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Soil quality and fertility

Sustainable crop production is dependent on maintaining and improving soil quality and fertility, which are in turn dependent on organic matter in the soil and its impact on the soil’s chemical, biological and physical properties. Organic matter is the source of life for the immense variety of soil microbes and soil fauna that make nutrients available and build soil structure. Therefore, crop rotations should always include a phase that allows organic matter in the soil to build up i.e. through incorporating perennial grass-clover leys or catch crops during autumn and winter. To protect soil life, the input of nutrients via manure, crop residues or other fertilisers should be well-balanced. Compaction by heavy machinery should be avoided for the same reason.

On this page, you can find tools and resources to help you improve soil quality and fertility, and you can discuss the topic with others.

Featured tools

Recommended tool

Mechanical weeding in arable crops

The guidelines are a comprehensive and practical review of the techniques an organic farmer can use in order to manage weeds in arable systems. The…

Advanced system in wheat: Combination of agronomical levels: The French experiment

The purpose of this tool is to provide information on the production of wheat without pesticides or fertilizer. The tool suggests crop rotation,…

Latest tool

Free-range laying hens: providing species-appropriate and sustainable husbandry

The leaflet provides the most important information on the design, use and care of outdoor runs for laying hens. It includes information on suitable…

Title	Issuing organisation	Project	Year of release	Rating
A farmer’s guide to organic fruit and vegetable production	OCW - Organic Centre Wales	OK-Net Arable	2008	3.5 (2)
Advanced system in wheat: Combination of agronomical levels: The French...	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-	5 (1)
Aerated compost tea (ACT) to improve soil biology and to act as a...	ORC - Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.8 (5)
Assessing soil structure with two simple methods : Spade Test and mini 3D soil...	ARVALIS - Institut du végétal	OK-Net Arable	2017
Autumn cover crops	AIAB - Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica	OK-Net Arable	2018	3 (4)
Bringing the dirt to your doorstep: organic no-till weed management	Rodale Institute	OK-Net Arable	2014	2.8 (4)
Catch crop in maize (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4 (1)
Cereal Disease Encyclopaedia	AHDB - Agriculture and Horticulture Development...	OK-Net Arable	2008
Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 1st module: Strategies to enhance soil...	IAMB - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari	OK-Net Arable	2017
Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 2nd module: Fertilization strategies to...	IAMB - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari	OK-Net Arable	2017
Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 4th module: Technical tools, strategies...	IAMB - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari	OK-Net Arable	2017
Challenges of Organic Arable Farming - 6th module: Recovery and final synthesis	IAMB - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari	OK-Net Arable	2017
Choosing cover crops for arable crop rotations	ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food	OK-Net Arable	2018
Commercial organic fertiliser as supplementary fertilisers in potato crop...	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4 (1)
Composting leaflet – agroecological approach at your farm	Bioforum Vlaanderen vzw	OK-Net Arable	2013	4.5 (2)
Control of creeping thistle by stubble cultivation (OK-Net Arable Practice...	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.5 (2)
Controlled traffic farming: A new track for soil and weed control in organic...	Inagro	OK-Net Arable	2018
Controlling docks by stubble cultivation (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.5 (2)
Cover Crop (Rye) and No-Till System in Wisconsin	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	5 (3)
Cover crop and living mulch toolbox	Technical University of Munich TUM, School of Life...	OK-Net Arable	2014	3.4 (10)
Cover crop management and termination	SARE - Sustainable Agriculture Research &...	OK-Net Arable	2014
Cover crop mulches and no-till maize	AIAB - Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica	OK-Net Arable	2018	1 (1)
Cover crop mulches and no-till soybean	AIAB - Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica	OK-Net Arable	2017
Crop rotation and its ability to suppress perennial weeds	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.5 (2)
Crop rotation and its ability to suppress perennial weeds	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2016	3 (1)
Crop Rotation in Organic Systems	OACC - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada,...	OK-Net Arable	-
Crop rotations on diversified farms	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2013
Cultivating a diverse wheat population suitable for low-input and organic...	ORC - Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm	OK-Net Arable	2017	5 (1)
Cultivation in rows – Catch crops - tolerance and regrowth	AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug , SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2018
Cultivation in rows – cereals with catch crops	SEGES , AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug	OK-Net Arable	2018
Cultivation in rows – Nitrogen fixation by catch crops and their effect on yield	SEGES , AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug	OK-Net Arable	2018
