Microplastics (MPs) have garnered widespread attention as an emerging global contaminant. However, the impacts of MPs on black soil health remain unclear. A meta-analysis of 337 cases from 33 studies was conducted to elucidate the effects of MPs on black soil health. The analysis incorporated 35 indicators, including soil properties, soil enzymes, plant growth, soil animal health, and soil microbial diversity. We investigated the effects of MPs properties, such as particle type, size, concentration, and exposure duration, on soil health. Results showed that MPs led to notable increases in SOM, DOC, available nitrogen by 31.84 %, 14.35 %, and 12.45 %, respectively, while decreasing nitrate nitrogen by 12.89 %. In addition, MPs exposure enhanced soil urease activity by 11.24 % but reduced phosphatase activity by 6.62 %. MPs also diminished microbial alpha-diversity, caused oxidative damage in earthworms, and suppressed plant germination rates. Notably, smaller MPs, higher concentrations, longer exposure periods, and conventional MPs have more detrimental effects on soil health. By applying the entropy weight method combined with the analytical hierarchy process, we quantified the overall impact of MPs on black soil health as a 12.09 % decrease. Our findings underscore the risks of persistent MPs pollution to black soil health.

Intensive agriculture development and achievement to higher profitability has inflicted permanent damage on agroecosystems. Rapid deterioration of structure and functional properties in agroecosystems has intensified the need for research on agroecosystem health and management. To assess the health status of wheat agroecosystems in the agricultural lands of Bandar-e-Turkmen county (Golestan province, Iran), we were used the variables of weed and natural enemies biodiversity, soil health (carbon and organic matter, microbial respiration, earthworm, soil salinity, and acidity), environmental indexes (environmental effects of pesticides (EIQ) and nitrate leaching) and vegetation indexes (RVI, cultivar type, and grain yield). In this study, thematic layers were prepared in ArcGIS and overlayed according to three scenarios. Then final layer was classified into three classes of health. Based on the results, only 8.47% (5 fields) were located in the first health class. These fields were characterized by high grain yield, low weed biodiversity, minimal pesticides use, optimal soil conditions, high RVI, and the presence of earthworms and natural enemies. Also, we found that 42 fields (71.19%) were placed in the second health class. Increase of biodiversity and population of weeds, lower grain yield, and reducing the quantity and quality of soil variables were important factors that reduced the health degree of these fields. Based on the results, 20.34% of the area (12 fields) in the central and western parts of the county was placed in the unhealthy class. It seems that increasing the environmental restrictions, including salinity higher than 6 ds/m, high weed diversity, increasing the consumption of harmful and dangerous pesticides with high environmental impact, and less grain yield than the potential of cultivars, were the main reasons for placing these fields in the unhealthy class. Also, the most important factors of decreasing the health degree of fields, frequency of weeds, increasing consumption of chemical pesticides, low soil organic matter, absence of earthworms, and decreasing grain yield were identified. Generally, management of weeds, implementation of crop rotation, preservation of plant residues on the soil surface, and development of conservation agriculture can help to improve the health indicators of wheat agroecosystems.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a primary food source for a substantial portion of the world's population, faces a serious threat from bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), leading to considerable yield reductions. The excessive use of synthetic pesticides not only affects soil health but also disrupts the community of organisms living in the soil. While some pesticides degrade quickly, others persist, leading to long-term environmental damage. To address these challenges, the aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna), was investigated as a sustainable alternative for controlling Xoo. The extract was prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus, and its antibacterial activity was assessed via zone of inhibition assays and bacterial growth inhibition studies. The results revealed significant antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 9.1 +/- 0.76 mm at 25 mu g/ml, 14.16 +/- 1.04 mm at 50 mu g/ml, and 15.5 +/- 1.31 mm at 100 mu g/ml. Furthermore, the antibacterial mechanism of the T. arjuna extract was investigated using computational approaches. For this molecular docking of CbsA, LipA, T3SEs, PDF, and Ddl was conducted with the phytochemicals of T. arjuna. Further molecular dynamics simulation analysis shows that 3-Hydroxyspirost-8-en-11-one can inhibit Ddl and CbsA, while 9-Oximino-2,7-diethoxyfluorene and 2-Naphthalene methanol can interact with T3SEs and PDF, respectively resulting inhibition of growth of Xoo. These findings highlight T. arjuna's potential as an eco-friendly, natural pesticide to combat Xoo, offering a sustainable solution to reduce the reliance on synthetic pesticides and their detrimental environmental impact. Further field studies are needed to confirm these results.

