Policies must be aimed at building capacity of soils, not promoting agrochemicals: experts
Scientists and practitioners deliberate on how to reverse soil degradation by taking cognizance of principal causes and policy gaps
New method developed to measure soil erosion
This method can help monitor the effects of soil erosion and effectiveness of soil conservation strategies
World Soil Day: Tackle soil pollution and do away with food insecurity, says FAO
The UN agency says that addressing this issue will also help bring down soil degradation, stem rural migration and adapt to climate change
A new programme aims at increasing Africa's soil productivity by 30%
Poor soil fertility is a major constraint to improving farm productivity and farmer livelihoods in Africa
Combating soil pollution vital for addressing climate change
Soil pollution refers to the presence of chemicals in soils that are either out of place or at higher-than-normal concentrations
Learning from lasagne
Porous layers of slurry, zapped with electricity, may revolutionise the treatment of contaminated clay soils
Desertification in India: Soiled Dhule land is shallow, unfit for plantation
This Maharashtra district, one of India’s land degradation hotspots, struggles with soil erosion coupled with low forest cover, illegal …
Study zeroes in on target plant hormone to improve potassium deficiency in rice
Plants deficient in Potassium more susceptible to salt, drought, chilling and other stresses
Consultation on African Soil Partnership focuses on sustainable soil management
The Food and Agriculture Organization has implemented a number of projects related to sustainable production and better soil management
Excess nitrogen fertilisers hamper germination, root growth in rice: study
Indian scientists have now identified rice varieties that are efficient in nitrogen use
Healthy soil is the real key to feeding the world
Conventional wisdom says we need industrial agriculture to feed the world. Not so, says the writer. Practices that focus on creating healthy soil …
For a terra firma
Earth, the cradle of all lifeforms, should not be transformed into a graveyard for want of serious monitoring of soil degradation all over India …
The good earth
SOIL CONSERVATION EXTENSION: FROM CONCEPTS TO ADOPTION· Edited by S Sombatpanit, M A Zobisch et al·Oxford and IBH Publishing …
Beyond conservation, why our natural ecosystems need restoration
Significant strides have been made in both the science and practice of restoration over the last three decades, with specialisation across …
Where does the water go during a drought? Germany researchers try to find out
Researchers examined how the process of evaporation and groundwater recharge differed under various kinds of soils and land uses
Grazing animals play key role in maintaining soil carbon health: Study
Grazing by mammalian herbivores can be a climate mitigation strategy
Deficiency in micronutrients in soil linked to health of children and women
Districts with more soil zinc samples had significantly lower rates of underweight children and child stunting
Scientists assess how continuous use of fertilisers affects soil bacteria
Application of Nitrogen Phosporus Potassium with farmyard manure increases the minerals' availability in the soil as compared to other treatments
Soil erosion triggers ravine expansion in Gujarat
Ravines have increased by 60-70 per cent in four districts of Gujarat in the last 4-5 decades and this threatens agriculture and livelihood there
Plants are great at storing CO2. These scientists aim to make them even better
Researchers around the world are working to improve plants’ ability to combat climate change
New guar gum-based hydrogel can help save drought-hit crops
The guar gum-based hydrogel is biodegradable and adds organic content to the soil upon degradation
An epic global study of moss reveals it is far more vital to Earth’s ecosystems than we knew
They are likely to play increasingly important roles as vascular plants decline under predicted hotter, drier & more variable global climates
Biodiversity loss could be making us sick – here’s why
Promoting connections with nature — including the microbes many of us currently shun — should be a key part of …
Antibiotic use in cows can affect soil health, increase CO2 emissions: Study
When antibiotics are used, less carbon is stored in the soil and more is lost to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
Your food might be growing in contaminated soil
Soil pollution poses a major risk to human health by impairing plant metabolism and making crops unsafe for consumption
