Agriculture faces unprecedented pressures as climate change increasingly drives unpredictable weather patterns, including erratic rainfall and temperature extremes, while exacerbating soil degradation. These changes imperil global food security by threatening crop productivity and intensifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils, making the development of climate-resilient cropping systems a pressing necessity. Debates within the agricultural research community center on how best to balance productivity with environmental responsibility, as ongoing land degradation and shifting climate variables challenge traditional farming methods and sustainability targets. Recent studies highlight substantial progress in agronomy and soil management yet highlight persistent gaps in the integration of soil health metrics with broader carbon and nitrogen dynamics, especially in the context of climate action and climate policy.

Goal

This Research Topic aims to address the urgent demand for innovative, science-driven solutions that enhance the resilience of cropping systems to climate change while actively advancing climate action through the mitigation of GHG emissions. By focusing on the synergistic integration of soil health indicators with carbon and nitrogen cycling, this initiative seeks to clarify how specific management interventions including conservation tillage, crop diversification, microbial inoculants, and precision nutrient management impact soil structure, microbial activity, and long term GHG fluxes in the context of climate action.

The objective is to uncover evidence-based insights and frameworks that empower both global sustainable intensification efforts and international commitments to low carbon, climate smart agricultural development, with climate action at the forefront of these strategies.

We invite original research, reviews, perspectives, and policy-oriented manuscripts that explore climate-resilient cropping systems as actionable pathways for climate mitigation and adaptation. Relevant themes include, but are not limited to:
• Soil carbon sequestration, nitrogen cycling, and carbon accounting under climate mandates
• Interactions among soil microbiomes, plant physiology, and nutrient efficiency
• Climate-smart and precision technologies for low-carbon cropping systems
• Integration of soil health indicators with measurable climate outcomes
• Policy frameworks linking soil restoration, GHG mitigation, and climate action
• Socioeconomic and governance perspectives on implementing climate-smart practices
Submissions are encouraged by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers addressing the translation of soil and crop science into actionable climate solutions, thereby supporting the global movement toward sustainable, carbon-responsible agriculture.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Climate Resilient Cropping Systems: Integrating Soil Health, GHG Mitigation, and Productivity