizons and features that can be interpreted using modern soil science. The study contextualizes these artistic representations historically and culturally, highlighting intersections between art, observation of nature, and soil knowledge.Barreiro et al. study evaluates the influence of tree species on soil properties and microbial activity in 54 forest plantations in Galicia, NW Spain. Soils were generally acidic with high organic matter and low phosphorus contents. Moisture varied by vegetation: the driest soils under eucalyptus and birch, and the wettest under shrublands. Microbial respiration was highest in walnut soils and lowest in eucalyptus, while β-glucosidase activity remained unchanged. Results highlight that forest management, particularly tree species selection, affects soil microbial function and carbon stabilization, with implications for climate-adaptive forestry planning.The special issue concludes with the study of Tierra et al. who investigate soil salinity in the rainfed landscapes of the "Saladas of Sástago-Bujaraloz" in the Central Ebro Basin, Spain. Analyses of 319 soil samples and electromagnetic sensor readings revealed highly variable and often extreme salinity, with 73% of samples very strongly saline. Vertical and horizontal variability was observed, with best electro-magnetic sensor readings correlations at 0-100 cm depth. The authors propose incorporating soil salinity as an agronomic criterion within the EU Common Agricultural Policy, recommending the exclusion of plots with ECe > 10 dS m-1, representing more than half of their study area.

Background: Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that severely limits global crop production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), a vital oilseed and legume crop, is moderately sensitive to salt stress, which negatively impacts its growth, nodulation efficiency, and final yield. Aims: This pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of salinity-tolerant rhizobial strains as a sustainable strategy to mitigate the detrimental effects of salt stress on groundnut. Method: The experiment was conducted in glass house of the Soil Science Division of BINA in the year 2025 at the Rabi-Kharif-1 season with CRD and three replications. An experimental pot filled up with 5 kg of sterilized sand, and we used Binachinabadam-8 as a crop variety. One groundnut cultivar Binachinabadam-8 was grown in a pot-culture which was set up under varying levels of induced salinity (2-7 dS saline water), with treatments including T1(uninoculated control), and inoculation with selected superior salt-tolerant rhizobial isolates (T2: STGN-1, T3: STGN-3, T4: STGN-4, T5: STGN-5, T6: STGN-6, T7: STGN-7, T8: STGN-9, T9: STGN-10), which demonstrated high tolerance to saline water in preliminary in vitro screening. Results: The results indicated that increasing salinity levels significantly reduced all measured parameters in the uninoculated and inoculated treatments, including shoot dry weight, root dry weight, nodule number, effective nodule, nodule dry weight, and pod yield. However, inoculation with the salinity-tolerant strains STGN-4 was found to be the best performer and STGN-9 and STGN-10 better while STGN-1, STGN-3, and STGN-6 performing well, respectively. Plants inoculated with STGN-4 showed an increase in effective nodule (25.00), total nodule (53.00), root length (11.00) cm, number of branches (5.33) and STGN-10 pod plant-1 (18.67) and grain yield plant-1 (29.4 gm) over the control. These superior results are attributed to the enhanced biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) capacity and potential plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities of the salt-tolerant strains, which likely supported better root colonization and function under osmotic stress. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that inoculating groundnut with carefully selected, salinity-tolerant rhizobial strains is a highly effective, eco-friendly, and economical approach to enhancing growth, improving nodulation, and securing economically viable yields of groundnut in saline-affected soils.