Soil Science in Italy

As elsewhere in Europe and North America, Italian soil science stemmed from other disciplines like geology, agronomy, chemistry, or botany, in the XIX century. In the same period, Italy was becoming a united nation. Thus, the consolidation of the scientific community was closely linked to the nationalistic and patriotic spirit that characterised the Italian intellectual class of the XIX century. Several early soil scientists were multifaceted personalities, intellectuals involved in politics, who actively participated in the process of unification and who had to cope with a divided community not only among disciplines but also among different heritages in terms of infrastructures and cultural environments. The early agricultural faculties, often linked to pre-existing scientific academies, and the agricultural technical institutes linked to the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade, were mostly devoted to the study of soil in terms of substratum for crop growth and plant nutrition and gave rise to some important soil chemistry schools. The faculties of natural sciences, with the prominent role of geologists, have been more involved in the study of the distribution of different soils and on their formation, giving rise to agro-geology. With some important exceptions, the two broad disciplinary fields remained separated until the beginning of the twentieth century when, facilitated by the first international soil congresses, Italian soil science started to move its first autonomous steps.

This chapter focuses on the events leading to the establishment of the International Society of Soil Science (ISSS) during the Fourth International Conference of Pedology in Rome on 19 May 1924, in the headquarters of the International Agriculture Institute, then housed in the prestigious Villa Lubin. It highlights the support of major soil scientists, the historical context, and the preceding international conferences. The chapter particularly emphasizes Italy’s contribution to organizing the IV Conference of Pedology and the scientific input of Italian scientists. It also discusses the scientific content of the conference and its implications at both international and Italian levels.

This chapter deals with the history of soil science in Italy in the period from 1924 to 1952, i.e. from the foundation of the International Soil Science Society (currently International Union of Soil Sciences—IUSS) to the foundation of the Italian Society of Soil Science (Società Italiana della Scienza del Suolo—SISS). It was a period of difficulties because of the World War I and the outbreak of the World War II. The paucity of funding together with the lack of adequate structures and qualified personnel made it difficult for soil science to proceed towards the new paradigms of genetic pedology. However, individual specialists, scholars with great spirit and brilliant ideas, carried out relevant progresses in the knowledge and the diffusion of information on soils. A great part of the merit for the development of soil science in Italy in this period must be attributed to several outstanding scientists of the first decades of the twentieth century, whose contribution to the diffusion of the new subdiscipline “pedology” (or “geopedology”) within natural sciences was essential. Paolo Principi was a pioneer in genetic pedology and may be considered the actual founder of the school of soil science in Italy, with many scholars who followed his teaching. Other outstanding scientists from different places in north, centre, and south Italy contributed to the progress of soil science, overcoming the historical dichotomy between agrogeology and agrochemistry.

For the development of soil science in Italy, the period lasting from 1950s to the 1980s was of particular importance. It was in this period that the Italian Soil Science Society (SISS) was founded as well as the Experimental Institute for Soil Study and Conservation in Florence, a privileged venue for the development of soil science in the years to come. Also in that period, the Committee for the Soil Map of Italy was established, allowing the development of soil mapping at national level, and the so-called Soil Conservation project started. Such project continued in the 1980s, stimulating the increase and development of several soil research teams in different Italian regions and universities and of the scientific production and participation of Italian researchers in international conferences.

There is no doubt that the years from 1980 to 2000 saw an extraordinary development of soil science starting from its huge opening to the outside world. A significant increase in the publication of soil sciences in the most prestigious international journals in the field dates back to that period. At the same time, the participation of Italian scientists in international events and conferences has enlarged, and training courses for young Italian researchers have increased in the most prestigious scientific institutions in the world. This internationalization of scientific research paved the way not only for international collaborations but also for a new way of tackling research problems in Italy. Essentially, there has been a transition from a type of research based on individual programmes or small groups, mostly belonging to a single institution, to collegial research groups working on national projects, the so-called finalized projects. This new approach to the major research issues has led to the involvement not only of purely research structures but also of other public and private institutions. The National Pedological and Soil Quality Observatory was an example of this collaboration involving, among other institutions, regional authorities, and their staff. The great technological innovations of that time and the still acceptable financial resources have also made available to soil science researchers a considerable stock of equipment that has enabled cutting-edge research. In addition, in those years, many activities of development of analytical manuals and methodologies have been planned that have had the advantage of being able to compare the scientific results of different laboratories.