Societal Impact StatementSolar parks enable renewable energy production at a large scale, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the effects of this change in land use on vegetation and soil health are still largely unknown. In this study, we determined the impacts of solar parks on vegetation, soil biota and soil carbon between and below solar panels. We found lower plant and microbial biomass below the panels, while no differences in soil carbon pools were observed. The results stress the urgent need to design future solar parks that prevent soil degradation while still producing the renewable energy needed to combat climate change.Summary Solar parks, large-scale arrays of photovoltaic panels, are a unique land use and play an important role in the renewable energy transition. However, the solar panels create shade and change the microclimate, potentially affecting plant growth and carbon inputs to the soil. These changes can influence key soil properties critical to long-term carbon storage and overall soil health. This study investigated the impact of commercial solar parks on plant productivity and the colonisation of roots by mycorrhizal fungi, soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbial community biomass and composition and litter decomposition in 17 solar parks with contrasting shading levels across the Netherlands. Soil samples and plant biomass samples were collected between and below the solar panels. The microclimate (temperature, moisture) was measured continuously over the growing season and cumulative solar irradiation during the growing season in relation to the solar panels was modelled. Results show that above- and below-ground plant biomass as well as mycorrhizal colonisation were significantly lower below than between panels, while we did not find differences for SOM, carbon stocks and hot water extractable carbon. Plant productivity related negatively to the extent of light interception by the panels. Furthermore, fungal and bacterial biomass and the F:B ratio were lower below compared to between the panels while decomposition rates did not differ. The severe decrease of plant biomass inputs in combination with maintained rates of decomposition are expected to result in decreased SOM stocks and soil health over time and suggest the need for guidelines for ecologically sound solar park designs to prevent soil damage.

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a waste product from mushroom cultivation, in addition to being rich in essential nutrients for crop growth, contains actively growing mushroom mycelia and metabolites that suppress some plant pathogens and pests. SMS thus has potential for fostering the suppressiveness of soil-borne pathogens of farms. This study determined the potential of using the spent Pleurotus ostreatus substrate (SPoS) to suppress the plant-parasitic nematode Radopholus similis in bananas. R. similis is the most economically important nematode in bananas worldwide. The effect of SPoS on R. similis was assessed through two in vivo (potted plants) experiments between May 2023 and June 2024. Five-month-old East African highland banana (genome AAA) plantlets that are highly susceptible to R. similis were used. In the first experiment, the plantlets were established in 3 L pots containing (i) pre-sterilized soil, (ii) pre-sterilized soil inoculated with nematodes, (iii) pre-sterilized soil mixed with 30% (v/v) SPoS, (iv) pre-sterilized soil mixed with 30% (v/v) SPoS followed by nematode inoculation, (v) SPoS without soil, and (vi) SPoS without soil inoculated with nematodes. The SPoS was already decomposed; thus, it may or may not have contained active mycelia. The nematodes were introduced two weeks after the SPoS application. In the second experiment, SPoS was introduced two weeks after nematode inoculation. The SPoS treatments without soil were not evaluated in the second experiment. Both experiments were monitored over a three-month period. Each screenhouse treatment contained four plants and was replicated thrice. In the first experiment, data were collected on changes in soil nutrient content, below- and aboveground biomass, root deaths, root necrosis due to nematode damage, and R. similis population in root tissues and soil. In the second experiment, data were collected on root deaths and the number of nematodes in root tissues and the soil. The SPoS improved crop biomass yield, reduced root damage, and colonization by R. similis. The potential of SPoS to improve the management of R. similis and banana production under field conditions needs to be determined.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are emerging pollutants that have attracted attention recently due to their unique chemical properties and wide applications. However, in-depth research on LCMs' potential risks to soil health remains blank. Therefore, 107 LCMs and nine soil health characterization proteins/enzymes were selected as research objects in this study. A grading evaluation system for soil health toxicological effect indicators under LCMs exposure was constructed from five dimensions (i.e., soil animals, soil plants, soil microorganisms, soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and human health) by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods. Priority control lists for soil health toxicological effects under LCMs exposure were developed based on the proposed evaluation system, with rationality verified through non-bonded interaction, 2DQSAR and Meta-analysis. Results showed that 32, 56 and 19 LCMs presented unacceptable, potential, and acceptable soil health risks, respectively. The oxidative damage of LCMs to plant leaves, the toxicity to earthworm growth and development, and its effects on key enzymes of the soil nitrogen cycle were suggested to be the priority-attention indicators. This is the first study that provides theoretical support for revealing the toxicological effects of LCM exposure on soil health and relevant pollution control strategies.

