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Agronomy
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Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change...
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Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2021) | Viewed by 26347

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jay B. Norton

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecosystem Science & Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3354, USA
Interests: soil fertility and management; ecological restoration; conservation agriculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many agricultural practices negatively affect soil health, with estimates that one-third of Earth’s soil is severely degraded by agriculture. Some practices restore soil health, however, and are recognized as crucial for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions and creating climate-resilient production systems. Recent decades have seen the development of many practices, systems, and products that claim to improve soil health and productivity, but the large number of environmental and cultural variables make broad evaluation difficult. For this Special Issue, we seek submissions that report the effects of practices and sets of practices on soil health, particularly with respect to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Restorative agricultural practices include: 1) reduced disturbance systems that strive to conserve and accumulate soil organic matter; 2) cropping systems that strive to increase biodiversity and maximize soil cover; 3) soil amendments that directly or indirectly strive to increase soil organic matter and soil organisms; and 4) combinations of those practices.

Prof. Jay B. Norton
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil health
  • climate resilient
  • carbon sequestration
  • soil organic matter
  • soil degradation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 256 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Biosolids Applications to Overgrazed Rangelands Improve Soil Health
by Cassidy M. Buchanan and James A. Ippolito
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1339; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071339 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1920
Abstract
Overgrazed rangelands can lead to soil degradation, yet long-term land application of organic amendments (i.e., biosolids) may play a pivotal role in improving degraded rangelands in terms of soil health. However, the long-term effects on soil health properties in response to single or [...] Read more.
Overgrazed rangelands can lead to soil degradation, yet long-term land application of organic amendments (i.e., biosolids) may play a pivotal role in improving degraded rangelands in terms of soil health. However, the long-term effects on soil health properties in response to single or repeated, low to excessive biosolids applications, on semi-arid, overgrazed grasslands have not been quantified. Using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), soil physical, biological, chemical, nutrient, and overall soil health indices between biosolids applications (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 21, or 30 Mg ha−1) and application time (single: 1991, repeated: 2002) were determined. Results showed no significant changes in soil physical and nutrient health indices. However, the chemical soil health index was greater when biosolids were applied at rates <30 Mg ha−1 and within the single compared to repeated applications. The biological soil health index was positively affected by increasing biosolids application rates, was overall greater in the repeated as compared to the single application, and was maximized at 30 Mg ha−1. The overall soil health index was maximized at rates <30 Mg ha−1. When all indices were combined, and considering past plant community findings at this site, overall soil health appeared optimized at a biosolids application rate of ~10 Mg ha−1. The use of soil health tools can help determine a targeted organic amendment application rate to overgrazed rangelands so the material provides maximum benefits to soils, plants, animals, and the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
20 pages, 1261 KiB  
Article
Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil
by Mehnaz Mosharrof, Md. Kamal Uddin, Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman, Shamim Mia, Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman and Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1313; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071313 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5114
Abstract
Biochar, an ecologically friendly soil amendment, is suggested for large-scale field application for its multiple potential benefits, including carbon sequestration, crop yield improvement, and the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is unknown how effective it is in changing soil properties and [...] Read more.
Biochar, an ecologically friendly soil amendment, is suggested for large-scale field application for its multiple potential benefits, including carbon sequestration, crop yield improvement, and the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is unknown how effective it is in changing soil properties and its associated yield improvement when biochar is co-applied with lime in acidic soil. Here, we examined the effects of two different biochars, i.e., rice husk biochar (RHB) and oil palm empty fruit bunches biochar (EFBB), and lime on nutrient availability, the yield of maize, and soil CO2 emission of acid soil. Biochars were applied at two different rates (10 and 15 t ha−1) in combination with two rates of lime (100% and 75%), while the recommended rate of NPK fertilizers, 100% lime, and without any amendments (control) were also included. Hybrid sweet corn was grown in pots with 20 kg soils for 75 days. Plant performance and soil analyses were performed before and after crop maize cultivation while CO2 emission was recorded. Compared to the control, combined RHB biochars with lime significantly buffered soil pH and increased nutrient availability (e.g., P by 137%), while reducing Al and Fe concentration at harvest. These changes in soil properties significantly increased maize yield (by 77.59%) and nutrient uptake compared to the control. Between the two biochars, RHB was relatively more effective in making these changes than EFBB. However, this treatment contributed to a greater carbon loss as CO2 (209% and 145% higher with RHB and EFBB) from soil than the control. We believe that biochar-mediated buffering of soil pH is responsible for this change. Our results suggest that combined biochar application could bring desirable changes in soil properties and increase crop performance, although these effects can be short-lived. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
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35 pages, 1961 KiB  
Article
Cover Cropping: A Malleable Solution for Sustainable Agriculture? Meta-Analysis of Ecosystem Service Frameworks in Perennial Systems
by Cynthia M. Crézé and William R. Horwath
Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050862 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5254
Abstract
Cover crops have been touted for their capacity to enhance multifunctionality and ecosystem services (ESs). Ecosystem services are benefits which people obtain from ecosystems. Despite nearly a century of cover crop research, there has been low adoption of the practice in perennial systems [...] Read more.
Cover crops have been touted for their capacity to enhance multifunctionality and ecosystem services (ESs). Ecosystem services are benefits which people obtain from ecosystems. Despite nearly a century of cover crop research, there has been low adoption of the practice in perennial systems of many parts of the world. Emphasis on the multi-functional dimension of cover crop outcomes may misrepresent the practice as a panacea for sustainable agriculture and distract from the need to tailor the practice to specific contexts and differing value systems. In this study, we explore how cover crop ecosystem service (ES) frameworks reflect the distinct environmental realities of perennial agriculture. We considered that ES value systems are manifested through the non-randomization of research coverage. Therefore, value systems can be elucidated through evidence-based systematic mapping. Our analysis revealed differential systems of ES valuation specific to perennial crop types. While ES frameworks are heavily contextualized, the design of seed mixes is not. We suggest that cover crop adoption could be enhanced by clearly acknowledging the different conceptualizations of agricultural sustainability addressed by various cover crops. Furthermore, explicitly delineating the competing desires of stakeholders is a crucial step in rationally selecting between various cover crop seed mix options. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
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11 pages, 676 KiB  
Article
Cover Crops for Resilience of a Limited-Irrigation Winter Wheat–Sorghum–Fallow Rotation: Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sorghum Yield Responses
by Vesh R. Thapa, Rajan Ghimire and Mark A. Marsalis
Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 762; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040762 - 14 Apr 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5551
Abstract
Cover crops can improve soil health by maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) contents, yet their dynamics in relation to crop yield in a semi-arid cropping system are poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the response [...] Read more.
Cover crops can improve soil health by maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) contents, yet their dynamics in relation to crop yield in a semi-arid cropping system are poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the response of diverse winter cover crop species and their mixture on SOC and N fractions and their relationship with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) yield in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–sorghum–fallow rotation with limited irrigation management. Cover cropping treatments included pea (Pisum sativum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), and mixtures of pea+oat (POM), pea+canola (PCM), peat+oat+canola (POCM), and a six-species mixture (SSM) of pea+oat+canola+hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)+forage radish (Raphanussativus L.)+barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as cover crops and a fallow. Soil samples were analyzed for residual inorganic N, potentially mineralizable carbon (PMC) and nitrogen (PMN), SOC, and total N. Response of labile inorganic N, PMC, and PMN varied with cover crop treatments. The SOC and total N contents did not differ among treatments but were 20% and 35% higher in 2020 than in 2019, respectively. Sorghum grain yield was 25% and 40% greater with oats than with PCM and canola cover crops in 2019, while it was 33–97% greater with fallow and oats than other treatments in 2020. Oat as a cover crop could improve the resilience of limited-irrigation cropping systems by increasing SOC, soil N, and crop yield in semi-arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
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17 pages, 8921 KiB  
Article
Strategic Tillage Effects on Crop Yields, Soil Properties, and Weeds in Dryland No-Tillage Systems
by Augustine K. Obour, Johnathon D. Holman, Logan M. Simon and Alan J. Schlegel
Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040662 - 31 Mar 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4326
Abstract
Long-term no-till (NT) systems in the semiarid central Great Plains of the United States require flexible management strategies to minimize the impacts of herbicide resistant (HR) kochia (Kochia scoparia L.) and tumble windmill grass (Chloris verticillata Nutt.) as well as nutrient [...] Read more.
Long-term no-till (NT) systems in the semiarid central Great Plains of the United States require flexible management strategies to minimize the impacts of herbicide resistant (HR) kochia (Kochia scoparia L.) and tumble windmill grass (Chloris verticillata Nutt.) as well as nutrient stratification on soil and crop productivity. This study examined strategic tillage (ST) to control HR weeds and improve crop yields in an otherwise long-term NT cropping system. Treatments were three crop rotations: (1) continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (WW); (2) wheat-fallow (WF); and (3) wheat-grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)-fallow (WSF); as main plots. Subplots were reduced tillage (RT), continuous NT, and ST of NT. Results showed ST and RT treatments provided significant control of HR weeds. Soil water content at wheat planting was significantly less with RT compared to NT or ST. Strategic tillage did not affect wheat or grain sorghum yields, but RT decreased sorghum yields by 15% compared to NT. Increasing cropping intensity reduced wheat yields. Strategic tillage reduced bulk density and had no effect on aggregate size distribution or mean weight diameter (MWD) compared to NT though RT reduced the proportion of large macroaggregates and MWD. Similarly, ST compared to NT had no effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) or nitrogen (N) concentrations. Soil phosphorus (P) was not different among the tillage treatments though RT increased potassium (K) concentration near the soil surface. The SOC, MWD, and micronutrient availability were greatest with WW though it had significantly lower pH and K concentration. Our results suggest ST could provide a mitigation option for HR weeds in NT systems with little impact on crop yields and soil properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
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Review

