Cropping systems in agriculture and their impact on soil health-A review

TLDR

Soil health is the soil’s capacity to sustain crop and animal productivity, maintain environmental sustainability, and improve human health, and it can be altered by anthropogenic activities such as cropping practices and intensive land use. This review examines how common and novel cropping practices affect soil health, the evolution of plant–microbe–soil interactions, and the changing concepts and indicators of soil quality. It also investigates the biochemical mechanisms by which agricultural pressures modify the plant–microbe–soil complex, thereby influencing soil health. The resulting knowledge, coupled with appropriate policies, can help ensure healthy soil—a critical component for sustainable ecosystem development.

Abstract

Soil health is defined as the capacity of soil to function, within ecosystem boundaries, to sustain crop and animal productivities, maintain or enhance environmental sustainability, and improve human health worldwide. In agro-ecosystems, the soil health can change due to anthropogenic activities, such as preferred cropping practices and intensive land-use management, which can further impact soil functions. Previous assessment of soil health in agriculture mostly relates to soil eco-functions that are integrated with non-biological properties such as soil nutrients and soil structures. In recent years, biological properties such as soil microorganisms were considered as an essential composition in soil health as well. However, systematic reviews of soil health and its potential feedback to human society under different cropping practices are still limited. In this review, we discussed 1) the impact of common and novel cropping practices in agro-systems on soil health, 2) the evolution of plant–microbe–soil complex and the biochemical mechanisms under the pressure of agriculture that responsible for soil health, 3) changes in the concept of soil quality and health over recent decades in agro-systems and the key indicators currently used for evaluating soil health, and 4) issues in agroecosystems that affect soil health the most, particularly how various cropping practices have developed over time with human activities in agroecosystem. This knowledge, along with necessary policies, will help to ensure healthy soil—a crucial component for sustainable ecosystem development.