Plant available water is held in soil pores, which size is affected by soil organic matter content. Organic waste recycling in agriculture can increase soil organic matter contents and improve related soil properties. Agronomists Eden et al. analyzed data from long-term field experiments and found that in almost all cases, plant available water is increased in soils amended with organic wastes.
Commercial orchards have to produce high yields of good quality fruits, while preserving natural resources. In such productive context, many biological, chemical and physical processes still provide important services to the soil, the plant and the atmosphere. Demestihas et al. review how agricultural practices in orchards affect these services and show that fruit production, climate regulation, soil nitrogen availability, water regulation, pest and disease control and pollination can be assessed from simulation models.
Various stresses such as pests, diseases, bad soil temperature or humidity conditions. can impair seeds germination and seedlings emergence. To cope with the problem, an usual practice is to control soil-borne pathogens by conventional fungicides, but this raises concerns for human health, biodiversity and the environment. A better understanding of these stresses and their interactions is essential to develop durable and sustainable pest management strategies. Agronomists Lamichhane et al. review key knowledge gaps in the field and propose five research priorities to better manage damping-off diseases.
Agricultural intensification and farm abandonment in Europe have induced dramatic social, economic and ecological issues. Sustainable agricultural management may solve these issues by providing a viable economic margin and preserving biodiversity. Rescia et al. propose a mechanism of monetary compensation for farmers maintaining or restoring non-agricultural lands in their farms. Using this funding mechanism, conservation of biodiversity would no longer constitute a factor limiting profitability for farmers, but would rather complement their earnings.
Buildup of phosphorus in agricultural soils due to nitrogen-based manure management can increase the risk of phosphorus loss from agricultural fields over time. Scientists Sadeghpour et al. demonstrated the long-term sustainability benefits of phosphorus removal based manure management of a dairy corn silage and alfalfa forage rotation. The work emphasizes the importance of rotation fertility management rather than single-year P management.
Seed conservation under tropical climates is a great challenge when usual storage technology is lacking. Seed pests and the loss of seed viability are among the main risks faced by farmers and seed banks. Scientists Lawrence et. al. recently found that vacuum sealing significantly reduces stored insect pest pressure while maintaining seed viability. Several local treatments decrease also pest pressure, thus constituting sustainable alternatives to storage under low temperature and low moisture.
Escaping the poverty trap and finding win-win paths that protect both the environment and economic development are challenging issues. Scientists Cao et al. propose a feasible plan to improve both the environment and life in Yanan City. The method involves the construction of terraced fields, establishment of fruit tree orchards, implementation of grazing restrictions, and ecological migration. This strategy exemplifies appropriate sustainable governance and development for other ecologically fragile regions.
Commercial oat cultivars produce higher yields in temperate regions than in dry and hot areas. Agronomists Sánchez-Martín et al. studied oat landraces and found that these wild relatives should outperform commercial varieties under harsh conditions.
Tropical forests are dramatically decreasing. Management practices have also intensified, thus threatening biodiversity. A potential solution is agroforestry, that is the cultivation of shade trees within crops. Scientists Armengot et al. compared agroforestry and classical monoculture. They found that cacao yields were, on average, 41% higher in monocultures, but the revenues derived from agroforestry by-crops economically overcompensated for this difference.
Micronutrients provide multiple benefits in crops. In plants, part of these micronutrients is involved in plant-soil-water relations. A new article by Dimkpa and co-workers demonstrates the effects of using a micronutrient formulation of zinc, copper and boron in mitigating drought stress on soybeans. Micronutrients increased plants growth, yield and nutrient uptake. Such a strategy contributes to decrease fertilizer losses and to zinc fortification of food crops.