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11 pages, 868 KiB  
Review
Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review
by Hannah R. Rodgers, Jay B. Norton and Linda T. A. van Diepen
Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050852 - 27 Apr 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3145
Abstract
Agricultural management decisions on factors such as tillage, fertilization, and cropping system determine the fate of much of the world’s soils, and soil microbes both mediate and respond to these changes. However, relationships between management practices and soil microbial properties are poorly understood, [...] Read more.
Agricultural management decisions on factors such as tillage, fertilization, and cropping system determine the fate of much of the world’s soils, and soil microbes both mediate and respond to these changes. However, relationships between management practices and soil microbial properties are poorly understood, especially in semiarid regions. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed research papers published between 2000 and 2020 that analyzed soil microorganisms in semiarid wheat fields. We aimed to determine if and how soil microbial properties reliably respond to management, and how these properties indicate long-term changes in soil health, carbon (C) sequestration, and crop yield. We found that reducing tillage increases microbial activity as much as 50% in upper soil layers and stratifies both bacteria and fungi by depth. Higher cropping intensity (reduced fallow) increases C storage, microbial activity, and biomass, and particularly fungal biomass, which can be three times greater under continuous wheat than wheat-fallow. Chemical and organic fertilizers both increase bacterial biomass, though only organic inputs provide lasting benefits by promoting C storage and increasing fungal as well as bacterial biomass. We found microbial properties to be sensitive indicators of long-term changes in soil health and productivity, and formed recommendations on appropriate sampling, analysis, and interpretation of microbial data depending on the system studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Agriculture on Soil Properties that Support Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation)
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