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Determining total organic carbon and its stock and quantifying the chemical fractions of soil organic matter can be used as indicators of the quality of the soil management used in a cropping area. This study aimed to quantify soil organic matter's carbon stock and chemical fractions in different soil management systems used in the western Bahian Cerrado, Brazil, and compare them to a native Cerrado area. Ten microregions (Alto Horizonte, Anel da Soja, Bela Vista, Cascudeiro, Coaceral, Novo Paraná, Panambi, Placas, Roda Velha, Roda Velha de Baixo), three soil management systems [tillage system (TS), no-tillage systems (nTS), native Cerrado (NC)], and two soil layers (0–0.1 and 0.1–0.2 m) were studied. Soil bulk density (Sd), soil organic matter (SOM), total organic carbon (TOC), SOM quantification (qSOM), equivalent carbon stock (EqCs), humin (HF), humic acid (HAF) and fulvic acid (FAF) fractions from SOM were evaluated. The results indicated that Sd in all evaluated microregions was below the critical upper limit that would restrict plant root development. SOM, TOC, EqCs, and qSOM revealed increasing results following the TS, nTS, and NC order. The NC area presented the highest soil organic fraction contents (HF, HAF, and FAF). The microregions with better soil quality for all evaluated parameters were Coaceral and Cascudeiro; the lowest soil quality was observed in Alto Horizonte. The present study indicates that conservation agricultural management, such as the no-tillage system, improves the structure and composition of SOM parameters over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus is a very important plant nutrient for the development of plants and its production is not unlimited in the world. In addition, excessive use can lead to soil and water pollution. In this respect, phosphorus should be used effectively in plant production, especially in calcareous soils. The aim of this study was to comparatively determine the effects of phosphorus-enriched organomineral fertilization (p-OMF), chemical phosphorus fertilization (CF), and organic fertilization (OF) on some chemical properties of a calcareous soil. The experiment was established in Söke county of Aydın province in the Southwest of Türkiye. In this study, four doses of dairy manure (DM1: 10, DM2: 20, DM3:30, and DM4: 40 t ha−1) in OF, four phosphorus doses (P1: 10, P2: 20, P3:30, and P4: 40 kg P ha−1) in the CF system, and sixteen different doses of OMF formed by the combinations of these two fertilizers were applied excluding control. According to the main research findings, p-OMFs increased the soil organic matter (SOM), salinity, total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) by 60.1%, 20.9%, 22.1%, 140%, and 17.2%, respectively. They also decreased soil pH by 4%. As a result, it was determined that the most effective organomineral fertilizer combination that maintains soil properties at appropriate levels in calcareous soils is DM3+P2 (30 t ha−1 dairy manure +20 kg P ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of long-term Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) based nutrient management in regulating soil micronutrient status and optimizing crop productivity under a maize-wheat cropping system in an acid Alfisol. The experiment was initiated during monsoon 2007, consisted of eight treatments viz., control, farmers' practice, general recommended dose, soil test-based, STCR based targeted yield of 25 (wheat)/30 (maize) and 35 (wheat)/40 (maize) q ha−1 with FYM @ 5 t ha−1 and without FYM. Results revealed that the soil available Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn exhibited depletion in unfertilized plots over initial status. However, the STCR (Integrated Plant Nutrient Supply; IPNS) based targeted yield approach of fertilizer application maintains higher values of DTPA extractable micronutrients in comparisons to all other treatments. After nine continuous years, the highest DTPA- extractable Fe (27.6 mg kg−1), Mn (25.1 mg kg−1), Zn (1.25 mg kg−1) and Cu (0.75 mg kg−1) were recorded in treatment where, FYM was added along with fertilizers for targeted yield of 35 q ha−1. The micronutrient uptake by wheat was higher in STCR (IPNS) treatments. Low SRC values of Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn indicated that long-term prescription based chemical fertilizers and FYM application can meet the plant nutritional requirement of wheat crop. Hence long-term STCR based integration of FYM (with NPK fertilizers) has an advantage in regulating the supply of micronutrients in soil-plant system and addressing the micronutrient deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation agriculture (CA), presents a promising alternative for restoring soil health and achieving sustainable crop production. In addition, one cannot follow the same nitrogen management of conventional framing in the CA as the crop residue retained leads to N mineralization/immobilization. Hence, the present research was aimed to determine the effect of CA and nitrogen managements on soil nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur release and the enzymes involved in their mineralization. The results revealed that the CA practice significantly enhanced the mineral N, Olsen P and CaCl2–S release and the soil enzymes involved in this mineralization cycles compared to CT + R plots. Similarly, all the nitrogen fertilizer receiving subplots also recorded significantly higher mineral N, Olsen P and CaCl2–S release and the enzymes involved compared to the control. Furthermore, throughout the incubation period the Urea super granule + Greenseeker treatment significantly outperformed the RDN plot with respect to NO3–N and CaCl2–S release. Whereas, the Urea + Greenseeker treatment registered significantly higher NO3–N and CaCl2–S over RDN plot from 30 and 45 days after incubation, respectively. The NH4–N and Olsen P release had increasing trend up to 45 days after incubation and thereafter it decreased. In nutshell, the research emphasizes the significance of CA alongside optimum nitrogen management approaches in enhancing the soil enzymatic activities and nutrient mineralization. These outcomes hold significance for both farmers and researchers seeking ecologically sound and productive agricultural methods to enhance crop output and maintain soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the toxic effects of caesium (Cs) on Triticum aestivum (Ibtissam) and Triticum durum (Nachit), focusing on seed germination, root and shoot growth, and overall growth parameters. Cs exposure significantly impairs growth, with dose-dependent reductions in germination, root and shoot lengths, and fresh/dry weights. Notably, T. durum shows greater resilience to Cs stress than T. aestivum, maintaining better growth at higher Cs levels. The differing tolerance suggests T. durum may have more effective mechanisms to mitigate Cs toxicity. These findings highlight wheat’s sensitivity to Cs and T. durum’s potential for cultivation in contaminated soils. This research enhances understanding of Cs toxicity in wheat and offers insights for developing Cs-tolerant crops and better soil management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The replacement of farmland by native hygro-plants is increasingly common globally within the context of wetland ecosystem restoration. Understanding the long-term effects of this replacement on the abundance and persistence of soil organic carbon (SOC) in mountain marshes is important for soil carbon management. Here, the restored plateau mountain marshes of Duliu River Wetland Provincial Nature Reserve, China was selected. The properties, soil moisture content (SMC), pH, texture, free-form iron oxides (), amorphous iron oxides (), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and iron-bound organic carbon (Fe-OC) were analyzed in topsoil samples (0 ~ 20 cm) during the restoration of rice paddies to Sphagnum palustre L. wetlands for 0, 2, 10, and 20 years. Natural Sphagnum wetlands were also used as the control. We found that marsh restoration increased SMC, , , / , SOC, MAOC, Fe-OC, Fe-OC/SOC, but decreased the MAOC/SOC ratio. MAOC/SOC ratio of marshes were expectedly lower than the proportion of labile SOC in total SOC during the restoration period. SMC, SOC, and MAOC were higher in the natural Sphagnum wetlands than in other habitats. Both SOC and Fe-OC/SOC were positively correlated with SMC, , , / , and Fe-OC, but negatively correlated with soil pH. MAOC/SOC was negatively correlated with SMC, and / . These results emphasized the significance of reconverting rice paddies to marsh wetlands for increasing the sequestration of labile SOC and Fe-OC. Further studies are required to identify and quantify the organo-mineral stabilization mechanisms of SOC at the different SOC fractionations throughout the restoration period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Results Conclusion Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD), which involves creating anaerobic conditions and incorporating large amounts of organic materials into the soil, has been identified as a reliable strategy for reducing soilborne diseases in successive cropping systems. However, limited research exists on the connections between soil microorganism composition and plant diseases under various types of organic material applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of distinct RSD strategies (control without soil amendment; RSD with 1500 kg ha−1 molasses powder; RSD with 3000 kg ha−1 molasses powder; RSD with 3000 kg ha−1 molasses powder and 37.5–41.3 kg ha−1 microbial agent) on the plant disease index, bacterial community composition and network structure in rhizosphere soil.RSD treatments significantly reduced the occurrence of black shank disease in tobacco and increased soil bacterial diversity. High amounts of molasses powder in RSD treatments further enhanced disease inhibition and reduced fungal abundance and Shannon index. RSD also increased the relative abundance of bacterial phylum Firmicutes and fungal phylum Ascomycota, while decreasing the relative abundance of bacterial phyla Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota and fungal phylum Basidiomycota in rhizosphere soil. A multiple regression model identified bacterial positive cohesion as the primary factor influencing the plant disease index, with a greater impact than bacterial negative cohesion and community stability. The competition among beneficial bacteria for creating a healthy rhizosphere environment is likely a key factor in the success of RSD in reducing plant disease risk.RSD, especially with higher rates of molasses powder, is a viable strategy for controlling black shank disease in tobacco and promoting soil health by fostering beneficial microbial communities. This study provides guidelines for soil management and plant disease prevention. