Innovative agriculture management to foster soil organic carbon sequestration

Description

There is a need to develop new strategies to maintain and increase food production on degraded agricultural soils while decreasing the environmental impact of agricultural production. These strategies can be based on the concept of soil as a ‘natural bioreactor”, including modulation of Al/Fe complexes and the microbial carbon pump. Utilization of organic residues in agriculture provides one solution. This chapter shows that transformation of these residues through composting, co-composting and/or thermal treatment can produce a new generation of innovative fertilizers able to foster SOC sequestration as well as improve plant nutrient use and reduce environmental impacts.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Microbial activity and biogeochemical cycling in soils: the concept of the ‘natural soil bioreactor’ 3 Soil processes and fertilization 4 Using organic amendments to increase soil organic carbon sequestration in soils: the role of manure 5 Stabilizing treatments for organic amendments 6 Smart fertilizers to optimize nutrient uptake and soil organic carbon sequestration 7 Conclusion 8 Where to look for further information 9 Acknowledgements 10 References