WP 3: Interactions of crop plants with soil structure and stratified soil fertility

Reduced tillage soils fertilised with organic manures and green manures modify soil fertility stratification, create a more fertile topsoil as compared to ploughed systems with regard to porosity and microbial activ-ity. Thus, it is necessary to assess how soil management impacts soil structure down the soil profile, and if soil organisms such as earthworms are able to prevent potential soil compaction at depth by creating bio-logical porosity. Soil fertility stratification improves the natural habitat for above-ground soil organisms, such as slugs and carabids as their natural predators. Modification of the topsoil may thus influence condi-tions for pest infestation, and may interact strongly with crop emergence and growth.

The objectives of work package 3 are

• To assess the effect of soil fertility stratification on soil structure (porosity, compaction), with a focus on porosity due to earthworms, and their interaction with crop growth (water and nutrient uptake).
• To assess the effect of surface accumulation of organic matter on slugs and above ground arthropods and their interactions with crop growth.
• To develop visual soil observation tools for farmers.

Contact

• Work package coordinator: Dr. Joséphine Peigné, ISARA, France
• Co-coordinator: Dr. Daniele Antichi, Centro di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali "Enrico Avanzi", Italy

Tasks

• Task 3.1: Effect of soil fertility stratification on soil structure and its interaction with crop growth.
• Task 3.2: Effect of soil fertility stratification on soil surface structure, above ground arthropods and their interaction with crop growth.
• Task 3.3: Development of visual soil observation tools for farmers.