Soil health – What should the doctor order?

Abstract

Abstract The concept of soil health has been extensively reviewed in the scientific literature, but there is only patchy and inconsistent information available to farmers and growers who are concerned about the declining condition of their soils and are looking for appropriate test methods and management interventions to help reverse it. Although there are well‐established laboratory methods for soil chemical analysis, and a range of laboratory and field methods for measuring soil physical properties, only now are methods starting to emerge for soil biological analysis. This study provides an overview of the methods that are currently available commercially (or are close to commercialization) for farmers and growers in the UK . We examine the science underpinning the methods, the value of the information provided and how farmers and advisors can use results from such assessments for informed decision‐making in relation to soil management.