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Soil quality of organically managed citrus orchards in the Mediterranean area.

Canali, Stefano (2003) Soil quality of organically managed citrus orchards in the Mediterranean area. In: Organic Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies. OECD. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK, chapter 2, pp. 115-125.

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Summary

Soil quality can be defined as the capacity of a soil to function, whilst maintaining the environmental quality and promoting plant and animal health. It also refers to the capability of soil to function at present and in the future for an indefinite period of time. Soil quality is a basic concept in the sustainable management of any agricultural system aimed at producing, avoiding or reducing negative effects on the environment, preserving resources and saving energy on a medium- or long-term basis and its assessment might be considered a means for the evaluation of the environmental sustainability of agricultural systems. A study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the contribution of the introduction of organic farming system to the environmental sustainability of citrus production in southern Italy, with the assessment of soil quality of conventionally and organically managed citrus orchards. The study was carried out by a field survey, based on a comparative approach at a regional basis and by a farm-level experimental trial. The results obtained indicate an increase of the soil quality on organically managed citrus orchards, thus indicating that the introduction of an organic farming management system may contribute to the increase of the environmental sustainability of citrus production in southern Italy.


EPrint Type:Book chapter
Keywords:soil quality, sustainable management, organic farming system, citrus orchards, carbon and nitrogen mineralisation, nitrogen leaching, humified organic matter
Subjects: Soil > Nutrient turnover
Values, standards and certification > Evaluation of inputs
Farming Systems > Farm nutrient management
Soil > Soil quality
Research affiliation: Italy > CRA - National Council of Agricultural Research
Italy
ISBN:92-64-10150-0
Related Links:http://www.oecd.org
Deposited By: Dell' Orco, Dr. Silvia
ID Code:7836
Deposited On:20 Apr 2006
Last Modified:15 Apr 2011 08:44
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted
Additional Publishing Information:Series name? 53057 2003

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