Soil health

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Healthy soils are important for the future of crop production in Europe and healthy crop rotations are a pre-requisite to maintain, improve or restore soil health. Nematodes and soil-borne pathogens are causing a threat to soil health. The decision support tools developed by the EU thematic network Best4Soil help the sustainable control of these threats.

How does it work ?

  • Farmer sees strange symptoms in the field
  • Takes a soil sample. Soil analysis shows problematic nematodes
  • Uses the Best4Soil Decision Support Tool
  • Selects the crops and makes an output scheme
  • Decides on measures to take

Outcome
The farmer can take informed decisions for the control of pests & improve soil health

Imagen2

Non-chemical control measures

  • Change order of crops
  • Replace a susceptible variety with a resistant variety or choose an alternative crop
  • Include resistant green manure/cover crops in the rotation
  • Grow Tagetes for active control of Pratylenchus penetrans
  • Apply anaerobic soil disinfection
  • Apply inundation

Impact

Increases biological soil health

No use of chemical soil disinfection