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Soil Quality Impacts of Current South American Agricultural Practices

Author

Listed:
  • Ana B. Wingeyer

    (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná, Ruta 11, km 12,5. Oro Verde, Entre Ríos 3101, Argentina)

  • Telmo J. C. Amado

    (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil)

  • Mario Pérez-Bidegain

    (Universidad de la República, Facultad de Agronomía, Garzón 780, Montevideo 12900, Uruguay)

  • Guillermo A. Studdert

    (Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Unidad Integrada Balcarce. Ruta Nac. 226 Km 73,5. Balcarce, Buenos Aires 7620, Argentina)

  • Carlos H. Perdomo Varela

    (Universidad de la República, Facultad de Agronomía, Garzón 780, Montevideo 12900, Uruguay)

  • Fernando O. Garcia

    (IPNI Latinoamérica-Cono Sur. Av. Santa Fe 910, Acassuso, Buenos Aires B1641ABO, Argentina)

  • Douglas L. Karlen

    (USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE), 2110 University Boulevard, Ames, IA 50011-3120, USA)

Abstract

Increasing global demand for oil seeds and cereals during the past 50 years has caused an expansion in the cultivated areas and resulted in major soil management and crop production changes throughout Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and southern Brazil. Unprecedented adoption of no-tillage as well as improved soil fertility and plant genetics have increased yields, but the use of purchased inputs, monocropping i.e ., continuous soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.), and marginal land cultivation have also increased. These changes have significantly altered the global food and feed supply role of these countries, but they have also resulted in various levels of soil degradation through wind and water erosion, soil compaction, soil organic matter (SOM) depletion, and nutrient losses. Sustainability is dependent upon local interactions between soil, climate, landscape characteristics, and production systems. This review examines the region’s current soil and crop conditions and summarizes several research studies designed to reduce or prevent soil degradation. Although the region has both environmental and soil resources that can sustain current agricultural production levels, increasing population, greater urbanization, and more available income will continue to increase the pressure on South American croplands. A better understanding of regional soil differences and quantifying potential consequences of current production practices on various soil resources is needed to ensure that scientific, educational, and regulatory programs result in land management recommendations that support intensification of agriculture without additional soil degradation or other unintended environmental consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana B. Wingeyer & Telmo J. C. Amado & Mario Pérez-Bidegain & Guillermo A. Studdert & Carlos H. Perdomo Varela & Fernando O. Garcia & Douglas L. Karlen, 2015. "Soil Quality Impacts of Current South American Agricultural Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-30, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:2:p:2213-2242:d:46057
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Powlson, D.S. & Gregory, P.J. & Whalley, W.R. & Quinton, J.N. & Hopkins, D.W. & Whitmore, A.P. & Hirsch, P.R. & Goulding, K.W.T., 2011. "Soil management in relation to sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 72-87, January.
    2. Powlson, D.S. & Gregory, P.J. & Whalley, W.R. & Quinton, J.N. & Hopkins, D.W. & Whitmore, A.P. & Hirsch, P.R. & Goulding, K.W.T., 2011. "Soil management in relation to sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(S1), pages 72-87.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nirmalendu Basak & Biswapati Mandal & Sunanda Biswas & Piu Basak & Tarik Mitran & Bholanath Saha & Arvind Kumar Rai & Md. Khairul Alam & Arvind Kumar Yadav & Ashim Datta, 2022. "Impact of Long Term Nutrient Management on Soil Quality Indices in Rice-Wheat System of Lower Indo-Gangetic Plain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Tiziano Gomiero, 2016. "Soil Degradation, Land Scarcity and Food Security: Reviewing a Complex Challenge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-41, March.
    3. Marcelo Germán Wilson & Alejandro Esteban Maggi & Mario Guillermo Castiglioni & Emmanuel Adrián Gabioud & María Carolina Sasal, 2020. "Conservation of Ecosystem Services in Argiudolls of Argentina," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Cano, Priscila B. & Cabrini, Silvina M. & Peper, Alberto M. & Poggio, Santiago L., 2023. "Multi-criteria assessment of cropping systems for the sustainable intensification in the Pampas," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    5. Videla-Mensegue, H. & Caviglia, O.P. & Sadras, V.O., 2022. "Functional crop types are more important than diversity for the productivity, profit and risk of crop sequences in the inner Argentinean Pampas," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    6. Douglas L. Karlen & Charles W. Rice, 2015. "Soil Degradation: Will Humankind Ever Learn?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-12, September.
    7. José Camilo Bedano & Anahí Domínguez, 2016. "Large-Scale Agricultural Management and Soil Meso- and Macrofauna Conservation in the Argentine Pampas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-25, July.

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