In this chapter, we address a series of topics that have experienced a strong evolution or become important issues since 2000 to date in Italy. Topics range from (i) legislative acts that have affected soil science to (ii) the advancements in the fields of pedology, palaeosols, analytical methods, slush and burn, use of compost, and GIS to (iii) the increased knowledge on the soil threats, the use of compost, the effect of fire on soil, the soil-snow relationship, the pedotechniques, the pedo-archaeologic studies, to (iv) new topics that have gained interest like hydromorphic and subaqueous soils, use of biochar and graphite in agriculture, omic sciences, and pedo-medicine.

This chapter addresses the future of soil science from an Italian perspective. It complements a previously published work, “Future Soil Issues”, in the Springer monograph Soils of Italy (Terribile et al., 2013), where we analysed Italian society's request for soil research. Here, we aimed to develop a more focused contribution towards the research trends of soil science research in Italy to indicate future soil research. We place this analysis in the framework of the new soil policy scenario (e.g. SDG’s) in the EU and Italy. We identified hot topics in Italian soil science research evaluated by mapping co-citation as indicators of research trends with the method…the following co-citation clusters: humus, soil biology, soil hydrology, soil mapping, soil erosion, soil science and climate change, soil and land degradation in the Mediterranean, soil remediation, agroecology, and soil awareness. An Italian scientist expert in that specific research domain has treated each topic analytically. Each research topic is described in distinct paragraphs written by Italian experts, each one addressing why the topic is essential for the future, the technological perspective in view of the future, and what are the next developments to highlight future trends for each specific topic. Overall, the chapter enables an understanding of the potential and limitations of the Italian system of soil research, also considering the international context. Globally, the chapter highlights the considerable evolution of soil science research in Italy but also presents criticisms in the following aspects: (i) high fragmentation of soil research and the poor interaction between the various soil science topics, (ii) gaps between research products and practical application into soil solutions especially considering soil stakeholders, and (iii) relatively low research impacts on soil policy and low levels of soil literacy. This chapter will fuel closer interaction between Italian soil scientists, and it will also highlight opportunities for increasing collaboration of the global soil science community with Italian scientists and will provide better opportunities to make knowledge-based soil policy updates.

The authors illustrate the development of the soil science surveys in the Abruzzo region over the last three decades. The first part of the chapter takes into consideration the contributions by the so-called Pedologic Team (Nucleo Pedologico) and the Agrochemical Laboratory (Laboratorio Agrochimico) of the Regional Agency for Agricultural Development Services (ARSSA: Agenzia Regionale per i Servizi di Sviluppo Agricolo) that in time was renamed Centre for the Study of Abruzzo Soil and Landscape (SAPA: Centro per lo Studio del Suolo e del Paesaggio Abruzzese) and lastly Soil Office and Laboratory—Agricultural Department of Abruzzo region. The second part illustrates the contribution to the soil science development and evolution in the Abruzzo region due to research activities performed at the University of L’Aquila.

This chapter deals with the development of soil science studies in Basilicata. After an overview of the role played by the initiators of soil studies in the region, the soil surveys carried out in Basilicata by external institutions, regional office and the University of Basilicata are discussed.

