Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review
Agricultural management decisions on factors such as tillage, fertilization, and cropping system determine the fate of much of the world’s soils, and soil microbes both mediate and respond to these changes. However, relationships between management practices and soil microbial properties are poorly...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/852 |
| _version_ | 1827693961449308160 |
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| author | Hannah R. Rodgers Jay B. Norton Linda T. A. van Diepen |
| author_facet | Hannah R. Rodgers Jay B. Norton Linda T. A. van Diepen |
| author_sort | Hannah R. Rodgers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Agricultural management decisions on factors such as tillage, fertilization, and cropping system determine the fate of much of the world’s soils, and soil microbes both mediate and respond to these changes. However, relationships between management practices and soil microbial properties are poorly understood, especially in semiarid regions. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed research papers published between 2000 and 2020 that analyzed soil microorganisms in semiarid wheat fields. We aimed to determine if and how soil microbial properties reliably respond to management, and how these properties indicate long-term changes in soil health, carbon (C) sequestration, and crop yield. We found that reducing tillage increases microbial activity as much as 50% in upper soil layers and stratifies both bacteria and fungi by depth. Higher cropping intensity (reduced fallow) increases C storage, microbial activity, and biomass, and particularly fungal biomass, which can be three times greater under continuous wheat than wheat-fallow. Chemical and organic fertilizers both increase bacterial biomass, though only organic inputs provide lasting benefits by promoting C storage and increasing fungal as well as bacterial biomass. We found microbial properties to be sensitive indicators of long-term changes in soil health and productivity, and formed recommendations on appropriate sampling, analysis, and interpretation of microbial data depending on the system studied. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:54:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0491e5db08a64aecb6462158dc28ff4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:54:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-0491e5db08a64aecb6462158dc28ff4c2023-11-21T17:24:22ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-04-0111585210.3390/agronomy11050852Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A ReviewHannah R. Rodgers0Jay B. Norton1Linda T. A. van Diepen2Department of Ecosystem Science & Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Ecosystem Science & Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Ecosystem Science & Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USAAgricultural management decisions on factors such as tillage, fertilization, and cropping system determine the fate of much of the world’s soils, and soil microbes both mediate and respond to these changes. However, relationships between management practices and soil microbial properties are poorly understood, especially in semiarid regions. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed research papers published between 2000 and 2020 that analyzed soil microorganisms in semiarid wheat fields. We aimed to determine if and how soil microbial properties reliably respond to management, and how these properties indicate long-term changes in soil health, carbon (C) sequestration, and crop yield. We found that reducing tillage increases microbial activity as much as 50% in upper soil layers and stratifies both bacteria and fungi by depth. Higher cropping intensity (reduced fallow) increases C storage, microbial activity, and biomass, and particularly fungal biomass, which can be three times greater under continuous wheat than wheat-fallow. Chemical and organic fertilizers both increase bacterial biomass, though only organic inputs provide lasting benefits by promoting C storage and increasing fungal as well as bacterial biomass. We found microbial properties to be sensitive indicators of long-term changes in soil health and productivity, and formed recommendations on appropriate sampling, analysis, and interpretation of microbial data depending on the system studied.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/852bacteriafungisemiaridSOCsoil healthsoil microbiota |
| spellingShingle | Hannah R. Rodgers Jay B. Norton Linda T. A. van Diepen Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review Agronomy bacteria fungi semiarid SOC soil health soil microbiota |
| title | Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review |
| title_full | Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review |
| title_short | Effects of Semiarid Wheat Agriculture Management Practices on Soil Microbial Properties: A Review |
| title_sort | effects of semiarid wheat agriculture management practices on soil microbial properties a review |
| topic | bacteria fungi semiarid SOC soil health soil microbiota |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/852 |
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