Continuous Cropping Alters Multiple Biotic and Abiotic Indicators of Soil Health

Abstract

The continuous cropping (CC) of major agricultural, horticultural, and industrial crops is an established practice worldwide, though it has significant soil health-related concerns. However, a combined review of the effects of CC on soil health indicators, in particular omics ones, remains missing. The CC may negatively impact multiple biotic and abiotic indicators of soil health, fertility, and crop yield. It could potentially alter the soil biotic indicators, which include but are not limited to the composition, abundance, diversity, and functioning of soil micro- and macro-organisms, microbial networks, enzyme activities, and soil food web interactions. Moreover, it could also alter various soil abiotic (physicochemical) properties. For instance, it could increase the accumulation of toxic metabolites, salts, and acids, reduce soil aggregation and alter the composition of soil aggregate-size classes, decrease mineralization, soil organic matter, active carbon, and nutrient contents. All these alterations could accelerate soil degradation. Meanwhile, there is still a great need to develop quantitative ranges in soil health indicators to mechanistically predict the impact of CC on soil health and crop yield gaps. Following ecological principles, we strongly highlight the significance of inter-, mixture-, and rotation-cropping with cover crops to sustain soil health and agricultural production.

Soil Phosphorus Availability Determines the Invasion of Rhizospheric Microbial Networks and Peanut Infection by Ralstonia

“…Thus, our results from healthy and diseased peanut field suggests that high soil microbial diversity is an indicator of soil and plant health [2,3]. Meanwhile, our results are similar to some previous studies showing differences between microbial diversity indices in bulk and rhizosphere soils [3]. This is because plants can create completely different and required microbiota in the rhizosphere than bulk soil.…”

“…Recently some empirical and theoretical studies have suggested that high microbial biodiversity is an indicator of microbial buffer and immunity against environmental stressors such as soil-borne pathogens [34]. Thus, our results from healthy and diseased peanut field suggests that high soil microbial diversity is an indicator of soil and plant health [2,3]. Meanwhile, our results are similar to some previous studies showing differences between microbial diversity indices in bulk and rhizosphere soils [3].…”

“…There is an established concept of soil disease suppressiveness, which implies that natural soils can suppress the pathogens; however, this phenomenon varies and depends, among others, on cropping years, crop species, and soil types [3,4]. Generally, the soil is considered the disease-suppressive when it keeps most plants healthy, while the converse is true for the disease-conducive soil [5,6].…”

“…For instance, some soil-borne pathogens are excellent consumers of toxic metabolites (phenolic acids) in soil under continuous cropping systems [3]. Under such conditions, the invading pathogen can quickly occupy the rhizosphere niche and may cause replant disease.…”

The Environmental Impact of Ecological Intensification in Soybean Cropping Systems in the U.S. Upper Midwest

“…), are particularly critical in terms of sustainability. A recent review by Pervaiz et al [3] suggests that monocultural systems may negatively affect soil health, by impacting both biotic and abiotic components. Other studies on continuous soybean systems showed a reduction in soil aggregation and organic carbon content due to a low residue input, and a change in soil organic carbon (SOC) quality [4,5].…”