soil-science

Protected cultivation systems offer opportunities for improving potato productivity but are often constrained by inefficient maize stover utilization and suboptimal fertilization practices. In this study, a 4 × 4 factorial experiment was conducted using the potato cultivar ‘Jishu No. 1’ to decode the rhizosphere microbial mechanisms underpinning plant growth and yield enhancement under greenhouse…

IntroductionSoil salinity fundamentally reshapes geochemical controls governing metal mobility and plant uptake, yet its effects across soils with different salinity histories remain poorly resolved.MethodsWe conducted four controlled experiments using NaCl treatments ranging from 1.0 to 20.0 dS m−1, combining freshly salinized soils with soils previously exposed to salinity, and evaluated metal …

This study evaluates soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in Mediterranean agroecosystems using the Carbon, Aggregation, and Structure Turnover (CAST) model, with a focus on agroecological and regenerative practices that support carbon farming (CF) strategies. Three case studies across Greece, Italy, and Spain were assessed to quantify SOC dynamics and carbon storage potential. In Koiliaris, G…

Microorganisms are important regulators of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation and stabilization, which is modulated by soil minerals, especially iron (Fe) oxides. Here, we analyzed soils from different forest types (coniferous forests, mixed forests, and broad-leaved forests) and stand ages (40-, 20-, and 10-year) in a subtropical acidic red soil region. SOC peaked at 20 years and declined by…

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a staple food with many promising health benefits. However, obstacles associated with continuous cropping are common in modern intensive sweet potato production, partially due to imbalances in the soil microbiome. This research investigates the succession of the soil microbiome and its impacts following 1, 3, and 5 years of consecutive sweet potato monoculture…

IntroductionPhenolic acids are allelopathic substances that mediate plant-fungal interactions. However, the regulatory effects of phenolic acids on soil microbiota and crop phosphorus (P) uptake remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of continuous addition of cumalic acid (CA) on soil microbial communities and P uptake of rice.MethodsWe continuously added different conc…

Saline soils, characterized by elevated salinity, depleted soil organic carbon (SOC), and degraded structure, constrain global agricultural productivity. While straw incorporation is known to promote SOC turnover, its efficacy in saline soils is limited by salt-impaired microbial decomposition. We evaluated how straw form regulates microbial-driven SOC turnover across salinity gradients (light-S1…

Black soils in Northeast China are among the most fertile globally, but have experienced significant degradation due to long-term intensive use of chemical fertilizers. Although organic amendments such as biogas slurry are considered promising alternatives, their effects on black soils in this region remain underexplored. In this study, a controlled pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the ef…

To address the bottleneck problem of slow decomposition of returned maize straw under low-temperature constraints in the cold and arid regions of northern China, this study systematically explored the microbial decomposition-promoting mechanism of microbial inoculant M44 combined with three straw returning methods: deep plowing (DPR), deep scarification and mixing (SSR), and no-tillage mulching (…

IntroductionNitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the essential nutrient for rubber growth. However, the effect of organic fertilizer application on soil microbial communities and functional genes related to N and P cycling in rubber plantation are unclear.MethodsA field trial was established in a rubber plantation with two treatments: organic fertilizer (OF) and an unfertilized control (CK). In th…

Climate variability and agricultural expansion are fundamentally reshaping ecosystem functions (EFs) in drylands. Xinjiang Region, a vast and typical dryland area in China, also faces dual pressures of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Numerous local studies in Xinjiang have quantified individual EFs using biophysical models. However, research remains limited on the region-wide spatial dist…

IntroductionTo address agrochemical pollution and improve microbial screening efficiency, this study aimed to develop an integrated pipeline for isolating high-yielding lipopeptide-producing Bacillus strains and validating their agricultural applications.MethodsA tiered screening strategy combining hemolytic activity assay, plate confrontation, and oil-spreading assay was established to isolate s…

SAN members drove real change this week: CABI on soil health & pesticide safety, Preferred by Nature at GSS2026, Rainforest Alliance on cocoa accountability, RAAA Perú on natural pest solutions & Pro Natura Sur on community drones.

Our ELI today is "Why does soil get washed away? - investigating why some farmers lose their soil through erosion whilst others do not". This ELI investigates the effect of vegetation cover in protecting soil from erosion in heavy rainfall. It provides the opportunity to explore some of the factors involved in limiting soil erosion. A teaching video accompanies this activity. The extension to the…

A practical Soil Biology and Biochemistry submission guide for soil-science researchers evaluating their work against the journal's mechanism and rigor bar.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 27 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-50568-1 Comparison of GRNN-MC and RF models for predicting soil hydrogeological and geotechnical profile using borehole data

Scientific Reports, Published online: 27 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-50261-3 Enhanced phytoremediation of crude oil-contaminated soil using Cynodon dactylon with nutrient and mixed liquid suspended solids amendments