Frontiers in soil science最新文献

{"title":"Nutritional properties of underutilized legumes and intercropped maize","authors":"M. Ayilara, M. Abberton, O. Oyatomi, O. Odeyemi, O. O. Babalola","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1047847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1047847","url":null,"abstract":"Over the years, intercropping which is majorly carried out on legumes and cereal has been practiced to maximize the utilization of land resources and increase the productivity over a piece of land. Most studies on intercropping focus on the yield and yield parameters, leaving out other important aspects such as the nutritional value of the harvested crops. Underutilized legumes are crops which have very scanty information available on them which reduces their general acceptability and utilization. The effects of intercropping on the nutrient status of underutilized legumes and maize in an intercropping system are not well understood. Therefore, the objective of the research was to assess the effect of intercropping on the nutrient and antinutrient parameters of African Yam Bean (AYB), and Winged bean (WB) when monocropped and when intercropped with maize. Hence, this research sought to answer the following questions: (i) does intercropping with maize affect the nutrient and anti-nutrient properties of AYB and WB (ii) does intercropping with AYB and WB and the application of urea fertilizer affect the nutrient and anti-nutrient properties of maize. Five accessions each of AYB and WB were separately intercropped with two accessions of maize. The research was carried out on the research field of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria. The field was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in triplicates. The treatment consisted of sole and intercropped legumes and maize as well as maize planted with urea fertilizer. The result from the research revealed that intercropping had effects on the nutrient and anti-nutrient properties of AYB, WB and maize, even though each accession responded differently to the intercropping. For instance, in the legumes, intercropping with M2 led to a reduction in the moisture content of AYB accessions TSs4, TSs30, and TSs77, and an increase in the moisture content in winged bean accession Tpt51. Equally, a reduction in the protein content of African yam bean accessions TSs4 and 101 when intercropped with both maize accessions was observed (P ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, an increase was observed in the protein content of AYB accession TSs30 (intercropped with M2), as well as WB accession 15-4 (intercropped with M2) and Tpt51 (intercropped with M1). A reduced tannin content was observed in WB accession Tpt12 intercropped with both maize accessions, while an increased the tannin content was observed in AYB accessions TSs4, TSs101, and WB accessions 15-4, and Tpt32 when intercropped with both maize accessions (P ≤ 0.05). Finally, intercropping increased the fat content in both maize accessions, increased the tryptophan content of M1 when intercropped with Tpt32, and increased the carbohydrate content in M1 intercropped with Tpt51. In conclusion, the results from this experiment revealed that intercropping affected the nutritional and antinutritional properties of the maize and legumes. Of a","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46982772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Amazonian dark earths enhance the establishment of tree species in forest ecological restoration","authors":"A. S. Freitas, Luís Felipe Guandalin Zagatto, Gabriel Silvestre Rocha, Franciele Muchalak, Solange dos Santos Silva, A. Muniz, R. Hanada, S. Tsai","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1161627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1161627","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Deforestation of areas for agriculture and cattle breeding is the leading cause of ecological degradation and loss of biodiversity. The solution to mitigate these damages relies on techniques that improve soil health and the microbial quality of these degraded areas. Here, we demonstrate that the high nutrient and microbiological contents of Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE) can promote the development of trees used in ecological restoration projects. Methods We used degraded soil from crops as control and ADE from the Central Amazon to conduct the experiment, using 20% of ADE as inoculum in degraded agricultural soil. Our goal was to assess whether a small amount of ADE could promote changes that improve plant development similar to its growth under a 100%ADE. We simulated conversion from pasture to forest restoration area by planting U. brizantha in all pots. After 60 days, we removed it and planted Cecropia pachystachya, Peltophorum dubium, and Cedrela fissilis. Results Our results demonstrated that both 20%ADE and 100%ADE treatments increased pasture productivity and, consequently, soil carbon stock. Also, in these treatments, P. dubium and C. fissilis had better growth and development, with 20%ADE plants showing a performance similar to those planted in 100%ADE. Both 20%ADE and 100%ADE showed similar numbers of taxa, being significantly higher than in the control soil. Discussion The 20%ADE was sufficient to increase significantly the microbial richness in the soil, providing several beneficial microorganisms to all tree species such as Pedomicrobium, Candidatus Nitrososphaera, and members of Paenebacillaceae. Nevertheless, C. pachystachya, a common pioneer tree in the Amazonian Forest showed a small response even to 100%ADE with a corresponding lower taxa number than the other two species. In conclusion, we point out that microbial structure remains very similar among plants but dissimilar among treatments, highlighting the role of ADE as an enhancer of plant development and beneficial microbiota enrichment in the rhizosphere. The use of 20%ADE was sufficient to alter the microbial community. Therefore, we believe our data could contribute to speeding up forest restoration programs by adopting new biotechnological approaches for forest restoration ecology.