Urgent action is needed in the Amazon to halt deforestation, repair agricultural damage, and restore forests to revive ecosystemic functions such as carbon (C) storage and soil health. A critical and demanding challenge, especially in sandy soils, is ceasing the slash-and-burn in smallholder farming livelihoods to preserve ecosystem services of primary and secondary forests. Here, we examined (i) the recovery of secondary forests in structure, litter layer, and soil health, as well as C storage post-agricultural abandonment of extremely sandy Amazonian soils (> 89 % sand), and (ii) the extent of loss of these gains when a secondary forest is burned for agricultural reconversion. We tracked secondary forests at 2, 5, 10, and 20 years, including slash-and-burning the 20-year-old forest. Our methods included analyzing C stocks in soil, litter, and plants, forest vegetation ecological indexes, litter quality assessed through nitrogen (N), C, and lignocellulose contents, delta C-13 to indicate organic matter origin, and seven additional soil health indicators. Soil delta C-13 ranged from-27.1 to-28.8 parts per thousand across the sites, indicating a negligible influence of tropical grasses on the soil's organic matter and suggesting that pastures were not previously cultivated in these areas. Secondary forest growth accumulated 0.24 and 2.97 Mg C ha(- 1 )y(- 1 ) in litter and trees, respectively. Yet, soil C stocks did not show significant changes during 20 years of forest regeneration. Over 18 years, the forest increased the vegetation diversity fourfold and litter N by 41 %, improving forest structure and litter quality. This progress in organic matter aboveground contributed to improved soil biological activity and nutrient storage, facilitating soil health and multifunctionality regeneration as the forest aged. However, slash-and-burn resulted in a 67.6 Mg C ha(- 1 ) loss, reverting levels below those of the 2-year-old forest. Returning to agriculture also depleted soil cation exchange capacity, bulk density, and fauna activity, degrading soil's chemical, physical, and biological functions to levels comparable to or worse than those in the youngest forest. We conclude that Amazonian lands abandoned after long-term agriculture still offer potential for ecological restoration, with secondary forests capable of regenerating multiple ecosystem functions, even in sandy soils. However, a single slash-and-burn reverses 20 years of progress and degrades soil health further. Recognizing smallholder farmers' poverty and reliance on slash-and-burn, we advocate for educational and socioeconomic support to stop fires and encourage sustainable agriculture, including bioeconomy incentives and environmental compensation to sustain the perpetuation and benefits of secondary forests in the Amazon.

