Frontiers in Soil Science | New and Recent Articles

IntroductionCarbon sequestration is one of the major strategies for removing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and fixing it in the soil and plants.MethodsThis study focused on the carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas dynamics of three different forage sorghum cultivars: Sugar Graze Ultra (annual), PSH20TX01 (perennial seeded), and PSH09TX15 (perennial rhizomes), in Southern Texas, USA, where e…

Converting tequila bagasse into biochar and revalorizing vinasse as a soil amendment offers a circular-economy pathway, yet the combined effect of these materials on soil carbon dynamics remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of agave-bagasse biochar, tequila vinasse, and soil additives (compost, inorganic fertilizer) on soil CO₂ mineralization kinetics in a 30-day laboratory …

IntroductionPesticide contamination of agricultural soils has emerged as a global environmental concern due to its potential impact on soil quality, food safety, and ecosystem health. Despite increasing pesticide use worldwide, information on the occurrence and distribution of residual pesticides in agricultural soils remains limited in many regions.MethodsThis study aimed to determine the occurr…

Mustard is a high-nitrogen-sensitive leafy vegetable, whose growth and yield are highly susceptible to inappropriate nitrogen (N) availability. Conventional mustard production depends on frequent urea topdressing, which causes asynchronous N supply and crop uptake, low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), nutrient leaching and high labor input, restricting simplified efficient cultivation. Controlled-r…

IntroductionJarava ichu is an abundant grass species in high-Andean ecosystems but remains underutilised because its slow natural decomposition limits its potential as an organic soil amendment. Its accumulation may also contribute to the retention of heavy metals in soils, potentially affecting soil quality and agricultural productivity. This study evaluated the effects of microbial inoculants o…

IntroductionNitrogen (N) loss via surface runoff is a critical issue in sloping farmland, contributing to non-point source pollution and limiting crop productivity. In peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production, improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) while minimizing environmental risks is essential for achieving sustainable agricultural development. Controlled-release compound fertilizers (CRF) ma…

IntroductionNutrient cycling in agricultural systems has a major role in soil system functioning and primary production. Organic matter decomposition is a crucial process affecting the nutrient quantity and quality in agricultural soils.MethodsHere, we evaluated the effects of soil physical and chemical parameters on litter decomposition rates (k) and stabilization factors (S) on different land u…

To explore the differences in the responses of soil carbon (C) pools and key C cycle processes following the conversion of cropland to different plantation types, this study adopted the space-for-time substitution method, with three land-use types as research objects including: Masson pine plantation (MAS), mulberry orchard (MUL), and cropland for maize monoculture (MAI). After more than 25 years…

Biobased fertilizers are increasingly considered viable alternatives to mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers, however their agronomic performance in calcareous soils remains insufficiently documented. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of composted organic waste (olive mill pomace, OMP; solid urban residue, SUR, and sewage sludge, SWS), applied individually or in combination with struvite…

Coffee agroforestry systems are increasingly promoted as sustainable land-use strategies to restore degraded tropical landscapes while supporting agricultural production and climate change mitigation. However, their ability to recover soil carbon pools relative to natural forest regeneration remains uncertain, particularly in tropical Afromontane ecosystems. We hypothesized that coffee agroforest…

IntroductionCowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) is an important grain legume in semiarid Africa, where it contributes to food security and livelihood resilience in smallholder farming systems. However, information on the soil bacterial microbiome associated with cowpea production in semiarid eastern Kenya remains limited.MethodsThis study investigated heterogeneity of soil physicochemical prope…

IntroductionSoil profile morphology provides critical insights into pedogenic processes, geo-environmental conditions, and the agricultural potential of landscapes. This study evaluated soil profile morphology as an indicator of geo-environmental processes and agronomic potential in tropical landscapes of Southern Ekiti State, Nigeria.MethodologyNine representative pedons were selected across Gbo…

Climate change and water scarcity in arid agroecosystems necessitate optimized irrigation and fertilization strategies to sustain crop production and soil health. This study investigated the effect of irrigation regimes (Fc 70–70–70%, 70–80–70%, and 80–80–80%) and Rhizotorphin biopreparation on soybean (Glycine max (L.) cv. Orzu) growth during 2023–2024 growing seasons under typical meadow-gray s…

IntroductionSoil health is the ability of soil to provide ecosystem services to the best of its potential, and soil health indexes (SHI) have been developed to capture the physical, chemical and biological aspects of soil health. However, in viticulture, high-quality wines are typically achieved when grapevines experience moderate stress, which promotes the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. …

Climate-smart agriculture represents a sustainable approach that promotes food production and soil fertility while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Within this framework, organic agriculture serves as a vital strategy as it increases soil carbon, lowers GHG emissions, and supports long-term sustainability. Biochar is a key innovation in this context, enhancing soil carbon sequestration an…

IntroductionMining waste dumps in tropical regions suffer severe ecological degradation with plant growth inhibition, yet the synergistic limiting factors remain unclear.MethodsThis study systematically assessed a tropical mining waste dump (Democratic Republic of the Congo), analyzing soil physicochemical properties, total/bioavailable metals, and microbial community structure/function of four s…

IntroductionSustainable strategies are needed to remediate total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-contaminated soils.MethodsA 90-day pot experiment combined soybean cultivation with different concentrations of nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO), followed by soil physicochemical, amplicon sequencing, microbial network, metabolomic, and multi-omics analyses.ResultsCombined application of soybean and 60 mg/kg na…

Grazing cover crops recouples crop and livestock production with the potential to enhance soil nutrient cycling processes. However, critical knowledge gaps on short-term N release dynamics and soil health outcomes upon adoption currently limit the application of integrated crop–livestock systems in organic vegetable production. The goal of this study was to characterize the benefits and potential…

IntroductionAssessing whether land-use practices promote soil sustainability is increasingly important as agricultural technologies aim to support long-term soil health. Soil mesofauna provide valuable indicators of these patterns, yet species-level assessment is labor-intensive and requires specialist expertise. Trait-based approaches such as QBS-ar offer a simplified alternative, but their perf…