The history of soil science in Calabria is about 60 years old and thus relatively younger than in other Italian regions, although occasional older roots can be traced back to the second half of the twentieth century up to the late nineteenth century. Nonetheless, the contribution to the study of local soils and corresponding applications, often started by researchers mostly operating in other parts of Italy, has been continuously growing through time thanks to the long-lasting establishment of soil scientists in this region. This trend has been favored by the coexistence of different research institutions, such as institutes of the current Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), and the Regional Agency for Development and Services in Agriculture (ARSSA), along with two academic bodies (University of Calabria, in Rende—CS, and the Mediterranean University, in Reggio Calabria). All these institutions have progressively increased high-tech laboratory equipment and facilities, where staff with multidisciplinary background and expertise has been and/or is currently enrolled, carrying out several research activities in both bio-agronomic topics and geosciences, and interconnected multidisciplinary applications. Major research topics include: the interplay between weathering, pedogenesis and geomorphic processes, and the quantification of their rates; sustainable and conservation management of agricultural and forest soils related to mitigation of soil threats and climate change; optimized management strategies of urban and peri-urban soils in relation to their vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic threats; the study and valorization of soils and paleosols as natural archives of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes and as part of the cultural and geological heritage. These research fields are carried out by integrating field surveys with a large variety of laboratory (chemical-physical, biochemical, sequencing, spectroscopic, isotopic, hydrological, mineralogical, petrographic, geotechnical, microscopic) analyses, proximal to remote sensing techniques, geostatistics and digital soil mapping. The Mediterranean University and the University of Calabria also offer teaching activities in Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees and Ph.D. courses in Agronomy and Geological Sciences, respectively.

Soil science in Campania is strongly conditioned by the four volcanoes present in the region that have influenced the formation of soils, contributing to the beauty of Campania Felix. In this context, the regional offices, universities and research institutes that, over time, have dealt with soil sciences have operated. The Operational Programme for the Development of Agricultural Outreach is recalled, which provided for the training of agricultural popularizers specialized in “pedology and soil conservation” and described the Operational Program for the realization of soil maps in some Territorial Operational Units (UOT). After the realization of the soil map of the province of Naples (1:100,000), in 1997 the regional survey and soil mapping at semi-detailed scale was launched to provide technical support to optimize fertilization techniques, irrigation, tillage, and soil conservation. Moreover, the soil science activities developed in the University of Naples Federico II, in the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, and in the National Council of Research (CNR) dealing with different aspects as research, dissemination of information, soil protection and soil management for specific uses are reported.

The academic history of soil science in the Emilia Romagna Region dates back to the beginning of XIX century and sees its first master in Filippo Re (1763–1817). Filippo Re was holder of the first public chair in Agriculture in Bologna. Several illustrious people, such as Carlo Alberto Pichat (1799–1878) and Gino Cugini (1852–1907), then took over Filippo Re’s inheritance until 1900, when the Royal School of Agriculture was founded. Here, in the academic year 1903–1904, the teachings of Agricultural Chemistry and Agricultural Geology appeared for the first time, in addition to that of Mineralogy. In 1935, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Bologna was founded and in academic year 1954–55 the teaching of Pedology had an official recognition. At this same time, in 1953, the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and the Faculty of Agriculture were founded at Catholic University of Piacenza, and the first teaching in Soil Chemistry was hold. Since then, in both institutions many other academic teachings have been held in the context of both Soil Chemistry and Pedology, in line with the scientific advances and challenges related to agricultural and forest soil management and land planning. At regional level, in 1974 the Soil Service of Emilia-Romagna Region began its mission mainly related to produce soil maps, providing fundamental tools supporting regional land planning. Several soil and thematic maps have been produced (soil maps 1:250,000 and 1:50,000, map on soil organic carbon content, map of soil erosion, land capacity map, etc.), and the next future planning activities concern on the completion of the 1:50,000 soil map and the publication of the third edition of the 1:250,000 soil map. The soil science research groups at the University of Bologna and Piacenza have conducted in parallel studies on the soil organic carbon dynamics and soil quality, investigations of salt affected soils and soil–water interactions, use of organic fertilizers and amendments, soil pollution, antibiotic resistance in soil, and metabolomics profiling. Today, the challenges that the academic research groups are called to face concern in particular on the preservation and or restoration of the soil resource highlighting its functions also through novel approaches and considering future change scenarios.