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44879921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil quality and crop productivity under 34 years old long-term rainfed rice based cropping system in an Inceptisol of sub-tropical India","authors":"S. Biswas, Priyanshu Singh, Riaj Rahaman, Kalyani V. Patil, N. De","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1155712","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1155712","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Soil quality deterioration with the introduction of modern agriculture is a major threat to agricultural sustainability and food security and the problem is more aggravated specially under rainfed agriculture. Asessment of soil quality is a tortuous task as it can not be measured directly. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of long-term fertilization and manuring on soil quality and identify the most sensitive indicators of assessing soil quality under rainfed rice based system. Methods Soil samples were collected from selected six treatments viz. control, 100%NPK, 50%NPK, 50%FYM, 100%FYM and 50%NPK+FYM of 34 years old long-term fertilizer experiment with rainfed rice-lentil cropping system situated at BHU Varanasi, India. Results and discussion Result revealed that continuous organic manure application along with inorganic fertilizer increased soil organic carbon by 54.1% over control treatment.Principal component analysis (PCA) was done to screen out key indicators and mean weight diameter, available Fe, available N, potentially mineralizable N, available Zn, FDA hydrolase activity and Clay were selected as key indicators of soil quality. The highest soil quality index (SQI) of 0.95 was found in 50% NPK+FYM treatment. Regression analysis showed better agreement of equivalent rice yield and SQI (0.87). Therefore, the balanced fertilization with organic and inorganic fertilizers is important for sustainability of the rainfed rice-lentil cropping system and this practice may be recommended for rainfed rice based system of Indian Inceptisol.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41363427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal and operation-induced instability of apparent soil electrical conductivity measurements","authors":"A. S. Mat Su, V. Adamchuk","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1137731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1137731","url":null,"abstract":"Measuring apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa), using galvanic contact resistivity (GCR) and electromagnetic induction (EMI) techniques, is frequently conducted to reveal spatial soil heterogeneity. Various studies have demonstrated the possibilities for significant changes in the measured quantities over time with relatively stable spatial structure representations. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of temporal drift and operational noise for three popular ECa mapping instruments. They were placed in stationary positions approximately 8 m apart in an area with relatively low ECa. Temporal drift was assessed using a series of 4.5-h data logs recorded under different weather conditions (from extremely hot to near freezing temperatures). The two EMI instruments were also used to quantify the effect of minor changes in the height, pitch and roll of the sensor with respect to the ground. These operational noise tests were replicated over several days. Our results reveal the GCR measurements of ECa, along with perpendicular coplanar EMI measurements, have shown relatively strong stability over time. Each operational effect introduced measurement uncertainties comparable to the impact of a change in temperature and soil water content.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43298619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contribution of pecan (Carya illinoinensis [Wangenh.| K. Koch) to Sustainable Development Goal 2 under the dual perspective of carbon storage and human nutrition","authors":"G. Cambareri, E. Frusso, E. Herrera-Aguirre, R. Zoppolo, F. Leite, M. Beltrán, C. Martins, C. Mendoza","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1092003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1092003","url":null,"abstract":"This work aims to contextualize and analyze the potential contribution of pecan to SDG2 under the dual perspective of carbon storage and human nutrition. Particularly, the study focuses on the pecan agroecosystems in the Americas, representing the most important pecan-producing countries (the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru). We observed that pecan is a reliable sink for storing atmospheric C and also for quality nuts with high nutritional density. The Americas, hold a population of ca. 23 M pecan trees, with the younger tree populations and the highest C-storing potential in South America. This pecan tree population has removed 51.3 Mt CO2eq immobilizing the OC in their aboveground biomass, but if the C sequestration for the whole system is considered, the value reaches nearly 80 Mt CO2eq. From a nutritional perspective, there are different dietary needs to cover according to the country, although the common analysis output is a low proportion of nuts in the diet, which is expected to improve, given the efforts of each country to promote domestic consumption. All the mentioned countries in this study have a low pecan consumption going from 8 to 293 g per capita yr-1, which in the light of the Global Burden of Disease represents 0.08 to 3.2% of the recommended yearly dietary basis for nuts overall. The inclusion of pecan nuts in the daily diet is of utmost importance to offset the food nutrient dilution carbohydrates-based, linked to the excess of atmospheric CO2. Also, pecan orchards function as a platform to integrate sustainable systems. The global benefit of having pecan and alley crops has been proved in regions other than the Americas with interesting economic outputs leading to energizing the life of rural communities. Pecan orchards and pecan agroforestry may lead to sustainable agri-food systems, with global gains in SOC and nutritional richness and diversity. Therefore, more in-depth studies are needed not only to fully understand the functioning of the systems at a productive level but also to design and plan sustainable landscapes in rural land.