Summary
This review synthesises the emerging academic literature on eight distinct on-farm composting methods used in organic and regenerative farming, identifying their differential impacts on soil health, crop productivity, and carbon dynamics. The authors find that application rates aligned with land production potential (1–2 t ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) improve long-term soil health, but that evidence quality varies considerably across methods; biodynamic approaches and lactic acid fermentation show particular promise for carbon retention, whilst vermicompost and compost teas offer specific benefits for nutrient availability and disease suppression respectively. The review highlights a critical need for standardised, comparative studies using identical feedstocks across methods to enable uptake at scale.
Regional applicability
The review draws on international academic literature without specifying geographic focus; findings on composting methods and their soil impacts are broadly transferable to United Kingdom organic and regenerative farming systems, particularly regarding application rates calibrated to regional production potential and the integration of composting within mixed arable or livestock operations.
Key measures
Soil health indicators, crop yields, carbon retention, nutrient availability, disease suppression, plant growth promotion
Outcomes reported
The review synthesised evidence on eight composting methods (windrow, hot composting, biodynamic, aerated static pile, Bokashi fermentation, vermicomposting, extracts, and teas) and their effects on soil health, crop yields, and carbon cycling. It identified relative strengths and gaps in the literature regarding agronomic, soil and environmental impacts across different composting approaches.
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