This chapter describes the long-standing tradition of soil science in Friuli Venezia Giulia, starting from the pioneers: Domenico Pecile, Domenico, Giuseppe and Egidio Feruglio. Their work laid the foundation for following activities, mainly due to the presence of Alvise Comel, most prominent figure in soil studies in the region. A broad description follows on the evolution of local soil studies from its historical roots in the two agricultural research structures founded around 1870 in Gorizia and Udine up to present days, where ERSA and CREA still maintain a soil branch in their institutional activity. The foundation of the University of Udine (1976) and ARPA (1998) enriched the regional scene of soil science research.

This chapter deals with the history of Soil Science in Lazio, a Region that still enjoys an uncommon centrality of action, thanks to the presence on its territory of Government Institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MISAF), the Ministry of the Environment, the Territory and the Protection of the Sea (MATTM), the headquarters of FAO, prestigious Universities and Research Institutions, important Organizations and trade Associations, which over time have created a network of activities related to soil science and agriculture at national and international level. For all the above listed institutions the main research activities in soil science are reported, as well as those activities developed in sites of cultural value, such as the Estate of the Presidency of the Republic in Castelporziano (Rome) in Tuscia University experimental field and in the CREA experimental farms.

The history of Soil Science in Liguria is illustrated since its beginnings in the 80s with the first courses of pedology at the University of Genoa, through the early 2000s, considered the “golden years” of pedology in Liguria. At that time, numerous regional projects made it possible to create several soil maps and databases. In the last two decades, unfortunately, the activities related to soil science are confined only within the University of Genoa and at the Regional Laboratory of soil analysis and plant production of the Regional Applied Agrometeorology Centre. It also provides a description of the main regional projects that have allowed to acquire important information on the landscapes and soils of Liguria.

In Lombardy, interest in the study of soils began to make headway only between the late 1970s and early 1980s. A first “soil map” project aimed at planning and managing the territory with focus on agricultural aspects was launched in the Province of Mantua in 1982. In 1985, the initiative merged into the project “Soil map at a scale of 1:50,000”, which in a short time was transformed to all intents and purposes into a project of regional cartography and later led to the implementation of the Regional Soil Information System (LOSIS), still an integral part of the GIS (Territorial Information System) of the Lombardy Region. After the season of soil surveys, which in the early 2000s had led to the development of the soil information basis at scale 1:50,000, for the regional lowland territory, and scale 1:250,000 for the whole of Lombardy, attention shifted mainly towards the development of application activities, soil monitoring and soil management. Many issues have been addressed in recent years, which enhanced and made more effective the elements of innovation and support for the implementation of policies in the agricultural, environmental, territorial planning and, more recently, climate fields, given by soil knowledge. The protagonists of this path, lasted 40 years now, have been, in particular, the regional “soil office”, born with the project “Soil map at 1:50,000 scale” and which still operates within the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Forests (Ente Regionale per i Servizi all’Agricoltura e alle Foreste—ERSAF), the University Institutes where soil science has had a space and the professionals who have dedicated themselves to pedology. Furthermore, a strong point has been the ability to form and then maintain a network at national level, albeit informal, of people dealing with soil, which contributed to create a shared humus of relationships, knowledge and widespread “soil culture”, making Italy a “unique case” in Europe.

This chapter deals with the development of soil science studies in the Marche region. After an overview of the role played by the government institutions and the Agency for the Development of the Marche (ESAM), the activities carried out in the field of soil science by the Regional Soil Service, private companies and the university are discussed.

