"Soil Quality: Why and How?" Rashmi C. M. and Pradeep
"Soil Quality: Why and How?" Rashmi C. M. and Pradeep
"Soil Quality: Why and How?" Rashmi C. M. and Pradeep
Introduction
The soil quality concept evolved during1990s in response to increased global emphasis on
sustainable land use. Soil quality concept is important because of the multiple functions (e.g.
food and fiber production, recreation, and recycling or assimilation of wastes or other by-
products) that soil resources must provide. Soil is a key natural resource, with the
advancement of agriculture, soils are being degraded at an alarming rate by wind and water
erosion, desertification, salinization misuse and improper farming practices so maintenance
of soil quality is most precious.
Climate
Vegetation
Parent material
Relief
Time
DYNAMIC SOIL QUALITY : resulting from changes due to human use and management
e.g. BD,SOM.
Soil amendments
Drainage or Irrigation
Cropping History and Rotation
Nutrient Management
Land Use Type
Residue Management
Tillage
2
Bulk density Plant root penetration, porosity
Ph Nutrient mobility
Soil health score card - a qualitative approach: Depicts the capacity of soil to
perform both soil function and its attributes. It is very informative and relatively easy to
measure also. In score card each soil indicator is rated as below:
3
Scale rates Performance of soil Scale range
Conclusion:
Assessment and monitoring of soil quality must also provide opportunity to evaluate and
redesign soil and land management systems for sustainability. We need standards of soil
quality to determine what is good or bad and to find out if soil management systems are
functioning at acceptable levels of performance. Assess the current status of the biological,
physical, and chemical properties of soil hence, support for ecological sustainability.
References :
BHADURI AND PURAKAYASTHA, T. J., 2014, Identification of indicators for the rice-
wheat cropping sequence of indo gangetic plains under semi-arid, sub-tropical climate. Soil
Tillage Res., 144: 83-95.