Soil health is a substantial and broad field that covers the physical, chemical and biological components of soil and their interactions.

The objectives of this research project were to:

  1. Critically review the relevant soil health literature;
  2. Identify critical knowledge gaps and provide direction for research priorities in soil health improvement for the potato industry; and
  3. Identify industry-ready information and create extension materials for delivery to potato levy payers and the industry to enable them to improve soil health, and hence productivity and long-term sustainability.

A review of the scientific literature was carried out to determine the knowledge of soil health, defined as the ability of soil to support agricultural productivity in the long term, in potato production systems.

This review considered the different aspects of soil health, how to measure them and how they can be influenced by management practices.

The key messages from this project will encourage the uptake of sustainable and profitable potato practices, while the recommendations will provide additional areas of focus to gain the most benefit from better understanding soil health.