Cultivation in rows – Sowing time for catch crops	AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug , SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2018	5 (2)
Cultivation in rows – Weed control between stubble rows	AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug , SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2018
Cultivation in rows – Weed control in spring cereal grains	AU - Aarhus University , KU - Copenhagen University , AgroIntelli , Økologisk VKST , Barritskov Land- og Skovbrug , SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2018	5 (1)
Demonstration of Hoeing Machines in Arable Farming	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2011
Demonstration of Plough Dethatchers	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	4.5 (2)
Determine compost quality using the cress tests (OK-Net Arable Practice...	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2018
Direct drilling of winter cereals	AIAB - Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica	OK-Net Arable	2018
Direct Sowing of Maize	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2015
Direct sowing with green manure	Bioselena - Foundation for organic agriculture , IFOAM EU	OK-Net Arable	2018
Diverse fertility building leys in arable rotations	ORC - Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm	OK-Net Arable	2017	3.5 (2)
DSS "Weed Control in Organic Winter Wheat Production"	University of Bonn	OK-Net Arable	2004
Earthworms: architects of fertile soils	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	3.6 (11)
ECOPHYTOPIC – The portal for integrated crop protection of arable crops	ACTA - Les Instituts Techniques Agricoles	OK-Net Arable	-	3.3 (3)
Efficient nitrogen use from livestock manure	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2016
Efficient use of nitrogen from livestock manure	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2017	4 (2)
Free-range laying hens: animal and environment friendly	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net EcoFeed	2001	4 (1)
Free-range laying hens: providing species-appropriate and sustainable husbandry	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture , Bioland Beratung , KÖN - Kompetenzzentrum Ökolandbau Niedersachsen , Bio Austria	OK-Net EcoFeed	2010
Friedrich Wenz on Soil Fertility and Reduced Tillage	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	5 (1)
Getting your land ready to grow organically – certified or not	Michigan State University	OK-Net Arable	2016
Grain legumes and soil fertility - Strategies for a successful cultivation	BfN - Federal Agency for Nature Conservation	OK-Net Arable	2014	3.5 (2)
Green manure and cover crops in organic agriculture: general introduction	ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food	OK-Net Arable	2012
Green manure and cover crops in organic agriculture: guide to the choice of the...	ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food	OK-Net Arable	2012	4 (3)
Growing cover crops in organic arable crop rotations: Best practices from...	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2017	4 (2)
Growing cover crops in organic arable crop rotations: best practices from...	SEGES	OK-Net Arable	2016
Hairy Vetch – an Excellent Green Manure for Dry Conditions	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	4 (2)
Healthy Grassland Soils Pocketbook	AHDB - Agriculture and Horticulture Development...	OK-Net Arable	2015
How to successfully convert to organic arable farming	LFI - Ländliches Fortbildungsinstitut Österreich	OK-Net Arable	2017	5 (2)
Incorporating Green Manures	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2013	4.5 (2)
Inter-row cultivation for mechanical weed control in winter oilseed rape	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-
Intercropping grain peas with barley	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2015
Intercropping grain peas with barley (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.3 (3)
Knowledge exchange platform for agroecology	SOLAGRO	OK-Net Arable	-	3.2 (6)
LeNiBa - the KTBL / isip app for nitrogen balancing of legumes	KTBL - Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der...	OK-Net Arable	-
Ley Destruction with Shallow Ploughing or Cultivators	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2016
Living mulch in vegetables	AIAB - Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica	OK-Net Arable	2015
Managing for Soil Health on an Organic Farm - A Farmer's Perspective	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2014
Mechanical Weed Control in Maize	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2013
Mechanical weeding in arable crops	ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food	OK-Net Arable	2012	4.6 (9)
Monitoring and comparing cover crop performances	ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food	OK-Net Arable	2018
Multispectral remote sensing in participatory on-farm variety trials	ÖMKi - Hungarian Research Institute of Organic...	OK-Net Arable	2018
NDICEA - Nitrogen Planer – version 6.2	LBI - Louis Bolk Institute	OK-Net Arable	2014	4 (4)
New ways of stubble cultivation	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2010
Nitrogen budget calculator. A tool to calculate N-budgets in organic forage...	ZALF - Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape...		2013	3.8 (4)
No-till cultivation of maize in rolled forage peas (OK-Net Arable Practice...	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017
Nutrient Budgeting: Organic Considerations for Implementing NRCS CPS 590	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2014
Nutrient management in farms in conversion to organic	LfULG - Sächsische Landesanstalt für Umwelt,...	OK-Net Arable	2008