Surveys on soil science in Molise are relatively recent as the first scientific studies were carried out only in the early 1990s and financed by the Integrated Mediterranean Programs (IMPs). Promoted by the National Pedological Observatory, the pedological cartography of Molise started in 1992 at a scale of 1:250,000. Between 1998 and 2008, a regional soil mapping laboratory hosted at ARSARP (Italian acronym for Regional Agency for Agricultural, Rural and Fisheries Development) created several thematic maps at a scale of 1: 50,000. The territory of Molise is predominantly mountainous, and forests, pastures and natural meadows represent the most important use of the territory that needs to be protected from water erosion and other hydrogeological phenomena such as floods and landslides. Subsequently, a soil database was developed in 2006 as part of the “Ecopedological Map” project of the European Soil Bureau and the Italian Ministry of the Environment and built at a scale of 1:250,000. Eighteen soil surveys were carried out using Ecopedological Units with natural or semi-natural vegetation, and the sites included were within the Natura 2000 sites. The interest in volcanic soils began in September 2007 with the IX Edition of the Italian Pedological Meetings, which included a description of a field trip on “Pyroclastic levels in the Matese area: type and evolution of volcanic soils” along with a report of the Summer School in Forest Soils and Global Change (FSGC). The Summer School in Forest Soils and Global Change was organized in Campobasso by Molise University with the collaboration of the University of Turin and the University of Palermo. One of the outputs of the summer school was the monograph “Field guide of forest soils of Matese of Molise region”. Later, research on water erosion was carried out in hilly agricultural areas. Following these studies, it was possible to produce a regional map for susceptibility to erosion based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). Nitrogen leaching and groundwater pollution were extensively investigated during 2008–2010. Land management, soil, land use, and climatic characteristics were studied for four years to see how they affected nitrate leaching in vulnerable areas in Molise. Currently, soil science research in the Department of Agriculture, Food Science, and Environment in Molise will likely move toward soil contamination, water erosion, and carbon sequestration using soil spectroscopy.

Several institutions focus on soil in Piedmont, from the university and research centers investigating soil properties and mechanisms, to regional agencies providing dissemination and technical services. Starting from the late ‘60s of the twentieth century soil scientists have developed new knowledge about soil layer silicates, iron oxides, as well as soil organic matter and heavy metals, linking them to soil development and the building up of soil chemical fertility. The research topics are still studied, as new knowledge is still needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and avoid losses of a non-renewable resource. On the other hand, regional services, after a more traditional dissemination phase involving map production on paper in the ‘80s, have now established interactive databases, taking full advantage of GIS systems and covering many aspects of soil information that are therefore accessible to a wide public.

The history of soil science in Apulia region begins at the Agricultural Station (today CREA—Council for Agricultural Research and Economics) and it continues with the Universities of Bari (mainly) and Foggia. The characteristics of the rural environment and the Mediterranean climate have influenced research in universities and public research institutes. The relationship between soil and agricultural productivity has always been the common subject of studies. In addition, over the years, there has been a growing interest in the preservation of soil fertility and its improvement in agro-environmental conditions hostile to the conservation of organic matter, fertility, and soil biodiversity. At the operational level, the research carried out proposes sustainable soil management solutions for the farms of the region and the updating of the soil map.

This chapter describes the development of soil science in Sardinia. After a brief introduction on the beginning of soil science in the island, reference is made to the work done in particular by Angelo Aru, Paolo Baldaccini and Antonio Pietracaprina and in the research institutions. The chapter concludes with a brief overview on the actual settings of the pedology and agricultural chemistry research and future developments of soil studies in the region.

This chapter describes the development of soil science in Sicily. After a short introduction, a brief academic and scientific profile of the initiators of soil science studies in the region is outlined. Reference is made to Rolando Cultrera, Erminio Giovannini, Gian Pietro Ballatore, and Giovanni Fierotti. A broad discussion follows on the historical evolution that soil science studies have had in the four locations that in Sicily have been more concerned with soil science: the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and the Institute of Agronomy at the University of Palermo; the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry at the University of Catania, and the Soil Service office of the Sicily Region. The chapter ends with a brief reflection on the future of soil science studies in Sicily.

