Soil Management Strategies

Organic Matter Addition

Adding organic matter such as compost, manure, and plant residues improves soil physical properties, enhancing its fertility and water retention capacity.
Decomposition of organic matter releases nutrients, improving the nutrient content of the soil.
Organic matter also stimulates the growth of beneficial microorganisms, enhancing soil biology and promoting nutrient cycling.

Conservation Tillage

Conservation tillage reduces the mechanical disruption of soil, preserving its structure and preventing soil erosion.
It increases organic matter content and water retention in the top soil layer, enhancing soil fertility.
It can also lead to lower fuel consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, aiding sustainability.

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is switching the types of crops grown in a sequence over time to prevent depletion of certain nutrients and disrupt pest cycles.
It can enhance soil fertility by optimising the nutrient uptake from the soil and mitigating the build-up of diseases and pests specific to certain crops.
Different crops have different root systems and nutrient requirements, therefore rotation can significantly improve soil structure and nutrient availability.

Contour Ploughing and Terracing

Contour ploughing, the practice of tilling across a slope following its elevation contour lines, can reduce soil erosion by controlling water flow.
Terracing, or creating flat platforms on steep terrain, can further reduce soil erosion and runoff, and improve water infiltration.
These techniques are particularly effective in hilly or mountainous regions.

Cover Crops and Green Manures

Cover crops are plants grown to cover the soil when main crops are not in season, to protect and improve the soil.
Green manures are specific plants, often legumes, that are grown and then ploughed back into the soil to increase its organic matter and nutrient content.
These practices can reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds, and improve soil fertility and structure.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry integrates trees into agricultural systems, combining benefits of forestry and agriculture.
Trees can improve soil fertility by adding organic matter through leaf fall and root turnover, and reduce erosion with their root systems.
Nutrient cycling can be enhanced as deep tree roots bring up nutrients from lower soil layers to the upper layers where crops can access them.

Irrigation Management

Proper irrigation management can prevent water wastage, reduce runoff and prevent the build-up of salts in soil (salinisation).
The type of irrigation method used can impact soil health. Drip irrigation, for example, can efficiently supply water to crops without causing waterlogging or salt accumulation.
Recycled wastewater can be used for irrigation, but the presence of pollutants must be carefully monitored to avoid soil and crop contamination.

Soil Testing and Fertiliser Management

Regular soil testing can monitor nutrient levels, soil composition, and pH levels, allowing for more accurate and effective application of fertilisers.
Overuse of chemical fertilisers can harm soil health. Integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies that combine organic and inorganic fertilisers can better maintain long-term soil fertility.
Fertiliser management also involves applying fertilisers at the right time and in the right way to maximise absorption by plants and minimise runoff.