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient use of vinasse, the primary byproduct of sugarcane ethanol production, is important for the economic and environmental sustainability of the industry. Few studies have quantified the soil health response to long‐term vinasse application, even though this byproduct is generally applied as a potassium (K) source in sugarcane fields. The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) was used to assess the integrated soil health response in soils with contrasting textures. Chemical, physical, and biological indicators were selected, measured, and integrated into a soil health index for clay‐ and sandy‐textured soils in Brazil. Overall, the application of vinasse improved soil health components in both soils. The results showed that the benefits of vinasse go beyond increasing the K content. Vinasse application showed increased soil organic carbon content, nutrient recycling, and soil physical quality. The long‐term application of vinasse increased the soil health from 49% to 62% in the clayey soil and from 43% to 61% in the sandy clay soil. The findings therefore revealed the potential of vinasse application to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizer and promote the circular economy and soil health regardless of soil type. This study verifies that the long‐term application of vinasse to sandy‐ and clay‐texture soils in Brazil has both economic and environmental benefits because it recycles an important ethanol byproduct and enhances soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into alternative vineyard practices is essential to maintain long-term viticulture sustainability. Organic mulching on the vine row improves vine cultivation properties, such as increasing soil water retention and nutrient availability. This study overviewed the effects of three organic mulches (spent mushroom compost (SMC), straw (STR), and grapevine pruning debris (GPD)) and two conventional soil practices (herbicide application (HERB) and tillage (TILL)) on grapevine physiology, agronomy, and grape quality parameters over three years. SMC mulch enhanced soil moisture and nutrient concentration. However, its mineral composition increased soil electrical conductivity (0.78 dS m⁻1) and induced grapevine water stress due to osmotic effects without significantly affecting yield plant development. Only minor differences in leaf physiological parameters were observed during the growing season. However, straw (STR) mulch reduced water stress and increased photosynthetic capacity, resulting in higher pruning weights. Organic mulches, particularly SMC and STR, increased grape pH, potassium, malic acid, and tartaric acid levels, while reducing yeast assimilable nitrogen. The effect of organic mulching on grapevine development depends mainly on soil and mulch properties, soil water availability, and environmental conditions. This research highlights the importance of previous soil and organic mulch analysis to detect vineyard requirements and select the most appropriate soil management treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy soils contribute to a wide range of ecosystem services and virtually all of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but most of the world's soil resources are in only fair, poor, or very poor condition, and conditions are getting worse in more cases than they are improving. A total of 33% of all soils are moderately to highly degraded as a result of erosion, loss of organic matter, poor nutrient balance, salinization and alkalinization, contamination, acidification, loss of biodiversity, sealing, compaction, and poor water status. Best management practices are available to limit or mitigate threats to soil health, and many of them mitigate multiple soil threats. In many regions of the world, policies or initiatives to protect or enhance the status of soils are in place, and they need to be strengthened and enforced. The Food and Agriculture Organisation will publish its second comprehensive assessment of the status of the world's soils in 2025, and this review provides an interim update on world soil status and offers an accessible overview of the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the potential of soil organic carbon (SOC) production through organic amendments. SOC sequestration would help to achieve the net-zero emissions targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Given the urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, traditional methods that estimate SOC over 100 years must be revised. Hence, a novel fate transport numerical model was developed to forecast SOC levels relevant to individual countries' net-zero targets in various time frames. The simulation results revealed that most countries had sufficient organic amendment to mitigate the CO2 emission of that country for a year if the organic amendment was applied on 20% of the arable land. However, if a significant fraction of the total CO2 emissions needs to be mitigated before reaching the net zero target, the requirements of organic amendments need to be increased several folds. All the available agricultural land should also be brought under the organic amendment regime. Later, the dynamic LCA approach was undertaken for estimating Global Warming (GWP) from land-applied organic residue. It was observed that, depending on the dynamic LCA model, the estimated GWP was different. However, the estimated dynamic GWP was very close to the residual SOC calculated through the fate transport model. The mass of organic residues generated from a biorefinery was examined by employing a waste biorefinery model to explore further the routes of acquiring additional organic amendment. Simulated results showed that while a waste biorefinery could not provide additional organic residue compared to the original organic waste input, it was highly efficient for nutrient recovery and its uses. This study demonstrated that organic amendment-based carbon sequestration adequately mitigated residual GHG at the net-zero target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil quality is pivotal for crop productivity and the environmental quality of agricultural ecosystems. Achieving sufficient yearly income and long-term farm continuity are key goals for farmers, making sustainable soil management an economic challenge. Existing bio-economic models often inadequately address soil quality. In this study, we apply the novel FARManalytics model, which integrates chemical, physical, and biological indicators of soil quality indicator, quantitative rules on how these indicators respond to farmers' production management over time, and an economic calculation framework that accurately calculates the contribution of production management decisions towards farm income. This is the first study applying this model on existing arable farms. FARManalytics optimizes crop rotation design, cover crops, manure and fertilizer application and crop residue management. Nine Dutch arable farms were analyzed with a high variation in farm size, soil type, and cultivated crops. First, we assessed farm differences in soil quality and farm economics. Second, we optimized production management to maximize farm income while meeting soil quality targets using farm-specific scenarios. Third, we explored the impact of recent policy measures to preserve water quality and to increase the contribution of local protein production. The results show that the case farms already perform well regarding soil quality, with 75% of the soil quality indicators above critical levels. The main soil quality bottlenecks are subsoil compaction and soil organic matter input. We show that even in front-runner farms, bio-economic modeling with FARManalytics substantially improves economic performance while increasing soil quality. We found that farm income could be increased by up to €704 ha−1 year−1 while meeting soil quality targets. Additionally, we show that to anticipate on stricter water quality regulation and market shift for protein crops, FARManalytics is able to provide alternative production management strategies that ensure the highest farm income while preserving soil quality for a set of heterogenous farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the extent of hydrocarbon and heavy metal contamination in soils from specific areas on Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula, including Absheron, Suraxanı, and Baku, and to evaluate the impact of this contamination on soil properties. Soil samples were analyzed for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and iron, alongside assessments of soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The results revealed significant contamination across all studied areas, particularly in Suraxanı, where TPH levels reached 190 ± 20 mg/kg, exceeding the environmental standard of 100 mg/kg. Similarly, Suraxanı soils exhibited alarmingly high concentrations of heavy metals, with aluminum at 30,128 ± 1,500 mg/kg, arsenic at 50.94 ± 2.5 mg/kg, and cadmium at 0.153 ± 0.01 mg/kg, all surpassing acceptable limits. These contaminants severely degraded soil health, evidenced by increased bulk density (1.7 g/cm³ in Suraxanı) and reduced soil porosity. Microbial activity, a key indicator of soil fertility, was also markedly lower in contaminated regions, with the total bacterial count in Suraxanı being less than half that of the uncontaminated area. The findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive soil management practices and stricter environmental regulations to mitigate contamination's adverse effects and protect both ecosystems and public health in Azerbaijan's petroleum contaminated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the water quality and soil characteristics associated with qanat systems in the Cebrail district of the Karabakh region, Azerbaijan. Qanat systems, traditional underground channels designed for water transport, play a crucial role in providing reliable water sources for drinking and irrigation. Water and soil samples were collected from seven qanat systems and analyzed for various physicochemical properties. Water quality parameters included pH, electrical conductivity, hardness, mineralization, and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and other ions. Soil analyses focused on pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, salinization degree, and the presence of key ions like sulfate and nitrate. The results indicated that qanat water is generally of high quality, with pH levels suitable for both drinking and irrigation. However, some qanat systems exhibited high electrical conductivity and mineralization levels, suggesting potential salinity issues for sensitive crops. Soil samples showed favorable conditions for agriculture, with good pH levels, low salinity, and high organic matter content. The analysis revealed a significant interaction between water quality and soil characteristics, emphasizing the importance of integrated management practices. In the context of climate change, the sustainability of qanat systems is critical. Recommendations include regular monitoring of water and soil quality, soil amendments to mitigate salinity, efficient irrigation techniques, and the use of climate-resilient infrastructure. This study underscores the importance of qanat systems in arid and semi-arid regions and provides practical recommendations for sustainable land and water resource management, enhancing the socio-economic well-being of