Agroecological Engineering to Biocontrol Soil Pests for Crop Health

Abstract

Due to increasing compost use in agriculture, there is an urgent need to evaluate compost bene fi ts and impacts versus other fertilizers. Here we review the recent progress made in the quanti fi cation of positive effects associated with compost use on land using life cycle assessment (LCA), an internationally recognised environmental tool. Nine environmental bene fi ts were identi fi ed in an extensive literature review: nutrient supply, carbon sequestration, weed pest and disease suppression, increase in crop yield, decreased soil erosion, retention of soil moisture, increased soil workability, enhanced soil biological properties and biodiversity, and gain in crop nutritional quality. Quantitative fi gures for each bene fi t were drawn from the literature and classi fi ed into short-term: less than 1 year; mid-term: less than 10 years and long-term: less than 100 years.