The opening of Pandora’s Box: climate change impacts on soil fertility and crop nutrition in developing countries

Abstract

Feeding the world's growing population is a serious challenge. Food insecurity is concentrated in developing nations, where drought and low soil fertility are primary constraints to food production. Many crops in developing countries are supported by weathered soils in which nutrient deficiencies and ion toxicities are common. Many systems have declining soil fertility due to inadequate use of fertility inputs, ongoing soil degradation, and increasingly intense resource use by burgeoning populations. Climate models predict that warmer temperatures and increases in the frequency and duration of drought during the 21st century will have net negative effects on agricultural productivity. The potential effects of climate change on soil fertility and the ability of crops to acquire and utilize soil nutrients is poorly understood, but is essential for understanding the future of global agriculture. This paper explores how rising temperature, drought and more intense precipitation events projected in climate change scenarios for the 21st century might affect soil fertility and the mineral nutrition of crops in developing countries. The effects of climate change on erosion rates, soil organic carbon losses, soil moisture, root growth and function, rootmicrobe associations and plant phenology as they relate to mineral nutrition are discussed. Our analysis suggests that the negative impacts of climate change on soil fertility and mineral nutrition of crops will far exceed beneficial effects, which would intensify food insecurity, particularly in developing countries.

<b>Phosphorus uptake and use efficiency of different cotton cultivars in savannah soil (Acrisol)

“…Plant P uptake efficiency may be affected by several factors, such as the formation of proteoid roots observed in Pefficient species (white lupin), the release of organic acids of low molecular weight from the root system, and the acidification of the rhizhosphere (Wang et al, 2008). In addition to biochemical adaptations, physiological changes in root architecture also increase the P acquisition efficiency of a root system (Raghothama & Karthikeyan, 2005;Clair & Lynch, 2010). Identifying cotton cultivars with a high nutrient absorption and utilization efficiencies could reduce the amount of P applied in fertilizer inputs, as well as allow cotton to be cultivated in regions with nutrient poor soils (Fageria & Baeta, 2008).…”

A Qualitative Evaluation of CSA Options in Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems in Developing Countries

“…Soil physical characteristics important for climate change adaptation include increased soil organic carbon and soil aggregation, and enhancing these properties can lead to increased water infiltration into the soil and subsequently soil water storage for plant use. Additionally, management of soil fertility within smallholder agroecosystems is especially important as climate change is expected to negatively affect soil fertility and the mineral nutrition contained within plants (St Clair and Lynch 2010). These important aspects of soil quality are managed through effective use of crop rotations, leguminous plants, and livestock density management.…”

Physiological responses to humic substances as plant growth promoter

“…Climate warming and changes in global precipitation patterns, particularly drought, are already affecting crop production [1]. Moreover, edaphic constraints from inherently low soil fertility and/or soil degradation from unsustainable farming practices also contribute to the limited crop yield [2].…”