Abstract

There is a need to develop new strategies to maintain and increase food production on degraded agricultural soils while decreasing the environmental impact of agricultural production. These strategies can be based on the concept of soil as a ‘natural bioreactor”, including modulation of Al/Fe complexes and the microbial carbon pump. Utilization of organic residues in agriculture provides one solution. This chapter shows that transformation of these residues through composting, co-composting and/or thermal treatment can produce a new generation of innovative fertilizers able to foster SOC sequestration as well as improve plant nutrient use and reduce environmental impacts.