Foreword by Kazuyuki Inubushi
Future Soil Research: A Perspective for Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
As described in this book, the soils of Japan are quite diverse due to the islands’ active
geological activity, unique island climate and predominantly mountainous landscape with
limited but cascade- or integratory-used flat plains. However, intensive agriculture and land
use change have transformed many natural soils to anthropogenic soils over both the short and
long term. Fertilization and irrigation also change the soil properties and influence not only the
agroecosystem but also the global environment, including aspects such as climate change and
ozone layer destruction. Modern industrialization has caused serious soil contamination that is
not easily rehabilitated.
To solve such problems, the Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition was
established in 1927, under the original name of the Society of the Science of Soil and Manure,
after preliminary activities as a part of the Japanese Society of Agronomy. At that time, there
were 1441 members, and there are now more than 2000 including student members. The first
volume of the Journal of the Science of Soil and Manure was published in October 1927 and
contained 10 papers, with titles such as “Distribution and formation of Andosols,” “Composition and function of humic substances,” “Soya bean residue as alternative fertilizer,”
“Fertilizer policy in Japan,” “Effect of phosphorous fertilizer” and “Effect of silicate on plant
disease.” Such topics are still important today.
The English-language Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition started in 1955 as Soil
and Plant Food, which was also published by the Society of the Science of Soil and Manure,
Japan. In its very first issue, a total of 29 papers were published covering soil chemistry and
biology, as well as the application of fertilizers, lime, slag and manure, with titles such as
“Glassy volcanic-ash soils in Japan,” “Some Characteristics of the humus in soil types,” “A
proposed method to determine adequate amount of fertilizers to be applied to crops” and
“Radioactive contamination of plants in Japan.” It may be surprising that there were so many
active studies presented in English, even from the beginning of this journal.
Over nearly 100 years, the circumstances of agriculture and the natural environment have
changed drastically. Additionally, technologies in soil science and related areas have developed tremendously, in association with interdisciplinary fields of science and technology.
However, in terms of human nutrition and welfare, our direction in soil science has not
changed substantially, even with some shift from food security to environmental friendly
agriculture and sustainable development.
vii
Future Soil Research: A Perspective for Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
As described in this book, the soils of Japan are quite diverse due to the islands’ active
geological activity, unique island climate and predominantly mountainous landscape with
limited but cascade- or integratory-used flat plains. However, intensive agriculture and land
use change have transformed many natural soils to anthropogenic soils over both the short and
long term. Fertilization and irrigation also change the soil properties and influence not only the
agroecosystem but also the global environment, including aspects such as climate change and
ozone layer destruction. Modern industrialization has caused serious soil contamination that is
not easily rehabilitated.
To solve such problems, the Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition was
established in 1927, under the original name of the Society of the Science of Soil and Manure,
after preliminary activities as a part of the Japanese Society of Agronomy. At that time, there
were 1441 members, and there are now more than 2000 including student members. The first
volume of the Journal of the Science of Soil and Manure was published in October 1927 and
contained 10 papers, with titles such as “Distribution and formation of Andosols,” “Composition and function of humic substances,” “Soya bean residue as alternative fertilizer,”
“Fertilizer policy in Japan,” “Effect of phosphorous fertilizer” and “Effect of silicate on plant
disease.” Such topics are still important today.
The English-language Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition started in 1955 as Soil
and Plant Food, which was also published by the Society of the Science of Soil and Manure,
Japan. In its very first issue, a total of 29 papers were published covering soil chemistry and
biology, as well as the application of fertilizers, lime, slag and manure, with titles such as
“Glassy volcanic-ash soils in Japan,” “Some Characteristics of the humus in soil types,” “A
proposed method to determine adequate amount of fertilizers to be applied to crops” and
“Radioactive contamination of plants in Japan.” It may be surprising that there were so many
active studies presented in English, even from the beginning of this journal.
Over nearly 100 years, the circumstances of agriculture and the natural environment have
changed drastically. Additionally, technologies in soil science and related areas have developed tremendously, in association with interdisciplinary fields of science and technology.
However, in terms of human nutrition and welfare, our direction in soil science has not
changed substantially, even with some shift from food security to environmental friendly
agriculture and sustainable development.
vii