0000000000437277
AUTHOR
Claudio Colombo
Reversing agriculture from intensive to sustainable improves soil quality in a semiarid South Italian soil
Intensive agriculture (IA) is widespread in South Italy, although it requires frequent tillage, large amounts of fertilizers and irrigation water. We have assessed the efficacy of reversing IA to sustainable agriculture (SA) in recovering quality of a typical South Italy soil (Lithic Haploxeralf). This reversion, lasting from 2000 to 2007, replaced 75% of nutrients formerly supplied inorganically by farmyard manuring and reduced the tillage frequency. Several chemical and biochemical properties, functionally related to C and N mineralisation–immobilisation processes and to P and S nutrient cycles, were monitored annually from 2005 to 2007 in the spring. Reversing IA to SA decreased soil bul…
Biostimulant Potential of Humic Acids Extracted From an Amendment Obtained via Combination of Olive Mill Wastewaters (OMW) and a Pre-treated Organic Material Derived From Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Olive mill wastewaters (OMW) detain contain significant levels of phenolic compounds with antimicrobial/phytotoxic activity and high amounts of undecomposed organic matter that may a high pollutant load that exerts negative effects on soil biology because of significant levels in phenolic compounds with antimicrobial/phytotoxic activity and limited biodegradability, and high amounts of undecomposed organic matter. Among OMW detoxification techniques, those focusing on oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds are relevant those focusing on oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds to reduce their toxicity. The composting (bio-oxidation) process in particular, exploits exothermic oxidati…