local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade-offs between soil functions hamper maximizing soil multifunctionality in agroecosystems. Taking soil microbial functional trade-offs into consideration in agricultural management is crucial for optimizing the impacts of changes in soil microbial communities on soil health in agroecosystems. Interactions within soil microbial communities influence functional trade-offs. Manipulating soil microbial diversity and interactions through soil health-improving management can alleviate functional trade-offs and improve soil health and agricultural sustainability. Better mechanistic understanding of the interdependencies between soil-induced functions is essential to improve soil health and agricultural sustainability. Soil microbial communities play pivotal roles in maintaining soil health in agroecosystems. However, how the delivery of multiple microbial functions in agroecosystems is maintained remains poorly understood. This may put us at risk of incurring unexpected trade-offs between soil functions. We elucidate how interactions between soil microbes can lead to trade-offs in the functioning of agricultural soils. Interactions within soil microbial communities can result in not only positive but also neutral and negative relationships among soil functions. Altering soil conditions through soil health-improving agricultural management can alleviate these functional trade-offs by promoting the diversity and interrelationships of soil microbes, which can help to achieve more productive and sustainable agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the dynamics of soil phosphorus (P) over extended periods of soil and crop management practices is essential for sustainable P management. This study assessed the impact of four crop rotations [maize-wheat (M-W), maize-wheat-mungbean (M-W-Mb), maize-wheat-maize-chickpea (M-W-M-C), and pigeonpea-wheat (P-W)] each with three levels of nutrient management [control (CT), integrated nutrient management (suboptimal fertilizer+ farmyard manure + crop residue + bio-fertilizers; INM), and sole-chemical fertilizers (CF)] on soil inorganic and organic P (Pi and Po) pools and crop–soil relationships at the end of 15-year cropping. Legume-inclusive rotations resulted in higher labile-P pools, being higher with M-W-M-C and P-W. M-W-M-C rotation had higher moderately labile organic P (Po) in both surface (+23%) and subsurface (+18%) depths over M-W. Di-calcium P (Ca2-P) (+6%) and microbial biomass P (MBP) (+46%) increased in M-W-Mb over M-W, while iron-P (Fe-P) was reduced (−12%) in subsurface soil. INM enhanced bioavailable-P [soluble-P (+17%), labile-Pi (+15%) labile-Po (+12%), MBP (+96%), moderately labile-Po (+22%)] over CF in surface soil, while CF had a higher Fe-P (+16%). Legumes in rotation caused notable changes in the surface-to-subsurface ratio (SSBR) of Ca2-P (1.18–1.50) and occluded-P (1.64–2.78). INM had a higher SSBR of labile-P pools but had a lower SSBR of occluded-P facilitating mobilization of the later in the surface. Hence, in tropical soils, legume-inclusive diversification (particularly with chickpea) and INM involving crop residue recycling could be a sustainable option to improve P use efficiency, crop productivity, and save fertilizer resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to explore the effects of different economic forest planting modes on soil water physical properties and soil nutrients in central and southern Shandong, and to provide a basis for screening and planting management of soil and water conservation economic forest planting modes in this area. [Methods] Four kinds of economic forest planting modes in Menglianggu small watershed of Mengyin County, Linyi City, were selected as the research objects, including A. persica (TS). C. pinnati fida (SZ). M. pumila P. pseudocerasus (PY). and C. mollissima + 2. bungeunum (BH), with wasteland (CK) as the control. The water physical indexes such as soil bulk density, porosity and water storage capacity, and the nutrient indexes such as soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and available nutrients were measured and analyzed. The soil improvement effect was comprehensively evaluated hy Principal component analysis and fuzzy mathematics membership function method. [Results] (1) Economic forest planting could improve soil porosity and water storage performance. Compared with CK, the four economic forest. planting patterns could reduce soil bulk density by 7.3%~22.1%, increase capillary porosity by 14.2%~ 42.0%, and increase soil maximum water storage by 16.5%~43.8%. The soil water holding capacity decressed in the order, TS>PY BH>SZ>CK. In addition to PY. other economic forest planting patterns could effectively increase soil storage and storage precipitation, showing BH TS SZ>CK. The effect of economic forest planting on the storage precipitation and effective storage capacity of 0-20 cm soil layer was more obvious. Compared with 0-20 cm soil layer the porosity and maximum water storage capacity of 20 40 cm soil layer decreased, and the change range of TS was the smallest. (2) Economic forest planting could improve soil organic carbon and available nutrients. Compared with CK the four economic forest planting patterns could increase soil organic carbon by 6.9%~270.4%, which was expressed as TS>PY BHSZ CK: the contents of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in soil decreased in the oder, TSPY>BH>SZ> CK. The effect of economic forest planting on the nutrient content of 0-20 cm soil layer was more obvious. Compared with 0-20 cm soil layer the nutrient content of 2040 cm soil layer decreased. (3) The indicators reflecting the soil improvement effect of economic forest planting modes could be summarized into three categories. The first was soil capillary water holding characteristics and nutrient characteristics, the second was soil water storage characteristics and the third was soil non-capillary water holding. characteristics. [Conclusion] The cotoprehensive evaluation of soil improvement effect of different economic forest planting modes is, A. persica C. mollissima Z. bungeanum M. pumila + P. pseudocerasus>С. pinnatifida wasteland. Compared with grassland economic forest planting can significantly improve the physical properties of soil moisture and improve soil nutrient performance, but the soil improvement effect varies greatly with different planting modes. In the arid and barren mountainous areas of central and southern Shandong, the planting mode of A. persica has the best effect on soil improvement, followed by C. mollissimaZ. bungeunum and C. pinnatifidu is relatively poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to Lebanon's 2019 economic crisis, agricultural activities intensified to enhance national food security, with implications for soil health. We investigated soil management practices on 26 small-scale farms in a mountainous region, focusing on reconciling static sustainability definitions with dynamic resilience concepts. Surveying farmers revealed varied adoption rates of regenerative practices: intercropping (85%), residue retention (73%), cover crops (61%), organic amendments (46%), integrated organic/mineral amendments (46%), improved irrigation (38%), conservation tillage (30%), crop rotation (19%), and organic/biological pest/disease treatment (11%). Farms were categorized as conventional (C), neutral (N), and regenerative (R) based on practices. Qualitative assessments using seven indicators yielded scores of 4.28 (C), 6.34 (N), and 7.88 (R). Quantitative analyses showed significant differences in soil organic matter percentage (1.86 C, 2.75 N, 3.32 R), soil respiration (156 C, 296 N, 380 R), and earthworm abundance (2.92 C, 4.24 N, 5.72 R). The Soil Quality Index (SQI) indicated varying soil health from 0.05 (C) to 0.49 (R). Our findings highlight the importance of adopting synergistic, sustainable soil management practices to ensure enduring agricultural productivity and safeguard soil resilience, especially in the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different long‐term tillage systems were examined for their effects on the amount of native mycorrhizal spores in the rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils, as well as their effects on the organic carbon and mineral nutrient content of the soil. The long‐term study was initiated in 2006, using a Typic Haploxerert soil series, with the current study conducted in 2018–2019 using the Adana‐99 wheat variety. Seven tillage systems were examined: two no‐tills (NT and ST), three reduced tillage systems (RT‐1, RT‐2, and RT‐3), two conventional tillage systems (CT‐1 and CT‐2), and one strategic/occasional tillage system with three replicates as randomized blocks. The effects of tillage management on soil quality parameters were found by analyzing N, P, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents, as well as inorganic and organic carbon in soil samples taken before sowing and postharvest. Tillage systems had a significant influence on mineral nutrient concentrations. Reduced and no‐tillage methods, particularly strategic and no‐tillage, contribute positively to soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and nutrient retention and the number of mycorrhizae spores. The results show that as the tillage intensity decreased, the soil C, N, K, Ca, and Mg contents increased mycorrhizal spores. The rhizosphere soils under no‐tillage and reduced tillage practices had higher soil carbon content and higher mycorrhizae spore counts at the postharvest stage than soils under conventional tillage (CT) practices. Conclusively, after 13 years of different soil tillage treatments, more carbon was sequestrated under NT than under heavy tillage CT treatment. The ST tillage treatment sequestrated 19.37 Mt SOC (0–15 cm) and 10.06 (15–30 cm) Mt SOC compared with the CT‐1 tillage treatment. Comparing CT treatments, RT tillage and NT maintained higher carbon concentrations of up to 17% and 31%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil plays a critical role as the primary reservoir of phosphorus (P) in terrestrial ecosystems. Sequential fractionation has been extensively utilized to gain insights into the characteristics and dynamics of soil P. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the different P pools in Nepalese soils. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of cropping systems on soil P fractions in the central mid-hills of Nepal. The study focused on four cropping systems: vegetable, fruit, rice, and maize-based systems, which exhibited variations in nutrient management, topography, and cropping intensity. A total of 240 soil samples (60 samples from each cropping system) were collected from multiple sites within the central mid-hill region. Standard analytical methods were used to determine the general parameters of the soils, while the sequential fractionation method was employed to assess the organic and inorganic P pools. The results indicated that the effect of cropping systems on soil pH, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content, and the proportion of sand, silt, and clay was not statistically significant in terms of general parameters. However, significant differences were observed among the different cropping systems in organic matter (OM), electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and available phosphorus. Similarly, in terms of inorganic phosphorus fractions, loosely bound P (LB-P), aluminum bound P (Al-P), iron bound P (Fe-P), and reductant soluble P (RS-P) were significantly affected, while calcium bound P (Ca-P) did not show a significant difference. Furthermore, in terms of organic phosphorus fractions, labile organic P (L-Po), fluvic acid organic P (FA-Po), and non-labile organic P (NL-Po) exhibited significant differences, whereas moderately labile organic P (ML-Po) and humic acid organic P (HA-Po) did not show a significant difference. Additionally, reductant soluble P showed a significant difference, while total P did not differ significantly. The vegetable-based system exhibited higher levels of the majority of P fractions, followed by the fruit-based, maize-based, and rice-based systems. These findings emphasize the importance of considering cropping systems and their response to different phosphorus pools, as this knowledge can contribute to the development of improved soil phosphorus management strategies and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is an important resource worldwide with diverse physical, chemical, and biological properties. These properties vary from place to place because ecological variables such as temperature, moisture, and land use vary across different ecosystems. Soil quality has declined, which has led to increased demand for food, which poses significant problems in enhancing agricultural production and promoting environmental sustainability. The traditional methods for analyzing soil nutrients are labor-intensive, tedious, and expensive. The soil properties were effectively analyzed via artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) applications, to explain challenging problems with high accuracy and robustness. To interpret multidimensional data inputs derived from agro-industries and provide farmers with relevant information about crop conditions and soil management. AI can increase crop production by optimizing soil nutrient management. With artificial intelligence technology, farmers can identify potential deficits in soil quality, while Machine learning technologies, such as random forests (RF), support vector machines (SVMs), and Artificial and Deep neural networks (ANN, DNN), were used to generate predictive models on the basis of available soil data and auxiliary ecological variables. This review provides a detailed overview of the diverse AI tools and models used for the detection of various soil properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary Winegrape production is an essential cultural heritage and economic engine of many regions of the world. Regenerative management, which is gaining traction with industry and consumers alike, relies on soil biodiversity for agroecosystem function, reducing external inputs and increasing ecosystem resilience to climate change. We evaluated the effects of no‐till and sheep integration on vineyard soil biodiversity and soil ecosystem function. No‐till had stronger effects on microbial diversity, while sheep grazing stimulated microbial functioning. By providing a better understanding of the practices, we provide fundamental information for growers that want to embrace regenerative principles, ultimately contributing to the sustainability and resilience of the winegrape industry. Regenerative management aims to optimize soil microbial function and diversity for enhanced agroecosystem functionality. Understanding the effects of management practices on soil microorganisms is crucial in the context of growing societal interest in this type of management. This study evaluated the short‐term effects of two soil conservation practices: sheep grazing and no‐till, on abundance, diversity, activity, and network complexity of prokaryotes and fungi in a vineyard soil. Four treatments were applied for 3 years: (1) grazed and tilled, (2) grazed and non‐tilled, (3) non‐grazed and tilled, and (4) non‐grazed and non‐tilled. We hypothesized that stacking of conservation practices (grazing and no‐till) would increase microbial diversity, function, and network complexity. Grazing had strong effects on microbial function, increasing the α‐glucosidase, β‐glucosidase, cellulase, phosphatase, and β‐xylosidase enzymatic activity by 82%, 48%, 61%, 39%, and 55%, respectively, compared to non‐grazed soils, while not causing significant changes in soil microbial diversity. Tillage had strong effects on soil prokaryotic and fungal diversity. For prokaryotes, significant interactions in alpha diversity were found between tillage and grazing, and between tillage and sampling location (tractor row and under vine). Fungal Shannon diversity index was higher in the subsoil (15–30 cm) while a significant interaction between depth, location, tillage, and grazing was found for the Chao‐1 index. Microbial network properties were only significantly affected by sampling depth. This study shows that the lack of disturbance in non‐tilled and non‐grazed soils resulted in a more diverse soil community, while grazing stimulated microbial function, thus showing a decoupling between diversity and function in vineyard soil ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most popular soil conservation campaigns is based on the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service's Soil Health Principles (NRCS‐SHPs). The NRCS‐SHP program identifies four principles—maximize presence of living roots, minimize disturbance, maximize soil cover, and maximize biodiversity—with the underlying assumption that the more principles one follows, the greater improvements in soil health. Despite the popularity of the NRCS‐SHPs, this underlying assumption has not been rigorously tested. To do so, we used nine long‐term experiments all located in central Iowa, but with varying degree of NRCS‐SHP adoption, to determine if greater adoption increases three slow‐changing (maximum water holding capacity, bulk density [BD], and soil organic carbon) and three dynamic (microbial biomass carbon [MBC], potentially mineralizable carbon [PMC], and permanganate oxidizable carbon [POXC]) soil health indicators. We regressed these indicators with a soil health principle score that can scale soil management based on adoption of the NRCS‐SHPs. Of the slow‐changing soil properties, increased adoption of NRCS‐SHPs only decreased soil BD (R2 = 0.22, p = 0.024). On the other hand, increased adoption of NRCS‐SHPs strongly predicted increases in both MBC and PMC and across two sampling dates (R2 > 0.23, p < 0.015); POXC, however, did not increase with greater adoption. The consistent increases in MBC and PMC with greater adoption of NRCS‐SHPs supports their usefulness as sensitive indicators of positive soil health change. Our study provides scientific evidence to support the NRCS‐SHPs concept, improving its usefulness as an extension campaign, and stands as a step toward evidence‐based soil conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar and green manure have been widely applied in agricultural production and are important means to achieve sustainable agriculture. However, there is limited research systematically and comprehensively exploring the response of soil microbiota and the changes in soil metabolomics after the addition of two different carbon source amendments to the soil, and the differential mechanisms of soil metabolomics between them remain unclear. In this study, a long-term field experiment (initiated in 2019) was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar and green manure application on soil nutrients and soil functions driven by soil microbes. Compared to the pure fertilizer treatment, biochar increased soil total carbon by 14.54% to 27.04% and soil available potassium by 4.67% to 27.46%. Ryegrass significantly increased soil available phosphorus and organic matter. Under different fertilization regimes, the ecological niches of soil microbes changed significantly. Network analysis revealed that long-term ryegrass returning reduced the complexity of soil microbial networks. Ryegrass and biochar increased dispersal limitation in fungal assemblages (reaching 93.33% and 86.67%, respectively), with biochar particularly enhancing variable selection in bacterial assemblages (accounting for 53.33%). Variation partitioning analysis based on redundancy analysis indicated that humic substances had the highest explanatory power for microbial community variation, with humic substances explaining 38.49% of bacteria and 52.19% of fungi variation. The ryegrass treatment mainly changed the abundance of carbohydrates (CH), amines (AM), c (AH), and lipids (LP), while the BC treatment mainly altered the abundance of organic acids (AC), amines (AM), and carbohydrates (CH). Meanwhile, both treatments significantly reduced the bisphenol A, one of the soil pollutants. Ryegrass incorporation significantly increased the abundance of genes related to soil C, N, P, and S cycling, especially genes involved in carbon decomposition, while biochar significantly enhanced the abundance of nitrogen fixation genes nifH and Hao in soil. Random forest model results indicated that carbohydrates, alcohols, aromatics (AR), and ester (ES) were the main categories of metabolites in soil influenced by differential microbes, and Finegoldia served as a common important metabolic driving species. In summary, this study reveals the processes of soil function, microbial community succession, and metabolism driven by ryegrass and biochar, providing important insights for optimizing soil management and improving soil quality. Highlights: Ryegrass green manure (RG) and biochar (BC) induced the simplification of microbial networks and an increase in fungi's random assembly processes. RG promoted denitrification and carbon degradation functional genes, while BC enhanced nitrogen fixation genes. RG accelerated soil energy flow by promoting M00307 and M00061. In RG-treated soil, the main metabolites were Carbohydrates, while in BC-treated soil, the main metabolites were Acids and Amines. Both treatments reduced soil pollutant bisphenol A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in maintaining or increasing soil fertility and quality in paddy field, but there is limited information about how SOC mineralization responds to different fertilizer managements under the double-cropping rice system in southern China. Therefore, this study was designed to explore changes in SOC content, soil enzyme activities, SOC mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers, and its relationship with long-term fertilizer managements in a double-cropping rice system of southern China. The experiment included four fertilizer treatments: chemical fertilizer alone (CF), rice straw and chemical fertilizer (RS+F), 30% organic manure and 70% chemical fertilizer (OM+F), and without fertilizer input as a control (Con). These results showed that SOC and labile organic carbon contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with RS+F and OM+F treatments were increased, compared to CF and Con treatments. Compared with Con treatment, SOC mineralization rate and accumulation with CF, RS+F, and OM+F treatments were increased. SOC accumulation and potential mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers with RS+F and OM+F treatments were increased, compared with CF and Con treatments. SOC mineralization rate and accumulation at 0–10 cm layer with CF, RS+F, OM+F, and Con treatments were higher than that of 10–20 cm layer. These results indicated that soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities in paddy field with RS+F and OM+F treatments were significantly higher than that of CF and Con treatments. There was a significant positive relationship between SOC accumulation and SOC content, soil invertase, cellulose, urease activities but were significant negative correlated with soil pH, bulk density. As a result, these were beneficial practices for improving SOC content and SOC mineralization in a double-cropping rice field of southern China by combined application of rice residue or organic matter with chemical fertilizer managements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a vital role in maintaining or enhancing soil fertility and quality of paddy field, but there is still limited information about how SOC mineralization responds to different tillage managements under the double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) system in southern of China. