Soil Health and Recycling of Organic Resources

Dear Colleagues,

Decreased soil fertility represents one of the most important problems around the world.  Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a source of vital nutrients and plays an important role in maintaining soil health and soil fertility. In most parts of world, soils agricultural ecosystems (with the exception of forest zones) are losing their organic carbon (OC). The low soil OC content is because of the low shoot and root growth of natural vegetation and agricultural crops. Nowadays, different chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used extensively in the agriculture sector to improve productivity and to maintain food security for the world’s growing population. This intensive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is deteriorating the environment as well as human health both directly and indirectly. Therefore, an urgent alternative option is needed to prepare cost-effective technologies for recycling organic resources to improve soil health and fertility.

Lignocellulosic biomass is most abundant organic residue on the Earth’s crust, and this can be converted and recycled into compost through the use of a fast decomposer of microbial consortium (bacteria and fungi) for soil amendments to increase soil OC and soil health. To maintain food security and to improve production, the use of the organic fertilizers, mineral, and the recycling of organic amendments is very important. Crop residues and organic manure are the most essential components that help to maintain organic residues in soils and that improve soil fertility. Additionally, the application of PGPM, vermicompost, green manure, composting, and FYM also improve and recycle organic matter and the organic carbon of soil. Many researchers have reported that the application of the biofertilizer improves the soil health, soil essential nutrients such as N,P, and K and soil enzymes as well as microbial fauna. Other methods, such as the use of household waste, kitchen waste, and green manure, FYM, biofertilizers, decomposers, and PGPM/PGPF enhance soil health and fertility.

The following key components will be focused upon in this Special Issue:

1. Crop residues, green manuring, vermicomposting, and FYM to enhance soil OC, health, and fertility.
2. The application of biofertilizers/PGPR/PGPF/microbial consortium, and bio-decomposers for soil health and fertility management.
3. Crop productivity and nutritional quality enhancement.
4. Sustainable agricultural farming practices for soil conservation.
5. Integrated nutrient management with organic resources for crop productivity and soil sustainability.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Jay Prakash Verma
Prof. Dr. Arthur Prudêncio de A. Pereira
Dr. Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal
Guest Editors

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