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42016652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of farmers’ socio-economic characteristics on nutrient flow and implications for system sustainability in smallholdings: a review","authors":"L. Mhoro, Akida I. Meya, N. Amuri, P. Ndakidemi, Kelvin Marck Mtei, Karoli Nicholas Njau","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1112629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1112629","url":null,"abstract":"The rise in global human population, coupled with the effects of climate change, has increased the demand for arable land. Soil fertility has been the most affected, among other things. Many approaches to soil fertility management have been proposed by studies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); however, the question of sustainability remains. Nutrient monitoring (NUTMON), which combines biophysical and socio-economic features for soil fertility management, gives an in-situ soil fertility status of a given land use system, which ultimately provides guidance in proposing appropriate soil management techniques in a given land use system. In this review, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach was deployed for a systematic search of the literature materials. The review evaluated various studies on nutrient monitoring in SSA soils in order to understand the socioeconomic attributes and their influence on farming systems, as well as nutrient flow and balances. The review identified two dominant smallholder farming systems in SSA: mixed crop-livestock and mixed crop farming systems. Also, this review revealed that most nutrient balance studies in SSA have been done in mixed crop and livestock farming systems. However, regardless of the farming systems, the overall mean nutrient balances in all studies, particularly those of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), were negative, indicating significant nutrient mining. The review further revealed a vast range of biophysical soil fertility management technologies; however, their adoption has been limited by socio-economic aspects including land ownership, gender, financial position, literacy level, and access to inputs. Therefore, in view of this situation, integrating biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines could address the problem of soil nutrient depletion holistically, thus decreasing the existing negative nutrient balances in the SSA region.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49371379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploiting crop genotype-specific root-soil interactions to enhance agronomic efficiency","authors":"E. Baggs, Jill E. Cairns, B. Mhlanga, C. Petroli, Jordan Chamberlin, Hannes Karwat, V. Kommerell, C. Thierfelder, Eric Paterson, Manje S. Gowda","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1125604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1125604","url":null,"abstract":"Challenges of soil degradation and changing climate pose major threats to food security in many parts of the world, and new approaches are required to close yield and nutrition gaps through enhanced agronomic efficiency. Combined use of mineral fertilizers, organic inputs, improved germplasm and adaptation of these practices to local contexts through improved agronomy can promote efficiency whilst building stocks of soil organic matter (SOM). Within this framework, recent attention has turned to the nature of plant-soil interactions to increase response to mineral fertilizer inputs through utilisation of nutrients from SOM that are replenished through management. This utilisation has been shown in barley and maize to vary with genotype and to be related to root physiological traits associated with rhizodeposition. The identification of candidate genes associated with rhizodeposition takes this a step closer towards the possibility of breeding for sustainability. Here we discuss this potential and feasibility in the context of maize cropping systems, and explore the potential for a combined approach that optimises utilisation of SOM nutrients together with enhanced biological nitrification inhibition to further improve agronomic efficiency.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45381029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cover crops did not improve soil health but hydroclimatology may guide decisions preventing cash crop yield loss","authors":"Debankur Sanyal, A. Mukherjee, A. Rahhal, J. Wolthuizen, D. Karki, J. Clark, A. Bly","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1111821","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1111821","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Cover crop (CC) is an essential tool to improve or maintain soil health, potentially improving cash crop productivity. Several recent reports of cash crop yield reduction following cover cropping necessitated this research to guide efficient CC decisions in the season before corn (Zea mays) or soybean (Glycine max) is to be grown. Methods Therefore, we designed this multi-year, multi-location study to include the farmers who plant CC following the harvest of a small grain crop, majorly wheat (Triticum aestivum) or oats (Avena sativa), and then grow corn or soybean cash crop in the subsequent season. We also selected the farmers who used a fall CC mix that was winter-terminated, to avoid further complexities. The major objective of this study was to document soil health changes and cash crop yields following CC in eight selected locations around SD for three consecutive CC seasons between 2017-2020. Experimental plots were laid out at the farmer-cooperators’ CC fields, where no cover (NC) ‘control’ was tested against CC in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Soil samples were analyzed for selected soil health indicators (SHIs): potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), soil