Nutrient supply	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2011	2 (1)
Oregon Tilth 2017 WEBINAR SERIES	Oregon Tilth	OK-Net Arable	2017
Organic Cereals	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2010	4 (3)
Organic Cover Cropping and Intercropping	Washington State University - Puyallup	OK-Net Arable	2011
Organic cultivation in autumn 2016 - Varieties, Seeds and Crop management	LFI - Ländliches Fortbildungsinstitut Österreich	OK-Net Arable	2016
Organic Cultivation in Spring 2016 - Varieties, Seeds and Crop management	LFI - Ländliches Fortbildungsinstitut Österreich	OK-Net Arable	2016
Organic Field Crop Production	OACC - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada,...	OK-Net Arable	-
Organic no-till systems	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2013
Organic quality wheat production - Results of long-term field trials of...	LFI - Ländliches Fortbildungsinstitut Österreich	OK-Net Arable	2016
Organic Small Grain Production	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2011
Organic Weed Management: A Practical Guide	Charles Merfield	OK-Net Arable	2000
Pest Management in Organic Cropping Systems	OACC - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada,...	OK-Net Arable	-
Pest Management in Organic Production Systems	Southern Regional Extension Forestry	OK-Net Arable	2011
Potato Crop Management	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2010
Practical advice for organic production of lupines	Landesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft und...	OK-Net Arable	2014	4 (4)
Processing Quality of Organic Wheat	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2015
Quick test for infiltration of arable soils	Bioland , FiBL Projekte GmbH	OK-Net Arable	2018
Reduced Tillage	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	3.5 (2)
Reduced Tillage Stubble Incorporation - Comparsion of Different Machine Types	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2013	4 (1)
Reduced Tillage Systems - Practical Recommendation	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2014	3.7 (3)
Regionally adapted humus balance in organic farming	LfULG - Sächsische Landesanstalt für Umwelt,...	OK-Net Arable	2013	3.7 (3)
Results an lessons learnt from field vegetables activity - cabbage	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-
Results and lessons learnt from wheat-based cropping system activity	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-
Rolling of grains to prevent winter kill damage (OK-Net Arable Practice...	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017
ROTOR: organic crop rotation planner	ZALF - Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape...	OK-Net Arable	2007	4.6 (11)
Satellite based and camera-controlled steering systems	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2015	2 (1)
Shallow Ploughing of Leys – Comparison of Different Plough and Cultivator Types	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2015
Simple building blocks for improved soil fertility – Look and judge yourself	Inagro	OK-Net Arable	2007
SmartSOIL Tool	AU - Aarhus University	OK-Net Arable	2015	2 (3)
Soil and Fertility Management in Organic Systems	OACC - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada,...	OK-Net Arable	-	5 (1)
Soil fertility - manure treatment	Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum Liebegg	OK-Net Arable	2009
Soil protection and Crop Rotation	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2007
Soil quality test kit guide	USDA - United States Department of Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2001	3.1 (7)
Soil tillage	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2013
SOILapp	School of Advanced Studies Sant'Anna, Institute of... , Scuola Esperienziale Itinerante di Agricoltura... , AEGILOPS - The Greek Network for Biodiversity and...	OK-Net Arable	2018
SoilDoc	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture		2019
Sort Out Your Soil: A practical guide to green manures	Cotswold Seeds Ltd. , Garden Organic	OK-Net Arable	-	4 (5)
Spade test	ISARA - Institut supérieure d’agriculture Lyon	OK-Net Arable	2016
Testing peas for legume fatigue (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	5 (1)
The Basics of Soil Fertility	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2013	2.7 (3)
The Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR)	ZALF - Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape...	OK-Net Arable	2007	4 (4)
The Spade test - Visual soil assessment in the field	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2016	4.7 (3)
The use of legumes - Nature-compatible cultivation practices	BfN - Federal Agency for Nature Conservation	OK-Net Arable	2014
Transition to organic production	OACC - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada,...	OK-Net Arable	-
Use of variety mixtures to reduce disease, increase resource-use efficiency...	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-
Using crop rotation to control wireworms (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4 (1)
Visual soil assessment: field guide for cropping	Landcare Research	OK-Net Arable	2000	4.4 (5)
Weed control in organic farming through mechanical solutions	University of Kassel	OK-Net Arable	2011	3.5 (4)
Weed control in soy with the finger weeder (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017
Weed harrowing in spring cereals	PURE	OK-Net Arable	-
Winter field peas as green manure before maize (OK-Net Arable Practice Abstract)	FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture	OK-Net Arable	2017	4.5 (2)

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