About My Research

Soil degradation is increasing globally, threatening soil health, biodiversity, and food security (Bindraben et al., 2012). Most causes of degradation, such as aggressive tilling, agricultural intensification, soil compaction, and loss of organic matter, cause dramatic drops in soil biodiversity (FAO, 2020). A major shift in agricultural practices is needed to ensure soils remain productive and high yielding, especially with an increase in extreme events due to climate change. Regenerative agricultural practices ensure the restoration of soil biodiversity in agroecosystems, enhance soil health, reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHGs), and benefit soil resilience and profitable crop growth (FAO, 2020).

Currently, one crucial component of the soil ecosystem, namely the primary decomposing soil fungi, is severely understudied in South Africa (Janion-Scheepers et al., 2016). Soil fungi are critical in decomposition, carbon transformation, nutrient cycling, soil structure, biological regulation, and the formation of soil organic matter (SOM) (Christensen, 1989; De Boer et al., 2005; FAO, 2020). Increased SOM results in better soil drainage, nutrient retention, and compaction mitigation. Fungi are also important contributors to healthy soil food webs e.g., as a food source for fungivorous nematodes and Collembola (FAO, 2020; Yeates et al., 2009). However, only a small fraction of the world’s fungi has been described, and little is known about the functional traits of many fungal taxa (FAO, 2020). Ultimately, understanding soil fungi could be key in sustainable agricultural production.

Similarly, little is known about the diversity, function of and interactions between important soil fungi and Collembola in South African agricultural soils. Like fungi, Collembola are among the most diverse, abundant, and functionally important invertebrates in soil ecosystems, causing fragmentation and decomposition of leaf litter, and soil formation (Janion-Scheepers et al., 2016; Potapov et al., 2016). Collembola consume fungi and can transport fungal spores through the soil. However, the extent to which this is beneficial to fungal communities and the development of healthy soils is yet unknown. More scientifically rigorous research on fungal and collembolan communities is needed to uncover the important roles they play in the development of sustainable agriculture.

This Ph.D. project is part of a multi-year trial that was started in 2021 by Syngenta’s Europe, Africa, and Middle East (EAME) Field Production team in South Africa’s semi-desert Western Cape region. The main focus areas of the trial are to observe the effects of three different soil treatments, namely conventional practices, mulching and cover crop treatments, on brassica seed yield, yield variability, seed quality and associated changes in inorganic soil chemistry, biodiversity and nutrient cycling. This work is being done in collaboration with researchers from both the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University (Andrews, 2023; Nel, 2023; Alweendo, 2024) and is supported by The Nature Conservancy. This collaboration aims to gain deeper knowledge of the impacts of regenerative practices which will, in turn, provide farm practitioners choices for implementing these practices based on the empirical evidence collected in this study.