Soil Quality And Health Management Through Farming Practices: To Ensure Agricultural Sustainability

The challenge in agro-ecosystem of soil instability is mainly accelerated by population pressure, poor soil management practices and natural climate change. Proper soil management practices are considered as a better way to enhance agriculture production in sustainable healthy soil without forgetting environmental quality, human and animal health. Change in soil health is estimated by using physical, chemical and biological indicators. This review emphasis on timely monitoring of soil health by soil health indicators and soil management practices that may be used to improve the soil quality to sustain agriculture in longer run. Several research papers and books revealed and confirmed that the following soil management practices improve soil health through their influence on soil aggregation and soil micro flora and fauna: conservation tillage, crop rotations, intercropping, cover cropping, agroforestry, organic manure amendment, soil liming and inoculation of different effective microorganisms. These practices have positive influences on nutrient availability to the crops through soil microbial and fauna activities and the increase of soil microbial population, diversity and functions. Protection and improvement of all valuable soil resources is critical in sustainable agriculture.