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the changes in SOC content, soil enzyme activities (invertase, cellulose and urease), SOC mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers and its relationship with 7-years tillage management under the double-cropping rice system of southern China. The experiment included four tillage managements: rotary tillage with all residues removed as a control (RTO), conventional tillage with residue incorporation (CT), rotary tillage with residue incorporation (RT), and no-tillage with residue retention (NT). The results indicated that SOC and soil labile organic carbon contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT and RT treatments were significantly higher than the RTO treatment. Compared to the RTO treatment, SOC mineralization and accumulation at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT, RT and NT treatments were increased. SOC accumulation and potential mineralization at 0–10 cm layer with NT treatment were significantly higher than the CT, RT and RTO treatments. Soil mineralization constant at 10–20 cm layer with CT treatment was significantly higher than those of RT, NT and RTO treatments. This result indicated SOC mineralization rate and accumulation at 10–20 cm layer of CT, RT, NT and RTO treatments were lower than those of treatments at 0–10 cm layer. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities with CT and RT treatments were significantly increased. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities at 0–20 cm layer of CT treatment increased by 22.6%, 46.2% and 89.0%, respectively. There was significantly positive correlation between SOC accumulation and SOC content, soil invertase, cellulose, urease activities, but SOC accumulation was significantly negative correlated with soil pH, bulk density. Therefore, CT and RT treatments were beneficial managements to improve SOC content and SOC mineralization in the double-cropping rice field of southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has increased the areas of urban forests that store considerable soil carbon (C). Different soil C fractions may show distinctive contents and spatial patterns in view of their contrasting sensitivities to various drivers. However, current studies on soil C fractions are mostly limited to natural ecosystems and little is known about the large‐scale patterns and drivers of soil C fractions in urban forests. Based on a field survey of urban forests across a north–south transect in eastern China, we analysed the spatial variations and main drivers of topsoil (surface layer, 0–10 cm; subsurface layer, 10–20 cm) C fractions (i.e., soil organic C, SOC; soil inorganic C, SIC; particulate organic C, POC; mineral‐associated organic C, MAOC). Our results showed that topsoil contents of POC, MAOC and SOC changed non‐linearly with latitude, with lowest values occurring in the cities in the warm temperate region. In contrast, SIC content showed the highest values in the warm temperate region. POC instead of MAOC was found to be a major fraction of SOC in urban forests. The spatial variation in topsoil POC content was mainly explained by mean annual temperature, soil clay and silt content, and park age. The spatial variation in MAOC content was mainly explained by soil clay and silt content, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature and park age. In contrast, the spatial variation in SIC content was mainly explained by mean annual precipitation and soil pH. These findings demonstrate distinct features of different soil C fractions in urban forests and provide useful implications for urban soil carbon management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vineyard soils are often of inherently poor quality with low organic carbon content. Management can improve soil properties and thus soil fertility. In European wine‐growing regions, a broad range of inter‐row management strategies evolved based on specific local site conditions and the varying effects of management intensities on soil, water balance, yield and grape quality. Accordingly, there is a need to investigate the effects of locally common cover crop management strategies and tillage intensity on soil organic carbon content and soil physical parameters. In this study, we investigated the impact of the most common inter‐row management practices in Austria, France, Romania and Spain. In all countries, we compared paired sites. Each site with cover crops and inter‐row management of low intensity was compared with one site with (temporarily) bare soil and high management intensity. All studied sites with cover crops and low management intensity, except those in Spain, had higher organic carbon contents than the paired more intensively managed vineyards. However, the highly water‐limited Spanish vineyards with temporary cover crops had lower organic carbon contents than the paired sites with bare soil. Sites with more organic carbon had better results for bulk density, percolation stability (PS), hydraulic conductivity and available soil water, with soil hydraulic parameters being less pronounced than others. Country comparison of inter‐row weed control systems showed that PS was particularly low in sampled vineyards in Romania and Spain, where weed control is based on intensive mechanical tillage. Alternating management systems with tillage every second inter‐row showed a decrease in soil structure compared with permanent green cover. Thus, inter‐row management with cover crops and reduced tillage increases soil organic carbon content and improves soil structure compared with bare soil management. If local constraints, such as water scarcity, do not allow year‐round planting, alternating inter‐row management with several years of alternating periods may be an option to mitigate those adverse effects. However, negative impact on the soil structure occurs with the very first tillage operation, whereas negative effects on the carbon balance only appear after long‐term use of tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial variability and driving mechanisms of humus horizon thickness (HHT) degradation is crucial for effective soil degradation prevention in black soil regions. The study compared ordinary kriging interpolation (OK), inverse distance weighted interpolation (IDW), and regression kriging interpolation (RK) using mean error (ME), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and relative RMSE to select the most accurate model. Environmental variables were then integrated to predict HHT characteristics. Results indicate that: (1) RK was superior to OK and IDW in characterizing HHT with the smallest ME (11.45), RMSE (14.98), MAE (11.45), and RRMSE (0.44). (2) The average annual temperature (0.29), precipitation (0.27), and digital elevation model (DEM) (0.21) were the primary factors influencing the spatial variability of HHT. (3) The HHT exhibited notable variability, with an increasing trend from the southeast towards the central and northern directions, being the thinnest in the southeast. It was thicker in the northeast and southwest regions, thicker but less dense along the southern Bohai coast, thicker yet sporadically distributed in the northwest (especially Chaoyang and Fuxin), and thick with aggregated distribution over a smaller area in the northeastern direction (e.g., Tieling). These findings provide a scientific basis for accurate soil management in Liaoning Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit crops under soil conservational management might sequester carbon (C) in soils and mitigate greenhouse gases emissions. Using grape pomace residues as soil amendment holds promise for sustainable viticulture. However, its actual capability to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) is unknown, especially in subtropical climates. This research aims to investigate whether grape pomace compost and vermicompost can increase SOC, total N (TN), and C and N stocks in subtropical vineyards. Two vineyards located in Veranópolis, in South Brazil, one cultivated with 'Isabella' and the other with 'Chardonnay' varieties, were annually amended with these residues for three years. We quantified SOC and TN in each condition in different soil layers, as well as C and N content in two different granulometric fractions: mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) and particulate organic matter (POM). C and N stocks were also calculated. Despite potential benefits, neither treatment enhanced SOC, its fractions, or C stocks. In fact, vermicompost was rapidly mineralized and depleted SOC and its fractions in the 0.0 to 0.05 m layers of the 'Isabella' vineyard. Our findings indicate that the tested grape pomace residues were unable to promote C sequestration in subtropical vineyards after a three-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different in-row soil management techniques were compared in the Olive Orchard Innovation Long-term experiment of the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Olive, Fruit, and Citrus Crops in Rome, Italy. Rows were managed with an in-row rotary tiller and with synthetic mulching using permeable polypropylene placed after cultivar Maurino olive trees planting. The effects of the two treatments were assessed through weed soil coverage and the growth of the olive trees. Results showed better agronomic performance associated with synthetic mulching. The weed control effect along the row of a young high-density olive orchard was higher with the synthetic mulching compared to hoeing. The effect of the synthetic mulching seemed to disappear when removed from the ground (spring 2023) since no significant differences were found for tree size and yield in the two tested in-row soil management systems at the end of 2023. Finally, the growth of the young olive trees (Trunk Cross Sectional Area, Height, and Canopy expansion) measured