Soil Restoration: Its Principles and Major Projects

1. Shiwani Chaudhary
   Department of Microbiology, School of Basic and Applied Sciences Shri Guru Ram Rai University, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
2. Indra Rautela
   Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied and Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
3. Atal Bihari Bajpai
   Department of Botany, D.B.S. (PG) College, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
4. Shweta Sahni
   Department of Microbiology, School of Basic and Applied Sciences Shri Guru Ram Rai University, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
   *Corresponding author: drshwetasahni@gmail.com

Abstract

Soil is the loose surface material that covers most of the Earth, provides structural support to agriculture plants and source of water and nutrients. Physical and chemical attributes of soil play a crucial role in growth and development of plants. Good soil structure is very important for plant health as it allows water and air movement into and through the soil profile. Soil structure and quality can be improved by proper management of its physical characteristics, maintaining constant ground cover, increasing population of beneficial microbes, encouraging biological diversity, reducing the use of agricultural chemicals, and avoiding tillage. Soil restoration is the most important process for improving the structure, micro flora, nutrient availability, and stable carbon levels of soil. Soil acts both as carbon source by adding carbon to the atmosphere and a carbon sink by removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Carbon compounds derived from the simple sugars which, formed during photosynthesis are essential to the creation of well-structured topsoil. Photosynthesis makes the soil fertile.

Keywords: Soil restoration, Photosynthesis, CMNs, humming bird, RECARE, Soil Haiti, Soil carbon sink