Concerning agronomical and forestry studies, Tuscany has an ancient tradition. Especially since the eighteenth century, and all along the century after, in this region, many institutions were born promoting the development of technical-scientific studies linked to soil and agriculture. The first Italian forestry school was instituted in Vallombrosa, province of Florence, in 1869, and the first agricultural faculty in the world was founded in Pisa in 1871. It is precisely in the scientific clusters of Florence and Pisa that, over time, the academic institutions and research centres of national interest that developed soil science were constituted. This chapter describes the history of this development, organizing it by themes and institutions involved. The first paragraph briefly examines the development of chemistry and soil biology in the universities and research centres of Pisa and Florence. Two paragraphs follow on the pedological school of Florence, trying to retrace the activity of Paolo Principi, his main initiator, along with his student Fiorenzo Mancini. It was Mancini who led the growth of many generations of pedologists who carried out their activity in Florence institutions and research centres or who became professors in other universities or undertook the profession. Two other paragraphs concern the University of Florence and the Soil Genesis, Classification, and Cartography Study Centre of CNR, which had a particularly intense activity during the period between the second half of the 1960s and the end of the 1990s. Another paragraph is focused on the Experimental Institute for Soil Study and Conservation of Florence, founded in 1952: a structure of the Ministry of Agriculture that was specifically dedicated to soil genesis and physical, chemical, and biological aspects, with applicational purposes and aiming to promote its conservation and protection. After a few words on the Overseas Agronomic Institute of Florence and on the University of Siena activities, the history of the Tuscany Region is described. Since its institution, in 1970, the region actively worked to advance regional soil knowledge, founding an internal group of experts and financing a series of projects that led to the realization, inter alia, of the database of Tuscan soils. The chapter is closed by a paragraph dedicated to the professional sector that had a remarkable development in the region.

The Region of Trentino-Alto Adige is divided into two administrative units, the Province of Bolzano, commonly known as South Tyrol, and the Province of Trento or Trentino. In both these administrative divisions, soil science has had a sound development that dates to the beginning of the last century. In this chapter, the authors outline the historical development that soil science has had in the region, highlighting the main lines of development and acquisitions that have occurred over time.

This chapter describes the development of soil science in Umbria. After a brief introduction on the birth of Agricultural Geology and its integration into the courses of the Royal Experimental Institute of Agriculture in Perugia, the academic and scientific activity of the first scholars who dealt with Agricultural Geology in the first quarter of the last century is outlined. This is followed by a discussion of the development of pedological studies and the main results obtained by later pedologists. In particular, reference is made to the work done at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Perugia in the field of pedology by Paolo Principi, Cesare Lippi-Boncambi, and Celso Giovagnotti, and in the field of soil chemistry by, among others, Luigi Marimpietri, Alberto Malquori, Giovanni Petrosini, and Mario Businelli. The chapter concludes with a brief overview on the actual settings of the pedology and agricultural chemistry research units and future developments of soil studies in Umbria.

This chapter describes the development of soil science in Aosta Valle. After a short introduction, focused mainly on the climatic and geological characteristics which contribute to the large pedodiversity found in the region, the activities carried out since the first half of the XX century are described. Most of the results obtained during the research activities and the soil surveys were included in the regional soil map which published in 2020, representing the state of the art and current synthesis of the pedological knowledge in the region. The chapter ends with a brief reflection on the future of soil science studies in Aosta Valle.

