Relationship between Selected Soil Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Mycorrhizal Status under <i>Triumfetta cordifolia</i>in the Cameroon Western Highlands

There is limited information on the pedological requirements of Triumfetta cordifolia. A starting point for establishing such information requires knowledge on the growing environment of the species. The aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical properties and mycorrhizal status in the rhizosphere of Triumeffa cordifolia. Soil and root samples from the rhizosphere of T. cordifolia were collected from three localities (Santchou, Bandjoun, and Balatchi) in the West Region of Cameroon. The results show that the soils are dominated by a loamy texture and have a mean porosity > 50%. Mean bulk density ranges from 0.91 ± 0.02 to 1.26 ± 0.04 g⋅cm−3. The sum of exchangeable cations ranges from medium (6.45 ± 1.02) to high (11.21 ± 1.35) and are evident of the satisfactory soil organic matter (OM) content in the various localities (5.90% ± 0.42% to 10.65% ± 0.73%). Total nitrogen (TN) content of the soils ranged from low (0.10%) to very high (0.41%). Biological activity is low due to very poor OM quality (mean C/N > 20). The average available phosphorus status ranged from medium (18.32 ± 3.91 ppm) to very high (69.39 ± 26.09 ppm). The Cationic Exchange Capacity (CEC) was moderate (19.28 - 29.28 cmol⋅kg−1) and was mainly contributed by soil organic matter. Base saturation ranged from low (28.0%) to medium (48.83%). Assessment of endomycorrhizal colonization showed that the intensity (I), frequency (Fr) and specific density of spores (Ds) were not significantly different among sites. A high level of available P in the Santchou soils appears to be the major cause for the lowest values of Fr, I, and Ds observed. These results reaffirm the link between soil physicochemical properties and endomycorrhizal infection in T. cordifolia. Site characteristics and soil OM quality are factors to be considered in promoting the establishment of mycorrhizal symbiosis for profitable and sustainable cultivation of T. cordifolia.

Soil conservation and sustainable development goals(SDGs)achievement in Europe and central Asia:Which role for the European soil partnership?

Voluntary soil protection measures are not sufficient to achieve sustainable soil management at a global scale.Additionally,binding soil protection legislation at national and international levels has also proved to be insufficient for the effective protection of this almost non-renewable natural resource.The European Soil Partnership(ESP)and its sub-regional partnerships(Eurasian Sub-Regional Soil Partnership,Alpine Soil Partnership)were established in the context of FAO's Global Soil Partnership(GSP)with the mission to facilitate and contribute to the exchange of knowledge and technologies related to soils,to develop dialogue and to raise awareness for the need to establish a binding global agreement for sustainable soil management The ESP has taken a role of an umbrella network covering countries in Europe and Central Asia.It aims to improve the dialogue in the whole region and has encouraged establishing goals that would promote sustainable soil management taking into account various national and local approaches and priorities,as well as cultural specificities.The ESP first regional implementation plan for the 2017—2020 period was adopted and implemented along the five GSP pillars of action.Building on the experience of the last four years,this study demonstrates that establishing sub-regional and national partnerships is an additional step in a concrete sustainable soil management implementation process.It also suggests that a complementary approach between legal instruments and voluntary initiatives linked to the development of efficient communication and strong commitment is the key to success.

The transformation of agriculture in Brazil through development and adoption of Zero Tillage Conservation Agriculture

The soil conservation movement in Brazil has been a major driving force in the continuing search for agricultural farming systems that are more sustainable than what we have today,particularly in tropical and subtropical areas.The development and adoption of Zero Tillage Conservation Agriculture(ZT/CA)was the key to the success of this movement,generating agricultural,environmental,and societal benefits.Adoption of the ZT/CA philosophy and technologies is currently practiced on more than 50%of the annual crop area.This is due to the work and innovations of pioneering farmers,agronomists,researchers,and consultants that were and are involved in these efforts.This extensive adoption of ZT/CA occurred after many unsuccessful efforts to mitigate against the devastating effects of soil erosion that were threatening the entire agricultural industry in Brazil.Technicians and farmers realized that erosion control required continual cover of the soil to guard against the torrential rain storms common to these regions.This triggered the efforts of soil conservation pioneers at different points in time and regions of Brazil.In southern Brazil,Herbert Bartz,watched his topsoil eroding away in torrents of runoff.This set him thinking and searching for alternatives,resulting in his adoption of ZT/CA farming in 1972.Ten years later in Brazil’s centre-western savannah(Cerrado biome),farmers,researchers,crop consultants and agro-industry initiated efforts to expand cultivation into the very difficult production region of the Cerrados.This was successfully achieved through the pioneering work of agronomist John Landers,bringing experience from the ZT/CA farmer association networks in the south.These were the turning points in the sustainable development of annual crop farming in Brazil.Today,society recognizes the role of these pioneers as key to achieving social,economic and environmental sustainability.ZT/CA reversed the historically accelerating degradation of soil organic matter and soil structure by abandoning conventional tillage,thus improving soil physical and chemical characteristics.This was achieved by promoting cover cropping and permanent soil cover with crop residues,crop rotations,and complementary,environmentally suitable soil management technologies.