Building Soils for Better Crops

Magdoff, Fred

doi:10.1097/00010694-199311000-00014

Cited by 152 publications

(220 citation statements)

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“…This might be attributed a phenomenon observed by many authors (Magdoff and van Es 2000;Kung'u et al 2008;Mubarak et al 2009) in which some types of organic matters are known to suppress seed germination through a process generally termed as allelopathic effects; through which phytotoxic compounds damage or inhibit seed germination of many plant species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Performance of Acacia senegal (L.) Wild Seedlings Growth under some Tree Manures and NPK Fertilizers in Nursery Site

Daldoum¹,

Hammad²

2015

Journal of Forest and Environmental Science

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This study aimed to assess the effects of tree manures in comparison with NPK fertilizer on growth of Acacia senegal on the growth performance of Acacia senegal seedlings occurred in the following descending order: Azadirachta indica＞ Albizia lebbeck＞Khaya senegalensis＞NPK fertilizer. These results assert clearly the ameliorative and fertilizing characteristics of tree manures that can be reliably used for raising seedlings stocks in the nurseries.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Performance of Acacia senegal (L.) Wild Seedlings Growth under some Tree Manures and NPK Fertilizers in Nursery Site

Daldoum¹,

Hammad²

2015

Journal of Forest and Environmental Science

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“…Farmers intuitively recognize the importance of healthy soils and have used qualitative terms (i.e., color, taste, touch and smell) to describe soil condition and performance for crop production since the dawn of agriculture about 10,000 years ago [4]. At the beginning of the 20th Century, qualitative descriptions were gradually replaced by analytical procedures to assess and evaluate soil almost exclusively from the perspective of inorganic nutrients and crop yield [5].…”

Section: Definition Of Soil Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding and Enhancing Soil Biological Health: The Solution for Reversing Soil Degradation

et al. 2015

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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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“…The physical structure of soil plays an integral role in controlling chemical and biological processes (Dexter and Czyz, 2000;Dexter, 2004b), and it also affects infiltration, aeration, and drainage (Kemper and Rosenau, 1986) as well as better root penetration and proliferation (Czyz, 2004). Alternatively, biological and chemical processes, such as root growth, organic matter input, macro fauna activity, and bacterial and fungal proliferation influence pore size distribution, density, and stability of the soil's structure (Wright and Upadhyaya, 1998;Amezketa, 1999;Magdoff and van Es, 2000). Soil-impacting practices such as tillage, traffic, plant cover systems, and organic and inorganic inputs (accidental or deliberate) strongly influence all components of soil quality and, thus, ecological functioning (Doran and Parkin, 1996;Guérif et al, 2001).…”

Section: Soil Quality and Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive assessment of soil quality for landscape and urban management

Schindelbeck

Abawi

et al. 2008

Landscape and Urban Planning

138

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a b s t r a c tApproaches to measuring air and water quality are well established, but soil quality assessment protocols to be used in landscape monitoring efforts are largely non-existent. The concept of soil quality represents the integration of the physical, biological, and chemical aspects of soils. Limited attention has been given to the holistic assessment of soil quality in landscape and urban planning, as it is typically addressed only through chemical analyses. We describe the process used for the selection of soil quality indicators that are being offered as part of the new Cornell Soil Health Test. Over 1500 samples were collected from agricultural landscapes, including controlled experiments, and analyzed for 39 potential soil quality indicators. Four physical and four biological soil indicators were selected based on sensitivity to management, relevance to functional soil processes, ease and cost of sampling, and cost of analysis. Seven chemical indicators were selected as they constitute the standard soil fertility test. For potentially contaminated sites, additional chemical indicators were considered through a total elemental analysis. Test reports were developed to allow for overall soil quality assessment and the identification of specific soil constraints that may be remedied through management practices. The use of the new soil quality test is exemplified for three landscape scenarios in New York State: a vegetable farm, a town park, and a vacant urban lot. The protocol provides a comprehensive assessment of the soil's ability to perform critical environmental functions at a relatively modest cost, and it helps target management and remediation approaches.

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Building Soils for Better Crops

Cited by 152 publications

References 0 publications

Performance of Acacia senegal (L.) Wild Seedlings Growth under some Tree Manures and NPK Fertilizers in Nursery Site

Performance of Acacia senegal (L.) Wild Seedlings Growth under some Tree Manures and NPK Fertilizers in Nursery Site

Understanding and Enhancing Soil Biological Health: The Solution for Reversing Soil Degradation

Comprehensive assessment of soil quality for landscape and urban management

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