The 1:250,000 scale soil map in the years 2000 can be seen as a significant consolidation of soil surveying and mapping activities in the Veneto region, after some pioneering experiences by Alvise Comel in the years 1950–60; furthermore, it has also given the chance to train a group of soil surveyors, that later became part of the permanent staff of the Veneto Regional Environmental Protection Agency. Starting from that initiative, in the last twenty years soil mapping has gone further with in-depth studies, until an almost complete coverage of the plain and hilly territory at 1:50,000 scale. The situation that arose in Veneto in the late 1990s and early 2000s was a favourable meeting of skills and sensitivity that enabled to reach a qualified knowledge of the soils, solid ground on which to build a new monitoring network in the regional territory. In this path, collaborations first with the Province of Venice and then with the Universities of Venice, Padua and recently Verona have been fruitful. Land evaluation studies, both for agronomic and environmental purposes, were grounded to in-depth soil knowledge, which now gives solid bases also to monitoring the effects of human activities on soil quality.

The community of soil scientists in Italian universities is small, approximately 100 people as permanent staff, distributed from North to South in groups of variable dimensions. Despite being a small community, their research activities show a wide range of topics, ranging from the molecular to the landscape scale, and encompassing evergreen themes and present-day hot topics. This chapter summarizes the main topics investigated over the last five years, as they appear in the Scopus database. The activities were grouped into seven main research fields that offer an overview of both the specific topics, and the scale at which a phenomenon can be investigated: (1) soil development, pedogenic processes and soil classification, (2) soil functions and ecosystem services, (3) soil organic matter characteristics and functions, (4) soil chemical and biochemical properties, (5) biowaste upcycling for soil remediation and fertility enhancement, (6) soil degradation, contamination and remediation and (7) land suitability and management, soil variability and mapping. In many cases, collaborations among Italian universities and with international partners are visible, testifying the need of joining efforts and expertise to address the present-day challenges.

The contributions to soil science due to the researchers of the National Research Council of Italy (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR) are illustrated in an historical perspective from the foundation of CNR in 1923 to the first two decades of the XXI century. The foundation of the first CNR Institute explicitly focusing on soil science was in 1963, and since the very beginning, the research activities focusing on soils function and properties were characterised by a multidisciplinary approach. This resulted over a couple of decades in the flowering of several research centres and institutes covering issues ranging from soil chemistry to soil genesis, classification, and mapping, from soil microbiology to soil hydrology, with long-term finalised projects and research initiatives. Over the years, following major reorganisation of CNR structure, the term “soil” disappeared from the name of the research institutes, following a worldwide trend. CNR soil scientists are currently scattered over several Research Institutes and two departments, with an evident fragmentation of research efforts, which nevertheless resulted in a spread of soil science in many other sectors, favoured by the multidisciplinary nature of the CNR. A few examples of CNR research achievements in the main branches of soil science such as biology, ecology, physics, chemistry, erosion, and pedology are provided.

Soil Science has always been a topic of considerable interest for CREA, the Council for Research in Agriculture and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics. From 1910 to today, CREA has contributed to the progress of Soil Science in its headquarters of Rome, Florence, Bari and Gorizia. For a systematic narration of CREA’s contributions to soil science in Italy, 2 criteria have been adopted: the “geographical” criterion is chosen to trace the history and main activities of the CREA headquarters; the “thematic” criterion for the microbiology and cartography studies that have found particular impetus in CREA.

ISPRA and the SNPA monitor environment and land status and dynamics through the production of data, maps, and indicators, also publishing reports and guidelines useful for assessing the characteristics and trends of environmental quality, air, water and soil status, ecosystem resources and services, land cover and consumption, urban growth, landscape transformations, evolution and distribution of vegetation, biodiversity, contaminated sites, with particular attention to lost or threatened natural functions. This contribution presents an overview of the main ISPRA and SNPA activities for land and soil monitoring, with particular reference to land consumption assessment (carried out through the annual update of the ISPRA-SNPA National Land Consumption Map) and to land cover and land use mapping (done by ISPRA in compliance with the European Copernicus Programme reference framework). Evaluation and monitoring results on land degradation are then presented, which are carried out according with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 15, with particular reference to desertification and soil erosion. The fourth part describes the main activities on threat of contamination, with reference to health and environmental impacts, to the monitoring and the management of contaminated sites and to the hierarchy of interventions. The final section presents the activities carried out by ISPRA on soil biodiversity and soil biological monitoring.