respiration (SR), soil microbial biomass (SMB), soil nitrate-nitrogen, soil organic matter (SOM), and other basic soil properties (pH, electrical conductivity, etc.); crop and residue biomass were calculated, and cash crop economic yields were measured. Results and discussion No statistically significant (p<0.05) advantage was found for SHIs or cash crop yields under CC plots compared to NC plots as these fields had healthy soils (long-term no-till was practiced, high SOM levels >30 g kg-1). These findings directed us to investigate hydroclimatological parameters and climatological indices such as accumulated precipitation, standardized precipitation index (SPI), and standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) for their impact on CC’s influence on cash crop yields. Conclusion Our analyses indicated that hydroclimatology, especially SPEI for the month before CC planting can be used as a tool to guide successful CC decisions, reducing the risk of cash crop yield loss. Further investigations with SPI and SPEI, along with other climatological parameters are needed to explore and design better CC management tools.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48905037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Composition and spore abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in sweet potato producing areas in Uganda","authors":"R. W. Mukhongo, P. Ebanyat, C. Masso, J. Tumuhairwe","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1152524","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1152524","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Farming systems influence composition and abundance of microbial communities. Methodology A study was conducted using morphotyping and enumeration methods to determine the composition and spore abundance of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in sweet potato producing regions in eastern Uganda. Sampling was done from fields with crop types (CTs) including legumes (groundnuts, common beans, cowpea, soybeans, green grams), sorghum, sweet potato, and fallowed fields which were used as a control. Three agro-ecological zones (AEZs) i.e., Mt. Elgon High Farmlands (MEHF), Lake Victoria Crescent (LVC), and Southern and Eastern Lake Kyoga Basin (SELKB) were considered. Results and discussion A total of 6 AMF genera comprising of Glomus, Acaulospora, Scutellospora, Entrophospora, Archaeospora, and Gigaspora were isolated from the study sites. Agro-ecological zones had a significant (p<0.05) effect on Entrophospora spp. while crop types had a significant (p<0.05) effect on Gigaspora spp. although all the AMF genera were present in all AEZs and CTs. Spore abundance was similar across the AEZs except for MEHF (177) which was lower while spore abundance lowest in sweet potato (177) and largest in fallow (224), attributed to soil properties and similar crops included in the crop rotation program. The AMF can be isolated, identified, and multiplied to produce bioinoculants for the regions.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43607866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fertilizers for food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa: An overview of soil health implications","authors":"C. Dimkpa, W. Adzawla, R. Pandey, W. Atakora, Anselme K. K. Kouame, M. Jemo, P. Bindraban","doi":"10.3389/fsoil.2023.1123931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2023.1123931","url":null,"abstract":"Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces chronic food insecurity associated with soil degradation and the peculiar aftermath of climate change and exacerbated by rising population and historically poor agricultural practices. Notably, use of mineral fertilizers has the potential to counteract soil degradation in SSA; it drives an increased agricultural production required to feed the rising population while sustaining the quality and health of soils. However, limited financial resources deprive SSA of the promise of fertilizers, wherein application rates are historically low, and regimes are characterized by unbalanced nutrient composition and poor fertilizer quality. Although current global fertilizer use is generally characterized by low efficiency, SSA is most affected due to the already low usage and the quality of available fertilizer products. About 70% of fertilizer-nitrogen is lost through unregulated transformation to ammonia, nitrous oxide, and nitrate that are either volatilized or emitted into the atmosphere or leached into water bodies. Similarly, the preponderance of fertilizer-phosphorus is lost via run-off and leaching, unavailing it to plants while overloading streams and rivers and, together with nitrate, causing eutrophication. These environmental problems are accentuated in SSA where fertilizer quantity and quality issues are already a limiting factor. Notably, recent advances happening outside of SSA indicate that nutrients, when strategically formulated, such as by nano packaging, (bio)polymer encapsulation, and tunable to respond to environmental cues, can provide multiple outcomes, particularly, healthy soils with higher productivity. Therefore, presumably, a proper synthesis of the gamut of soil properties influencing plant nutrient release and availability, options for plant exposure and uptake is critical for realizing these benefits in SSA. Despite these possibilities, there is a lack of deeper context on fertilizer-related issues as they affect food and nutrition security and the health of soils in SSA. This paper provides an overview of the fertilizer-nutrient and associated agronomic, food insecurity and soil environmental challenges and opportunities, which though not exclusive to SSA per se, can be reasoned with the peculiarity of the region. This provides the impetus to increase fertilizer use efficiency, improve soil and environmental health, sustainable crop production, and food and nutrition security in SSA.","PeriodicalId":73107,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in soil science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43296085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}