Chapter
The macrofauna: millipedes, centipedes, spiders, termites, ants, scorpions andearthworms
Interactions between organisms in the soil food web
Ecosystem services provided by the soil biota
Improvement of soil structure and soil water regimes
Production, storage and release of nutrients
Suppression of soilborne pests and pathogens
Degradation of toxic compounds
The soil–root interface: a key site of biological activity
Maintenance of the energy sources required to sustain soil biological processes
Chapter 4: Soilborne diseases: a major impediment to cropproduction
Diseases caused by Rhizoctonia
Root rot, crown rot and vascular wilt diseases caused by Fusarium
Take-all of cereals caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis
Root rot and damping-off diseases caused by Pythium and Phytophthora
Pachymetra root rot of sugarcane
Diseases caused by Sclerotinia and Sclerotium
Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum
Diseases caused by nematode pests
Estimating the amount of pathogen inoculum in soil
Effects of environment and management on pathogen inoculum levels and disease severity
Diagnosis of soilborne diseases
Integrated disease management
Chapter 5: Impact of natural enemies on soilborne pathogens
Interactions within the soil food web and their effects on soilborne pestsand pathogens
Classical, inundative, and conservation biological control, and its relevance tosoilborne pests and pathogens
Disease-suppressive soils: organic matter-mediated and specific forms of suppression
Benefits and limitations of different forms of suppression
Identification of disease-suppressive soils, and indicators of suppression
Impact of management on disease suppression
The key role of organic matter in improving soil health and enhancingdisease suppression
Examples of disease suppression
Biological suppression of Rhizoctonia root rot
Take-all decline of cereals
Disease suppression in horticulture
Specific suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes
The role of organic and biological products in improving plant growth or enhancing disease suppression
Soil improvers, bio-stimulants and plant-growth promoters
Confirming the efficacy of organic and biological products
Chapter 6: A practical guide to improving soil health andreducing losses from soilborne diseases
Assess soil health and identify any physical, chemical and biological constraints
Soil physical and chemical factors
Low biological activity and diversity
Determine the main limiting factors
Identify options for improvement
Monitor soilborne pathogens and beneficial organisms
Modify soil and crop management practices
Instigate a continuous process of assessment, modification and re-assessment
Case study: Growers and consultants use a root diseasetesting service to monitor pathogens and reduce lossesfrom soilborne diseases
Chapter 7: Grain farming systems to improve soil health andenhance biological suppression of soilborne diseases
Conservation agriculture: the first step in building an active, diverse andresilient soil biological community
Conservation agriculture and soil organic matter
The key role of high cropping intensities and crop rotation
The biological impact of conservation agriculture
Second-tier practices to continue the soil improvement process
Avoidance of compaction through traffic control
Biomass-producing cover crops and organic amendments
Integrated crop and livestock production
Site-specific management of inputs
Integrated pest management systems
Options to further improve best-practice farming systems
More effective plant nutrition
Greater levels of disease suppression and biological control
Improved resilience under stress
Case study: Reducing risk in a drought-prone environmentby improving nutrient use efficiency
Chapter 8: Annual and perennial pastures to improve soil health in grain-cropping systems
The role of perennial pastures in improving soil health
The impact of climate and pasture species on soil biological properties
The contribution of mixed farming systems to sustainability
Choice of pasture species
Case study: Living roots mean a healthy, living soil
Chapter 9: Yield decline of sugarcane: a soil health problemovercome by modifying the farming system
The conventional sugarcane farming system
The impact of the conventional sugarcane farming system on soil health
Soil structure/compaction
A more sustainable sugarcane farming system
Soil health and biological benefits from the new farming system
The impact of the new sugarcane farming system on soilborne pests and pathogens
Effects on Pachymetra root rot
Managing nematode pests with rotation crops
The impact of tillage on the resurgence of nematode pests
Enhancing suppression of nematode pests with inputs of organic matter
Specific suppression of nematode pests by bacteria in the genus Pasteuria
Effects of pesticides and fertilisers on the biological health of sugarcane soils
Improving soil health is a long-term process
Case study: Incremental changes to a sugarcane farmingsystem improve soil health and profitability
Case study: Controlled traffic and soybean rotation cropsproduce multiple benefits in a sugarcane farming system
Chapter 10: Vegetable farming systems: the challenge of improving soil health and sustainability in an industry that demands high levels of productivity
High-input vegetable production systems
Possible components of more sustainable vegetable production systems
Crop rotation, cover crops, companion planting and residue retention
Appropriate planting times and cultural practices
Integrated management of pests and diseases
Organic and biological products
Integrated management systems
Case study: No-till zucchini production reduces costs andimproves soil health in the dry tropics
Case study: Sustainable vegetable production on landprone to soil erosion
Chapter 11: Options for improving soil health and minimising losses from soilborne diseases in perennial horticultural crops
Reducing or eliminating tillage
Using cover crops to maintain ground cover
Examples of disease management systems for perennial crops
The Ashburner system of controlling Phytophthora root rot of avocado
Mulching to reduce specific replant disease in apple orchards
Root disease management in banana
Enhancing specific agents to suppress particular pathogens
Case study: Managing soil, water and nematode pests on a banana plantation in a tropical environment
Case study: Wine-grape production with a focus on sustainability
Chapter 12: Key soil health messages, and practices that should be included in holistic soil improvement programs
The main messages from the book
Key practices to improve soil health and sustainability
References and further reading
Soil Health, Soil Biology, Soilborne Diseases and Sustainable Agriculture
：A Guide
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