Quality compost and soil quality

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of quality compost on soil Carbon dynamics and structure of different soils, typical of cultivated areas of Tuscany. The possible arrangement of OM into the soil aggregates architecture was evaluated by means of a low-temperature ashing procedure under oxygen plasma. Overall data show that quality compost is able to improve both organic C content and structure of Tuscan soils with time. The analytical approach utilised in this study could result in setting up a methodology to acknowledge "carbon credits" to farmers, for an economic reward of doing their best to maintain and increase the OM content in soils.