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Genetic Engineering, Biofertilisation, Soil Quality and Organic Farming pp 217–242Cite as

Cropping Systems Management, Soil Microbial Communities, and Soil Biological Fertility

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Part of the book series: Sustainable Agriculture Reviews ((SARV,volume 4))

Abstract

Consumers are demanding more organic products, in part because of concerns over environmental issues in conventional agriculture. Modern, high-input agriculture can cause groundwater contamination, soil erosion, and eutrophication of surface waters. It may be possible to enhance natural nutrient cycling and reduce our dependence on inorganic fertilizers in cropping systems. To do so, we have to manage our cropping systems to encourage diverse soil microbial communities and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. This chapter reviews the impacts of cropping management practices on soil microbial diversity and arbuscular mycorrhizal communities. Systems that have reduced tillage, diverse crop rotations or intercrops, low applications of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, and some organic fertility inputs tend to encourage a large and diverse microbial community with mycorrhizal fungi. Organic systems should strive for minimum tillage and the avoidance of bare soil fallow in rotation. Well-managed conventional systems with minimum tillage and inorganic crop inputs can be as effective as organic systems in encouraging soil biological fertility. Both organic and conventional cropping systems should incorporate intercrops into their systems to encourage diversity within the soil system.

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Acknowledgments

The first author has been supported by a Canadian Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Centre (NSERC) and an Alberta Ingenuity Scholarship. The second author was supported by a Discovery grant from NSERC and research grants from Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund Inc.

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  1. Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2P5

    Alison G. Nelson & Dean Spaner

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Nelson, A.G., Spaner, D. (2010). Cropping Systems Management, Soil Microbial Communities, and Soil Biological Fertility. In: Lichtfouse, E. (eds) Genetic Engineering, Biofertilisation, Soil Quality and Organic Farming. Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8741-6_8

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