The potential of sustainable agricultural practices to enhance soil carbon sequestration and improve soil quality

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Sustainable agricultural management practices have a profound impact on soil carbon sequestration. The amount of carbon that can be stored in a given soil is influenced by climate, soil type, and the quality and quantity of organic inputs. Together, the interactive effect of these factors determines the Soil Organic Content (SOC). Sustainable agricultural management practices influencing Soil Organic Matter (SOM) include application of organic amendments, conservation tillage, and use of cover crops, crop rotations, crop residue management, and nutrient management. Increasing SOC enhances soil quality, reduces soil erosion, and increases agricultural productivity with considerable on-farm and off-farm benefits. To assess how management practices affect SOC, two case studies were conducted in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra in India and Lynedoch near Stellenbosch. The first case study examined the differences in SOC content on four farms each managed with 13 different sustainable agricultural techniques and one farm managed under conventional management practices. The second case study investigated the SOC differences between an organic and a conventional vegetable farm. The results of both studies show that farms that are managed under sustainable agricultural practices generally contain higher SOC content than farms that are managed under conventional agricultural practices.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University