across the three years, was higher for the synthetic mulched row than the hoed one. The use of synthetic mulching along the row positively forced the vegetative growth of the young olive trees and anticipated the onset of fruit production compared to periodical hoeing: a significantly higher fruit production was registered three years after planting. Root diameter was higher under synthetic mulching one year after planting, and no differences were observed in the following sampling dates showing similar fluctuations linked to the seasonal growth pattern. The life cycle assessment and costing highlighted that the application of mulching had a higher eco- and economic-efficiency than the periodical in-row soil hoeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codonopsis pilosula is an important medicinal plant in China. Continuous cropping of C. pilosula affects crop quality and yield. However, comprehensive research on the impacts of continuous cropping on soil properties, microbial community structures, and soil metabolites is lacking. This study involved collecting rhizosphere soil samples from C. pilosula monocropped for 1 to 4 years to analyze variations in soil properties, microbial community structure, and metabolites across different continuous-cropping years (CCYs) through metabolomic and microbiomic analyses. Significant variations in the soil properties were observed; total phosphorus (TP) and available potassium (AK) in the rhizosphere soil increased with the number of CCYs, and pH declined. The microbial community structure significantly changed with continuous cropping. Overall, the soil bacterial diversity decreased with increasing CCY. The abundances of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes significantly decreased with increasing CCY, whereas the abundance of Acidobacteria significantly increased. The fungal diversity tended to decrease, with an increase in the abundance of beneficial Basidiomycota and an increase in potentially pathogenic Rozellomycota. Metabolomic analysis revealed 101 metabolites and significant changes in lipid compounds, organic acids, phenols, and carbohydrates. Notably, autotoxic substances such as 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol accumulated with increasing CCY. The results indicated that the main factors causing continuous-cropping obstacles in C. pilosula were soil nutrient imbalance and autotoxic substance accumulation. Continuous cropping of C. pilosula significantly altered the microbial community structure and metabolomic profile of rhizosphere soils. Effective management practices are needed to mitigate soil acidification, nutrient imbalances, and autotoxic substance accumulation during continuous cropping. Future research should focus on integrated soil management strategies to maintain soil health and crop productivity in C. pilosula continuous-cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying green manure in several returning methods to enhance soil fertility and crop benefits is a strong foundation for cropland nutrient management. However, how different types of green manures and their variable doses affect the efficacy of applied manures, either buried or mulched, remain overlooked. The objective of this study was to optimize green manure management to enhance soil fertility and maize biomass using five types of green manures (white mustard, forest rye, fiddleneck, sufflower, and pea) in two different doses (low, 5 g per pot, and high, 10 g per pot), which were either buried or mulched before and after maize sowing. Results revealed that total carbon content increased due to green manure treatments, representing a 10% increase over control, particularly through buried w. mustard (10% increase before maize cultivation) and mulched safflower and pea (12% and 11% increase after maize cultivation over control). Dry maize aboveground biomass yields also improved across all variants, with buried mustard yielding 18.4 g·plant−1 (compared to 8.6 g·plant−1 in the control), mulched mustard yielding 16.4 g·plant−1, and buried pea yielding 17.8 g·plant−1. Green mulching generally acidified the soil (pH 5.71 compared to 6.21 in the control), except for buried fiddleneck (pH 6.39 after maize cultivation) at a high dose of manures. Carbon-mineralizing enzyme activities (dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase) were significantly increased by green manures, with buried fiddleneck showing a 22.6% and 20.6% increase over the control, and mulched fiddleneck showing a 24.5% and 22.4% increase under high doses. The study suggests that partially decomposed and mineralized mulched biomass may induce a negative priming effect on carbon-mineralizing enzymes due to a decrease in the C/N ratio of the soil. It emphasizes that the nutrient content and stoichiometry of green manures, alongside soil characteristics such as the C/N ratio, are critical factors for sustainable soil management and carbon sequestration. These findings underscore the need for careful selection and management of green manures to optimize soil health and carbon-storage outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land management practices that overlook soil limitations and potential have led to varying degrees of degradation. This study evaluates the carbon content in chemical and oxidisable soil fractions across different pasture recovery periods, comparing them to secondary forests. The management practices assessed include the following: secondary forest (SF), perennial pasture (PP), perennial pasture recovered five years ago (P5), and perennial pasture recovered eight years ago (P8), all on Plinthosols. We analysed carbon levels in oxidisable fractions and humic substances at depths of 0–0.10 m, 0.10–0.20 m, 0.20–0.30 m, and 0.30–0.40 m. The SF and P8 areas showed the highest organic matter content within the humic fractions, compared to the PP and P5 areas. Additionally, the P8 area demonstrated an increase in the labile and moderately recalcitrant fractions of organic matter, standing out among the different fractions evaluated. The multivariate principal component analysis indicated that P8 has the greatest impact on soil quality, followed by FS, P5, and PP. The pasture recovery over the past eight years has significantly improved soil carbon accumulation, highlighting the benefits of land restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated crop–livestock production (ILP) is an interesting alternative for more sustainable soil use. However, more studies are needed to analyze the soil pore properties under ILP at the micrometer scale. Thus, this study proposes a detailed analysis of the soil pore architecture at the micrometer scale in three dimensions. For this purpose, samples of an Oxisol under ILP subjected to minimum tillage (MT) and no tillage (NT) with ryegrass as the cover crop (C) and silage (S) were studied. The micromorphological properties of the soil were analyzed via X-ray microtomography. The MT(C) system showed the highest values of porosity (c. 20.4%), connectivity (c. 32.8 × 103), volume (c. 26%), and the number of pores (c. 32%) in a rod-like shape. However, the MT(S), NT(C), and NT(S) systems showed greater tortuosity (c. 2.2, c. 2.0, and c. 2.1) and lower pore connectivity (c. 8.3 × 103, c. 6.9 × 103, and c. 6.2 × 103), especially in S use. Ellipsoidal and rod-shaped pores predominated over spheroidal and disc-shaped pores in all treatments. The results of this study show that the use of ryegrass as a cover crop improves the soil physical properties, especially in MT. For S use, the type of soil management (MT or NT) did not show any differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter is assumed to accumulate with conservation management. Onfarm surveys using paired-farm and chronosequence approaches could validate assumptions, as well as provide a diversity of soils and management conditions to assess organic matter fractions. The objective of this study was to assess how land use and pasture management affected the gradient of organic matter fractions from active to resistant. Particulate and non-particulate (also called mineral-associated) organic C and N fractions were isolated and soil-test biological activity was measured from 304 profiles at 0- to 10-, 10- to 30-, and 30- to 60-cm depths on 31 private farms in Virginia. Root-zone enrichment contents of these soil properties were calculated following subtraction of a baseline from total stocks of each soil profile. Land use was a key factor affecting root-zone enrichment (0- to 30-cm depth) of particulate organic C (Mg C ha−1) (p ≤ 0.05): conventional-till cropland (6.3) = no-till cropland (9.2) < grassland (14.2) < woodland (16.7). Root-zone enrichments of soil C and N fractions increased with pasture age to a plateau achieved by 25 years and were optimized at cattle stocking rate of 1.0 ± 0.2 Mg live weight ha−1. Feeding hay increased root-zone enrichment of soil-test biological activity (49 kg CO2-C 3 day−1 [Mg hay]−1). Although non-particulate organic C and N dominated, accumulation with time and steady-state concentration of particulate fractions were vital steps toward greater soil organic matter under conservation management. Root-zone enrichment calculations from on-farm sampling were helpful in distinguishing true effects of management from pedogenesis on soil organic matter formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management practices such as relay cropping, cover crops, and no-tillage may promote soil health in the North Central United States. However, soil health indicators in corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] systems involving multiple management practices are not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity of soil health metrics and the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) to contrasting management systems with different tillage, crops, and fertilization in a North Central US Mollisol. Different management systems, including conservation tillage and nitrogen fertilization strategies, cover cropping, and camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] relay intercropping, were compared to a conventional corn–soybean system. Different systems did not affect most soil health indicators compared to the conventional system. Aggregate stability was the only indicator to change due to management, where no-till with cover crops increased aggregate stability by 38% compared with camelina relay cropping. The SMAF scores for all the soil quality indices were unaffected by treatments but displayed high values of over 90%. Overall, crop yields were more closely related to weather conditions and management systems than to soil health indicators. Soybean yields were decreased (between 1 and 2 Mg ha−1 ) in the camelina relay cropping system, while corn yields were lower (up to 70%) in the treatment that received no N fertilization. Ultimately, these findings suggest that soil health indicators are resilient to change due to management in these highly productive Mollisols and may not be closely associated with crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-till (NT) alleviates adverse effects of agricultural production on environmental quality, improves soil health, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, yet this has not been demonstrated in humid subtropical Mississippi. Research objectives were to evaluate nutrient and C dynamics and soil quality via Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) following 15 years of continuous management under corn (Zea mays L.) (2008–2018) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (2019–2022) on a Dundee silt loam soil. After 15 years, soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (0- to 30-cm depth) under NT were 25% higher than conventional tillage (CT). Between 2020 and 2022, SOC stocks increased 3 Mg ha−1 under NT and decreased 2 Mg ha−1 under CT. Increased SOC retention under NT could represent an opportunity for increasing the systems’ profitability as C markets expand. Greater SOC and aggregation scores improved SMAF soil quality index (SQI) under NT (71%), compared to CT (66%), underscoring the critical role of organic matter in soil functioning in managed agrosystems. Soybean yields were not linked to SMAF SQI (p > 0.05), suggesting that crop yields are mostly affected by non-edaphic factors (e.g., climate extremes). SMAF illustrated positive impacts of NT on SOC sequestration and soil health, which may foster its adoption as a conservation practice in the Lower Mississippi River basin. As such, NT stands as a climate-smart management practice that allows for sustainable intensification in humid subtropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a significant global threat to sustainable agricultural development, with soil salinity serving as a crucial indicator for evaluating soil salinization. Remote sensing technology enables large-scale inversion of soil salinity, facilitating the monitoring and assessment of soil salinization levels, thus supporting the prevention and management of soil salinization. This study employs multi-source remote sensing data, selecting 8 radar polarization combinations, 10 spectral indices, and 3 topographic factors to form a feature variable dataset. By applying a normalized weighted variable optimization method, highly important feature variables are identified. AdaBoost, LightGBM, and CatBoost machine learning methods are then used to develop soil salinity inversion models and evaluate their performance. The results indicate the following: (1) There is generally a strong correlation between radar polarization combinations and vegetation indices, and a very high correlation between various vegetation indices and the salinity index S3. (2) The top five feature variables, in order of importance, are Aspect, VH2, Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), VH, and Vegetation Moisture Index (VMI). (3) The method of normalized weighted importance scoring effectively screens important variables, reducing the number of input feature variables while enhancing the model's inversion accuracy. (4) Among the three machine learning models, CatBoost performs best overall in soil salt content (SSC) prediction. Combined with the top five feature variables, CatBoost achieves the highest prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.831, RMSE = 2.653, MAE = 1.034) in the prediction phase. This study provides insights for the further development and application of methods for collaborative inversion of soil salinity using multi-source remote sensing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agave plants, found primarily in arid and semi‐arid regions, have been utilized by indigenous communities for various purposes for thousands of years. They currently serve as crops to produce alcoholic beverages and fibers. Despite their importance, there is limited understanding of the relationship between agave and soil. This article addresses some of the knowledge gaps regarding the interactions and benefits of the agave‐soil approach. Among all the documents reviewed, 153 discussed individual soil parameters (45 physical, 68 chemical, and 40 biological), 59 explored interactions between them, and 130 did not address soil aspects (i.e., soil was merely presented as a substrate for the growth and development of plants and was not examined in the study's findings). Moreover, the historical evolution of the research highlights two distinct periods (from 1985 to 2000 and between 2010 to 2023) of notable publication activity, with recent years witnessing a surge in studies involving soil management techniques, genetic improvement of agave species, bioremediation, and the use of residues for bioenergy, biofuel, and soil amendments. There is a notable increasing trend in diverse research areas interested in these interactions, reflecting a broader recognition of the importance of understanding soil functioning in agave cultivation. Indeed, from 2010 to 2023, the use of the keyword 'soil' increased by 96% in studies of agave cultivation. This shift in research trends suggests that scientific advances in agave cultivation and soil science can be expected, contributing to sustainable agriculture and the long‐term viability of agave‐based industries. This article underscores an opportunity for further research to optimize agave cultivation and processing (e.g., soil management and productivity), for different purposes while conserving soil health and promoting sustainable land‐use practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Modifying soil surface conditions is essential in managing water and soil resources. Although the use of soil microorganisms in the bioengineering management in soil and water conservation has been confirmed, the controllability of the surface cracks morphometry on petroleum-contaminated soils using microorganisms has yet to be studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of inoculating soil microorganisms on changing the surface cracks' pattern of soil contaminated with petroleum. Materials and methods: In 2022, the studied soil was taken from Iran's Tehran Oil Refinery area from the top 30 cm of the earth's surface and transferred to the Rain and Erosion Simulation Laboratory of Tarbiat Modares University at the Faculty of Natural Resources. The predominant cyanobacteria of Microcoleus sp. Oscillatoria sp. Lyngbya sp. Nostoc sp, and Phormidium sp. bacteria of Bacillus sp. and Azetobacter sp. fungus of Penicillium oxalicum were identified, purified and proliferated. The study was conducted at a 0.5 × 0.5-m plot scale in two replications for four treatments. Uncontaminated and gasoil-contaminated soils, during one month, were inoculated by bacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungus. The soil was contaminated using 720 mL of gasoil evenly sprayed. The morphometric characteristics of soil surface cracks were investigated using the PCAS software. Results and discussion: Results indicated that soil microorganisms influence the soil cracking patterns. So, the mean area, length, and width of cracks increased by 99.55%, 50.90%, and 29.60% in uncontaminated plots inoculated with cyanobacteria compared to the control treatment. In gasoil treatment, fungus-inoculated soils performed better than control plots, and the mean area and length increased by 19.51% and 29.58%, respectively, while width decreased by 17.29%. Microorganisms caused the agglutination of aggregates by secreting enzymes and exopolysaccharides, stabilizing soil particles, generating cracks, covering the soil surface, and improving the soil's rheological properties. Conclusion: Finally, the results of the present study showed that modifying the surface of the petroleum-contaminated soil by inoculating soil microorganisms is a way to improve the hydrologic and rheologic characteristics of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the C footprint of human activities, there is a growing need for alternative energy sources including the production of bioenergy feedstocks. Miscanthus × giganteus is a high yielding grass with low environmental impact and high potential for feedstock use. Studying the composition of the aboveground tissues of Miscanthus is important for understanding feedstock quality for biofuel conversion and how crop residue quality may affect soil input management. Data on Miscanthus leaf and stem chemistry including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), macronutrient concentrations, and the optical characteristics of the water extractable organic matter (WEOM) was analyzed to identify differences in composition between aboveground tissues and modeled to identify soil variables that may be correlated with tissue chemistry. Leaves and stems were dominated by N, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg), but overall, the leaves contained higher nutrient concentrations compared to the stems. The leaves displayed elevated Si:K (0.0935) and Ca:K (0.445) ratios and lower C:N (36) and C:P (323) ratios compared to the stems (0.0560, 0.145, 150, and 645, respectively). Leaf WEOM contained large, aromatic, and complex structures, while the stem WEOM was dominated by small, recently produced structures. Varying relationships were found between tissue C and the mobile C pool in surface (0–15 cm) and deep (45–60 cm) soils. Overall, Miscanthus leaves had a chemical composition indicative of reduced biofuel quality compared to the stems. The relationships with soil mobile C suggest a dynamic linkage between Miscanthus physiology and this active soil C pool. These results have implications for crop nutrient allocation and nutrient management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil can be managed to improve plant nutrition and resilience under water scarcity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of soil conditioners, controlled-release fertilizers, and water availability levels to mitigate water scarcity and improve the nutrition of coffee plants. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse under a randomized block design with four replicates in a factorial scheme (2 irrigation levels × 2 fertilizer types × 5 soil conditioners) of analysis of variance. The factors under study were two irrigation levels (low—40% of water holding capacity, and high—80% of water holding capacity), fertilizer type (conventional and controlled-release), and soil conditioners (coffee husk, gypsum, water-retaining polymer, organic compost, and control without soil conditioner), The characteristics assessed were soil fertility, soil moisture, and nutrient foliar contents. Multivariate analytical methods were used to interpret the results. Soil moisture, chemical attributes, and leaf nutrient contents were analyzed. There was a similarity in the clusters formed by the controlled-release fertilizer treatments, which contribute to plant nutrition. Even under water restriction, the treatments with coffee husk and organic compost were clustered along with soil moisture, favoring the absorption of nutrients. Soil cover with organic compounds improved soil moisture, even under low water availability, which favored plant fertility and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article explores the importance of vineyard soil management. Studies on under-vine management have yielded a wide range of results, with some indicating potential benefits for vine growth and productivity. However, the methods of under-vine management and their specific effects on vineyard parameters require further research. