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soil quality

11/13/2018 / By Janine Acero

Soils treated with organic fertilizer are healthier; produce stronger plants

Come to any local gardening center and you may see rows and rows of plant- and animal-based fertilizers that boast of faster growth, beautiful blooms, or abundant produce from your plants. But which type of fertilizer can actually deliver these promises? A study published in the journal Biological Agriculture & Horticulture assessed the effect of plant- and animal-based soil amendments […]

11/07/2018 / By RJ Jhonson

Silicon can be an ideal natural amendment for farms that have high salinization

Researchers have found that amending the soil with silicon can mitigate the impact of salt stress on corn plants, providing a solution that will benefit countries facing problems with soil salinity. Too much salinity exerts stress on plants, impairing their photosynthetic apparatus and preventing them from efficiently converting water and carbon dioxide into the glucose […]

09/12/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Investigating the optimum soil and water characteristics to achieve the highest yield potential of “Spunta” potatoes

Saudi researchers sought to determine the texture and characteristics of soil that can improve the productivity of potato crops. They compiled a soil and water quality index (SWQI) that established the optimal soil and water characteristics for maximizing crop yield and quality. The research project was supported by the King Saud University. Its results came […]

08/02/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Adding silicate rocks to farmland could restore soil, protect against pests and disease, and capture CO2, improving global food security

The groundbreaking results of a new British-led study suggested a simple yet profoundly effective way to improve global food supplies and cut down on carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution: Farm crops with crushed silicate rocks. An international research team headed by University of Sheffield researchers have found that the addition of crushed silicate rocks brought significant advantages […]

07/28/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Agro-chemicals destroy soil microbial biodiversity: Amending soil with probiotics found to improve soil quality and biodiversity

Probiotics, usually discussed in health and diet, take a new form in a study led by researchers from the University of Missouri. In their study, published in the journal Agroforestry Systems, they revealed that probiotics could be used to enhance soil quality. Agricultural practices greatly impact the soil biota – the clearing of land for farmland alone significantly affects […]

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