1. Ramesh Kumar(2011)

2. Soil Quality and Sustainable
Agriculture
Presented by :
MAISHNAM ANAND SINGH
Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry.

3. Contents
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Soil Degradation a global crisis
• 3. Concept of Soil quality and Sustainable Agriculture
• 4. Soil quality Index
• 5. Alternative Agriculture : The strategy
• 6. Sustainable Agriculture- The Goal
• 7. Research needs and Priorities.

4. India’s Population Tops the World in 2035India’s Population Tops the World in 2035

5. Ever increasing Demand of foodgrains.
1950 : 50 mt 2011-12 : 251 mt 2020 : 350 mt
Ramesh Kumar(2011)

6. Shrinking Land AvailabilityShrinking Land Availability
Ramesh Kumar(2011)

7. Nutrient Deficiency - AlarmingNutrient Deficiency - Alarming%ofSoils
Essential Nutrients
Tiwari ( 2008)
0
20
40
60
80
100
N P K S Zn B

8. Soil degradation at a glance. (from 1 : 250,000 soil map (1985–1995)
Classes Area (in M ha)
Water Erosion
Loss of top-soil 83.31
Terrain deformation 10.37
Wind Erosion
Loss of top-soil 4.35
Loss of top-soil/terrain deformation 3.24
Terrain deformation/overblowing 1.89
Chemical Deterioration
Salinization 5.89
Loss of nutrients (En) – (Acid soils) 16.03
Physical Deterioration
Waterlogging 14.29
Others
Ice caps/Rock outcrops/Arid mountain 8.38
Total 147.75 Source : NBSS & LUP,2004

9. What is Soil Quality and Sustainable Agriculture?
• Concise definitions for soil quality include “fitness for use” and “the capacity of a soil
to function”.
Combining these, soil quality is the ability of a soil to perform the functions necessary for
its intended use.
Sustainable agriculture is the act of farming using principles of ecology, the study of
relationships between organisms and their environment.
It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices
having a site-specific application that will last over the long term:
• Satisfy human food and fiber needs
• Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the
agricultural economy depends
• Make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources.
• Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
• Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole."

10. Role of soil in the environment
Soil functions include:
•sustaining biological Diversity, activity, and
•productivity
• regulating Water and solute flow
• filtering, buffering, degrading organic and inorganic
•materials
•storing and cycling Nutrients and carbon
• providing physical Stability and support

11. Soil Quality
• The ability of a soil to
function within ecosystem
boundaries to support
healthy plants and animals,
maintain or enhance air and
water quality, and support
human health and habitation
• Soil quality integrates the
physical, chemical and
biological condition of the
soil
Biological
ChemicalPhysical
Soil Properties

12. In 1 teaspoon of healthy soil thereIn 1 teaspoon of healthy soil there
areare……
 Bacteria 100 million to 1 billion
 Fungi 6-9 fungal strands put end to end
 Protozoa Several thousand flagellates & amoeba
One to several hundred ciliates
 Nematodes 10 to 20 bacterial feeders and a few fungal feeders
 Arthropods Up to 100
 Earthworms 5 or more
Travis & Gugino -

14. Ecosystem Services Provided by SoilEcosystem Services Provided by Soil
OrganismsOrganisms
• Decomposition and
mineralization
• Contribute to plant nutrition
(Rhizobia, Mycorrhizae)
• Soil aggregation,
aggregate stability, and
porosity
• Infect, compete with or
antagonize pests
Actinomycetes
Predatory Mite
Ground and rove beetles
Insect-parasitic Fungus
Earthworms and other
ecosystem engineers

15. Ecosystem Service:
Mineralization and Immobilization
Organisms consume SOM and other
organisms and excrete inorganic wastes
Inorganic
nutrients are
usable by
plants, and are
mobile in soil
Organic nutrients
are stored in soil
organisms and
organic matter
Organisms take up and
retain nutrients as they
grow

16. • Space
• Water
• Air
• Food
What Do Soil Organisms Need?
Rose & Elliot

17. Soil Disturbance in Agriculture
Full tillage
Moldboard plow based
Minimum tillage
Chisel plow/Cultivator

18. Some Effects Associated with Tillage
• Soil organisms more
abundant and more diverse in
systems that reduce soil
disturbance
• Organisms vary in sensitivity
• Tillage increases fluctuations
in:
– Soil Moisture
– Soil Temperature
– Crop Residue and SOM
• Soil Mixing
• Disruption of soil structure
• Erosion risk

19. Soil Organic MatterSoil Organic Matter
ManagementManagement
as a Balancing Actas a Balancing Act
•RootsRoots
•LeavesLeaves
•MulchesMulches
•ManuresManures
•CompostsComposts
•HarvestHarvest
•OxidationOxidation
•ErosionErosion
Equilibrium levelEquilibrium level
of SOM attainedof SOM attained
Tillage
Soil
Organic Matter
Gains
Losses

20. • Such a relationship could take the following form:
Soil Quality Index = f (SP, P, E, H, ER, BD, FQ, MI)
where;
Soil Quality Index
SP = Soil Properties
P = Potential Productivity
E = Environmental Factors
H = Health (Human/Animal)
ER = Erodibility
BD = Biological Diversity
FQ = Food Quality/Safety
MI = Management Inputs
Source: J. F. Parr,.et al
Agricultural Research Service
US. Department ofAgriculture

21. • Crop rotations instead of monocultures
• Integrated crop/livestock systems
• Nitrogen fixing legumes
• Integrated pest management
• Conservation tillage
• Integrated nutrient management
• Recycling of on-farm wastes as soil conditioners and
biofertilizers.
Alternative Agriculture: The Strategy

22. • Sustainable agriculture is increasingly viewed as a long-term goal that seeks to
overcome prob-lems and constraints that confront the economic viability,
environmental soundness, and social acceptance of agricultural production systems
worldwide.
Soil Quality: The Linkage
Strategy Linkage Goal
Sustainable Agriculture: The Goal
Alternative Agriculture
•Skilled Management
•Crop Rotations
Organic Recycling
Reduced Chemical
Input Crop/Livestock
Systems Integrated Pest
Management
Sustainable Agriculture
•Productive/Profitable
•Energy Conserving
•Environmentally Sound
•Economically Viable
•Conserved Natural
•Resources Improved Health/
•Food Quality/Safety

23. Research Needs and Priorities
• There is a strong consensus that the establishment of a global network for monitoring,
assessing, improving, and restoring the quality of degraded soils is a logical and
appropriate goal.
• Re-search is needed to quantify the indicators or attributes of soil quality into indexes
that can accurately and reliably characterize the relative state of soil quality as
affected by management practices and environmental stresses.
• The best indicator of soil quality probably will differ according to agro ecological
zones, agro climatic factors, and farming systems.
• A high priority for future research is to identify and quantify reliable and meaningful
biological/ecological indicators of soil quality, including total species diversity and
genetic diversity of beneficial soil microorganisms.
• We need to know how these indicators are affected by management practices, and
how they relate to the productivity, stability and sustainability of farming systems.