The impact of soil erosion on soil fertility and vine vigor

Fig: Soil Organic Carbon and weight of prune residue (Novara et al. 2018)

Soil is the most important natural resources for food production. Unfortunately, due to human induced cause like land degradation, it is causing soil erosion. Erosion impacts crop yields and threatens soil system (Mol and Keesstra, 2012). Erosion also leads to loss of nutrients, decrease thickness of soil level and lower soil water holding capacity (García-Díaz et al. 2017; Li et al., 2016). In Europe wheat yield losses ranged from 0.04% year and 0.67% year in Australia (Cerdà et al., 2017, Den Biggelaar et al. 2003). Researcher Agata Novara and her colleagues conducted a research to analyze the interactions among vines vigor, sediment delivery and soil organic carbon (SOC) in a sloping vineyard. Their results confirmed that soil erosion, sediment redistribution and SOC across the slope strongly affected by topographic features and curvature. To avoid the negative effects of soil fertility reduction on plant vigor, farmers can increase the use of external input which lead to a decrease of yield sustainability. In order to maintain the yield sustainability, we should control soil erosion and can help increase yield sustainability.

Original article:
Novara, A., Pisciotta, A., Minacapilli, M., Maltese, A., Capodici, F., Cerdà, A., & Gristina, L. (2018). The impact of soil erosion on soil fertility and vine vigor. A multidisciplinary approach based on field, laboratory and remote sensing approaches. Science of The Total Environment, 622-623, 474–480. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.272