Abstract

Food and fibre crop production require soils to be maintained in a suitable state that provides optimal soil structure, water retention and nutrient availability. The physical, chemical and biological properties of soil interact to deliver these functions. Measuring soil health therefore requires an integrated approach that combines the assessment of the chemical, physical and biological properties of soil. There is a good understanding of the soil chemical and physical constraints to crop and grassland productivity, however, the role of soil biology is less clear.
A key aim of the Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership is to improve our understanding of soil biology and to explore ways that farmers can measure and manage soil health. The Partnership is investigating the value of DNA markers for estimating the effect of soil- and crop-management practices on the microbiological diversity of
soils as well as to study the population dynamics of beneficial versus plant pathogenic fungi
and bacteria.