Soil-Climate Conditions and the State of Organic Matter and Nutrients

Dear Colleagues,

The need to develop sustainable agronomic techniques while maintaining high yields requires optimizing the use and maximizing the efficiency of mineral nutrients derived from organic matter and chemical fertilizers. These processes must be studied, taking into account the accentuated climatic variability and increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 that influence the cycles of the elements. Fundamental to this perspective is the possibility to know and to monitor the dynamics of mineralization of organic matter deriving from crop residues, animal fertilizers, and agro-industrial activities. The methods and technologies of precision agriculture offer great possibilities to mitigate the impact of crops and, at the same time, to increase their resilience to climate change.

In this perspective, three main areas of investigation have been identified. First, the development and validation of innovative high throughput techniques for the analysis of microclimatic variables, of crop status, of the variability of soil chemical and physical parameters, and organic matter characteristics. Second, the adaptation and application of new techniques of big data analysis and machine learning to obtain useful information from the integration of data from different sources at a spatial scale. Third, the development of models and decision support systems that integrate the information available today to improve the efficiency of mineral nutrient use and site-specific management of soil organic matter supply.

Dr. Giovanni Cabassi
Dr. Martina Corti
Dr. Tommaso Bardelli
Guest Editors

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