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationships existing between the different types of management of under-vine areas and the vegetation grown in this zone and to determine the effects of under-vine management on the yield and quality of Traminer grapevines. By examining various approaches, the research aims to provide insights into the optimising of vineyard management methods to achieve enhanced biodiversity and grape quality in this specific geographical context. The findings indicated that management of the under-vine area can impact the composition of plants, grape yield and quality. Under-row management had an effect on the number of plant species and their composition. The highest weight of bunches was found in MIX (a species from the Fabaceae family), while the lowest was found in the MECH treatment (bare soil). MULCH, MONO and MIX consistently had higher yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) in grapes than other treatments. In many of the evaluated parameters, the influence of the seasons was evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 5% of the total emissions (0.11 Gt CO2 and GWP-AR5) originate in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), a representative agricultural region in Southern Brazil. This study assessed SOCS (soil organic C stocks) in Latossolos of the Planalto of RS, with up-to-date data obtained from recent field campaigns and legacy data, and relate these SOC stocks to environmental variables. A literature search identified 195 documents with SOCS in layers 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm. The mean SOCS (0-30 cm) in the Latossolos was significantly higher (73.6 Mg ha-1) than the suggested IPCC default (55 Mg ha-1). The highest stocks (237 ± 39 Mg ha-1) were measured in uncultivated Latossolos Brunos in the 0-100 cm layer, especially at higher altitudes and lower mean annual temperature. The most frequently occurring soil Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico-LVdf (25% of the Planalto), also had high SOCS. Surprisingly Latossolos Vermelho Distrófico (LVd) also had high SOCS, in spite of the coarser texture. The estimated SOCS in Latosoolos of the Planalto is 419.9 Tg C, 36% larger than reported previous studies. We concluded that, despite significant land use changes, soils of this region maintain large SOCS which had been underestimated in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is the most active carbon pool in soils, which plays critical roles in soil carbon cycling, plant productivity, and global climate change. An accurate assessment of the quantity of DOC in the soil is essential for the detailed elucidation of ecosystem functions and services. Nevertheless, the global driving factors and distribution of soil DOC remain inadequately quantified due to the scarcity of large-scale data. Here, a comprehensive global database of 12807 soil DOC concentrations derived from 975 target papers in the literature was compiled. Detailed geographic locations, climate, and soil properties were also recorded as predictors of soil DOC. Machine learning techniques were employed to assess the relative importance of various predictors in the determination of soil DOC concentrations, which were subsequently extended for their prediction on a global scale. The worldwide soil DOC concentration spanned a wide range (0.04 to 7859 mg kg-1), averaging 222.78 mg kg-1. The 12 selected variables (including soil properties, month, climate, and ecosystem) explained 65 % of the variance in soil DOC concentrations. Elevation, soil clay, and soil organic carbon were three of the most important predictors. Global soil DOC concentration increased from the equator to the poles. The soil DOC stocks in the topsoil layer (0–30 cm) amounted to 12.17 Pg, with significant variations observed across different continents. These results are instrumental for informing strategies on soil management practices, ecosystem services, and the mitigation of climate change. Furthermore, our database can be combined with other carbon pools to explore the total soil carbon turnover and constrain Earth carbon models. The dataset is publicly available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26379898 (Ren and Cai, 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a vital role in the global carbon cycle and soil quality assessment. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is one of the largest plateaus in the world. Therefore, in this region, SOC density and the spatial distribution of SOC are highly sensitive to climate change and human intervention. Given the insufficient understanding of the spatial distribution of SOC density in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, this study utilized machine learning (ML) algorithms to estimate the density and distribution pattern of SOC density in the region. In this study, we first collected multisource data, such as optical remote sensing data, synthetic aperture radar) (SAR) data, and other environmental variables, including socioeconomic factors, topographic factors, climate factors, and soil properties. Then, we used ML algorithms, namely random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), to estimate the topsoil SOC density and spatial distribution patterns of SOC density. We also aimed to investigate any driving factors. The results are as follows: (1) The average SOC density is 5.30 kg/m2. (2) Among the three ML algorithms used, LightGBM showed the highest validation accuracy (R2 = 0.7537, RMSE = 2.4928 kgC/m2, MAE = 1.7195). (3) The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), valley depth (VD), and temperature are crucial in predicting the spatial distribution of topsoil SOC density. Feature importance analyses conducted using the three ML models all showed these factors to be among the top three in importance, with contribution rates of 14.08%, 12.29%, and 14.06%; 17.32%, 20.73%, and 24.62%; and 16.72%, 11.96%, and 20.03%. (4) Spatially, the southeastern part of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has the highest topsoil SOC density, with recorded values ranging from 8.41 kg/m2 to 13.2 kg/m2, while the northwestern part has the lowest density, with recorded values ranging from 0.85 kg/m2 to 2.88 kg/m2. Different land cover types showed varying SOC density values, with forests and grasslands having higher SOC densities compared to urban and bare land areas. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for future soil resource management and improved carbon sequestration accounting in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, investigating short-term high-temperature stress can provide insights into the impact of varying heat stress durations on plant development and soil nutrient dynamics, which is crucial for advancing ecological agriculture. In this study, five heating temperatures were set at 200°C, 250°C, 300°C, 350°C, and 400°C, along with five heating time gradients of 6s, 10s, 14s, 18s, and 20s, including a control. A total of 26 treatment groups were analyzed, focusing on maize growth parameters and soil indicators. Principal component analysis was used for comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that high-temperature treatments with different heating times significantly influenced maize growth and soil properties. For instance, the treatment of 300°C+6s resulted in the longest total root length, while 200°C+6s led to the highest average root diameter. Plant height and leaf length were notably increased with the treatment of 400°C+6s. Most treatments resulted in decreased soil pH and organic matter content. Notably, the treatment of 350°C+16s showed the highest available phosphorus content, reaching 24.0 mg/kg, an increase of 4.5 mg/kg compared to the control. The study found that the average levels of active organic carbon and peroxidase were 1.26 mg/g and 3.91 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the average mass fractions of clay, silt, and sand particles were 8.99%, 66.75%, and 24.26%, respectively. Through principal component analysis, six principal components were able to extract 19 indicators from the 26 treatments, covering 86.129% of the information. It was observed that 16 treatment methods performed better than the control in terms of soil comprehensive quality. The optimal treatment temperature and time identified for improving soil physicochemical properties and crop growth were 300°C+6s. These findings can be used to guide agricultural management and soil improvement practices, ultimately enhancing field productivity and providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fertility depletion presents a negative feedback mechanism that could have impacted early adopters of agriculture. We consider whether such feedback can lead to population cycles among early agriculturalists, such as the boom-and-bust patterns suggested by an increasing amount of evidence for Neolithic Europe. Using general mathematical arguments, we show that this is unlikely, due to the interplay of two factors. First, there is an important mathematical difference between biotic (i.e., logistic) and abiotic resource replenishment; soil nutrients are better modeled by the abiotic case, which leads to more stable dynamics. Second, under realistic conditions, the resource replenishment process operates on fast time scales compared to attainable population growth rates, reinforcing the tendency towards stable dynamics. Both these factors are relevant for early agricultural societies and imply that nutrient depletion is likely not the main contributing factor to boom-and-bust cycles observed in the archaeological record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Land use and management practices (LUMPs) have been accelerated globally to serve the increasing socioeconomic requirements in recent decades. Methods: This study focuses to assess the impacts of the LUMPs on the properties and composition of soil in the Lam River Basin (LRB), Vietnam based on analysis of ninety-six soil samples collected in the soil profiles (0_60 cm). Result: The results indicated that the sand and clay ratios (34.0~35.7% and 16.2~19.9%) and bulk density (BD) (1.07±0.05~1.34±0.06 Mg m-3) in the natural forest lands (NFLs) were lower and higher perturbed than the plantation forest lands (PFLs) (31.1~ 51.5%, 5.7~38.2% and 0.86±0.03~1.12±0.05 Mg m-3) in the 0-20 cm topsoil layer. The soil texture is mainly sandy clay to clay loam and the BD tends slightly increase in the topsoil layer, then decrease in the 20-60 cm subsoil layer. There is no difference in soil pH between collected soil samples (CSSs) and tends to increase with increasing the subsoil layer. The base cations (BCs) (Ca2+, K+, Mg2+: 0.01~0.29, 0.06~0.11 and 0.06~0.07 Cmolc kg-1) and total organic contents (TOCs) (total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP): 24.11; 2.80 and 0.19 g kg-1) of the NFLs are higher than those of the CSSs (TC, TN, TP: 14.37~23.91, 1.62~2.28 and 0.08~0.17 g kg-1) in the topsoil layer while these values were not different in the topsoil layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]