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Our objective is to provide an optimistic strategy for reversing soil degradation by increasing public and private research efforts to understand the role of soil biology, particularly microbiology, on the health of our world's soils. We begin by defining soil quality/soil health (which we consider to be interchangeable terms), characterizing healthy soil resources, and relating the significance of soil health to agroecosystems and their functions. We examine how soil biology influences soil health and how biological properties and processes contribute to sustainability of agriculture and ecosystem services. We continue by examining what can be done to manipulate soil biology to: (i) increase nutrient availability for production of high yielding, high quality crops; (ii) protect crops from pests, pathogens, weeds; and (iii) manage other factors limiting production, provision of ecosystem services, and resilience to stresses like droughts. Next we look to the future by asking what needs to be known about soil biology that is not currently recognized or fully understood and how these needs could be addressed using emerging research tools. We conclude, based on our perceptions of how new knowledge regarding soil biology will help make agriculture more sustainable and productive, by recommending research emphases that should receive first priority through enhanced public and private research in order to reverse the trajectory toward global soil degradation.

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Successful weed management in agroecosystems centers on manipulating the weed seed bank in soil, the source of annual weed infestations. Despite advances in aboveground weed control and decreases in the production of new seed, weed infestations continue to be generated from a small portion of the seed bank that persists as a result of dormancy and resistance to decay. Depletion of the persistent seeds using soil-applied chemicals to stimulate germination has received much attention while the search for microorganisms selective for seed decay has been largely overlooked. This paper provides an overview of the effects of microorganisms on weed seed viability relative to seed bank depletion, and how this information can be applied to weed management. Limited studies indicate that microorganisms associated with weed seeds can contribute to seed bank depletion through attraction to seeds by chemotaxis, rapid colonization of the spermosphere and production of enzymes and/or phytotoxins to kill seeds prior to germination. It is recognized, however, that the best opportunity for success will be through integration of selected microorganisms or microbial products with other approaches including germination stimulation, application of low rates of herbicides, manipulation of the soil environment (e.g., solarization), and biological control agents for effectively eliminating dormant, persistent seeds from soil. To achieve success, more in-depth research on microbial factors affecting weed seed banks is required.

M. S A R W A R AND R.J. KREMER. 1995. Rapid and efficient methods for determining the ability of soil and rhizosphere bacteria to produce key metabolites which are useful in growth promotion or suppression of plant growth are needed. A microplate method was developed and compared to a standard method for assays of auxin compounds produced by bacteria. T h e microplate method was similar to the standard method in accuracy of determination, required less chemical reagents, and considerably reduced the time required for analyses.

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Field experiments, conducted from 1991 to 1994, generated information on weed seedbank emergence for 22 site-years from Ohio to Colorado and Minnesota to Missouri. Early spring seedbank densities were estimated through direct extraction of viable seeds from soil cores. Emerged seedlings were recorded periodically, as were daily values for air and soil temperature, and precipitation. Percentages of weed seedbanks that emerged as seedlings were calculated from seedbank and seedling data for each species, and relationships between seedbank emergence and microclimatic variables were sought. Fifteen species were found in 3 or more site-years. Average emergence percentages (and coefficients of variation) of these species were as follows: giant foxtail, 31.2 (84%); velvetleaf, 28.2 (66); kochia, 25.7 (79); Pennsylvania smartweed, 25.1 (65); common purslane, 15.4 (135); common ragweed, 15.0 (110); green foxtail, 8.5 (72); wild proso millet, 6.6 (104); hairy nightshade, 5.2 (62); common sunflower, 5.0 (26); yellow foxtail, 3.4 (67); pigweed species, 3.3 (103); common lambsquarters, 2.7 (111); wild buckwheat, 2.5 (63), and prostrate knotweed, 0.6 (79). Variation among site-years, for some species, could be attributed to microclimate variables thought to induce secondary dormancy in spring. For example, total seasonal emergence percentage of giant foxtail was related positively to the 1st date at which average daily soil temperature at 5 to 10 cm soil depth reached 16 C. Thus, if soil warmed before mid April, secondary dormancy was induced and few seedlings emerged, whereas many seedlings emerged if soil remained cool until June.

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