The development of soil structure, characterized by fractal geometry, improves plant-rooting development and improves water retention, drainage, and air permeability. However, due to this function to increase fertility, excessive intensive cultivation contributes to environmental load. The amount of nitrogen in rivers in agricultural watersheds is significantly related to the surplus nitrogen in the watershed, and since the nitrogen load increases with the increase in the crop field proportion, it is important to manage the surplus nitrogen in crop field. On the other hand, since wetlands have reduced the surplus nitrogen in the watershed through the purification of nitrate nitrogen in river water, it is possible to reduce the environmental load by optimizing land use. Replacing a part of chemical fertilizer application with organic fertilizer application increased soil organic carbon and contribute to the prevention of global warming without reducing crop yield. In Japanese grasslands, the annual application of 3.5tC ha-1 of compost offset greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the continuous use of compost mitigated soil acidification and suppressed N2O emissions. I investigated the impact of greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural development on permafrost and peat soils, which are the world's soil carbon reservoirs. In eastern Siberia, disturbance of taiga forests caused permafrost melting and increased CH4 emissions. Drainage of peatland reduced CH4 emissions, but increased CO2 and N2O emissions due to peat decomposition, which was exacerbated by the application of chemical fertilizers. It was essential to keep the groundwater level at -20 cm to -40 cm to suppress greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental load means that soil health is being damaged. It is necessary to develop agricultural techniques to maintain and restore soil health. In particular, organic matter management can restore soil structure by increasing soil organic matter, and also reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer used, which has the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, excessive continuous use of organic fertilizer can increase nitrogen loads. It has been pointed out that the relationship between cover crops and tillage is also important for organic matter management. Regional research is increasingly essential.

Agricultural land has long been regarded as a resource for food production, but over time, the effects of climate change have reduced the ability of soil to produce food efficiently. Nowadays, farmers have moved from traditional to modern techniques of farming. Across the globe, plastic mulching has become widely used on farmlands. According to a few studies, the breakdown of plastic mulches releases microplastics (MPs) into the soil. Despite studies reporting the presence of MPs in soils, there are limited studies on the sources and impacts on soil organisms, plant growth, fruits, and human health. This study evaluated research articles collected from the Web of Science to assess the origin of MP in soil and crops and its effects on soil organisms, plants, and humans. It was observed that MPs come from different sources such as waste water, organic fertilizer, irrigation water, sewage, and sludge. Plastic mulching, which can spread across agricultural fields at varying depths, is the dominant source. Furthermore, it was observed that MPs alter crop quality, reduce the leaf count of wheat, and decrease the root length of crops such as maize, water spinach, black gram, and garden cress. MP can decrease the abundance of soil microarthropods and nematodes, damage the intestinal walls of earthworms, and reduce the feeding and excretion of snails. MP causes liver damage, inflammation, respiratory irritation, and immunological issues. Ultimately, these contaminants (MPs) can transfer and have been detected in fruits and vegetables, which pose adverse effects on human health.

Creeping perennial weeds are difficult to manage on organic farms in semi-arid regions of the northern Great Plains. Integrated weed management practices that combine biological, cultural, and mechanical controls can improve management of these weeds, but little is known about the soil microbial response to these practices. Our work investigated the soil microbiome response to contrasting, 4-year crop sequences with standard and reduced tillage. The crop sequences included a range of crop competition phases from high (three years of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.) to low (two years of continuous fallow), within the longer 4-year period, with intermediate levels of crop competition between those two extremes. Soil samples were collected, and bacterial 16S and fungal ITS amplicon sequencing was performed. Differences in alpha diversity were not significant (p > 0.05) between tillage methods. Across all six locations, bacterial alpha diversity was negatively correlated with soil organic matter (R = -0.37, p < 0.001) while fungal alpha diversity was positively correlated (R = 0.17, p = 0.043). Bacterial community composition was not affected by crop sequence or tillage treatment. Fungal community composition was affected by crop sequence (p = 0.00163) and tillage (p = 0.02). The fungal genera Neosetophoma, Boeremia, and Paraphoma were 10 - 35-fold more abundant in continuous alfalfa compared to the mean abundance in the other crop sequences. Reduced tillage led to a 40% reduction in the fungal genus Fusarium, which contains many plant pathogen species. These results suggest that diversified crop sequences and altered tillage methods have minimal impact on bacterial communities, but fungal communities are sensitive to these management changes.