Improving soil health

1.Soil health: towards a sustainable world: William R. Horwath, University of California-Davis, USA;

Part 1 Dimensions of soil health

2.Soil health: definitions, history, key concepts and hurdles: Michelle M. Wander, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA;

3.Understanding biological processes in soil: Regina O'Kelley and David D. Myrold, Oregon State University, USA;

4.Mycorrhizae and soil health: Muhammad Adnan et al.;

Part 2 Cultivation practices and soil health

5.Agricultural traffic management systems and soil health: Paula A. Misiewicz, Magdalena Kaczorowska-Dolowy, David R. White, Edward Dickin and Richard J. Godwin, Harper Adams University, UK;

6.Assessing the effects of no-till cultivation practices on soil health: Alison Hamm and Daniel K. Manter, USDA-ARS, USA;

7.Cover crops for soil health: Sieglinde S. Snapp, Michigan State University, USA; Carmen M. Ugarte, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Dane W. Hunter, Southern Illinois University, USA; and Michelle M. Wander, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA;

8.Assessing the effects of crop residue retention on soil health: Hero T. Gollany, USDA-ARS, USA;

Part 3 The role of organic and other soil amendments

9.Assessing the effects of compost on soil health: Cristina Lazcano et al.;

10.Assessing the effects of using animal manure on soil health: Ashraf M. Tubeileh, California Polytechnic State University, USA; and Michael J. Goss, University of Guelph, Canada

11.Assessing the effect of biosolids on soil health: Fiona A. Nicholson, Anne Bhogal, Alison Rollett and John R. Williams, ADAS, UK;

12.Biofertilizers: assessing the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on soil health: M. J. Salomon et al.;

13.Biofertilizers: assessing the effects of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) or rhizobacteria (PGPR) on soil and plant health: Elisa Zampieri, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Italy; Iakovos S. Pantelides, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus; and Raffaella Balestrini, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Italy;

14.The role of liming in improving soil health: Richard C. Hayes et al.;