ABSTRACT
Different chemical, physical and biological properties of soils interact in various ways and determine its capacity to produce wholesome and nourishing food (Table 1). Interactions among these soil properties play an important role in determining ecosystem stability and sustainability. The integration of these properties and the resulting level of productivity is referred to as ‘soil quality’. Integrated soil health parameters reflect the capacity of soils to respond to agricultural intervention, while continuously supporting both the agricultural production and various requirements of ecosystem services. A healthy soil is the cornerstone of life on earth, facilitating ecosystem biodiversity, ample food production, effective water infiltration and storage and carbon sequestration. Managing soil health serves as a nexus for achieving increased production while reducing the environmental impacts of the current US row crop production system (The Nature Conservancy, 2016).