Soil is a fundamental resource of paramount importance for the maintenance of life on Earth. However, this resource has been greatly weakened for some time now due to climate change and human exploitation. The present work aims to review the soil research that has been done at ENEA since 1960 to now. The history of soil research in ENEA starts with the establishment in 1960 of the so-called “gamma radiation field” of the “Comitato Nazionale per l’Energia Nucleare” and the Laboratory for Applications in Agriculture. The originally energy and agricultural vocation of the ENEA permitted to create a multidisciplinary team reaching remarkable results on the plant breeding and characterization and management of the agricultural land. The main projects and studies ranging from the evaluation of land degradation risk assessment and soil erosion desertification to the management of agricultural soil and the soil microbiome dynamics. The development and adoption of sustainable solutions, among all those based on microbiome, will permit to save/restore soil health and functions and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has its largest research site in Italy, on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the town of Ispra. With more than 2000 researchers, it is a major research site in Italy and is providing the necessary independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. This is also the case for soil related EU policies, like the EU Soil Strategy 2030, the Common Agricultural Policy, etc. Over the past 30 years, the JRC has developed into a recognized European and Global center of excellence in soil science, operating the European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC), the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO), and hosting major soil data repositories supporting all EU soil related policies with the relevant data and scientific knowledge. It is therefore a major soil science hub of Italy and contributes to the further development of the National and European soil science community.

For more than 60 years, the Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM) has played a crucial role in education, research, and cooperation in the Mediterranean Region. Its four institutes located in Italy, France, Spain, and Greece have trained hundreds of students primarily coming from North African and Middle Eastern countries as well as from the Western Balkans and other regions worldwide. As one the four institutes of CIHEAM, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM Bari) expertise focuses on sustainable land, soil, and water management, integrated pest management, organic farming in Mediterranean agriculture, integrated coastal zone management and a few other areas. For at least three decades, CIHEAM Bari has put soil science at the center of its educational programs and has organized several national and international events with participation of soil experts from all continents. Overall, more than 600 hundred students have been trained in soil science and related topics. Furthermore, CIHEAM Bari has conducted detailed soil surveys in Apulia Region, Italy and Albania and has promoted sustainable soil management throughout the Mediterranean including the Western Balkans, in the context of several research and cooperation projects funded by the European Commission, Italian Agency for International Cooperation (AICS), and other donors. Many of these projects provide excellent examples of integrated land, soil, and water management with a direct impact on local communities such as the one implemented in the Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. CIHEAM Bari considers soil science as a main pillar of its future education, research and cooperation activities and is committed to play a very important role toward improving soil health of Mediterranean soils for many years to come.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has a fundamental mandate to ensure food security, which is intricately linked to sustainable soil management and combating land degradation. Since the establishment of both FAO and the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), a fruitful collaboration has existed, emphasizing the need for concerted efforts among organizations in studying and managing soil resources. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of global products regarded as milestones within the community of soil scientists. Over time, the partnership between FAO and IUSS evolved, leveraging innovative technologies to produce more products, such as the World Soil and Terrain database (SOTER) database, and fostering collaborations with diverse scientific fields. The significance of sustainable soil management has expanded to encompass new focal areas, including its role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the preservation of ecosystem services. In this context, FAO has been adapting activities to local contexts and supporting countries in improving soil management practices. These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) in 2012, which serves as a global mechanism to promote sustainable soil management at all levels. The GSP aims to engage diverse stakeholders by facilitating crucial partnerships and technical networks, developing knowledge and data products, and supporting the strengthening of soil governance in several countries.

The chapter illustrates the history of Italian Society of Soil Science (SISS) from its foundation until 2023. The list of national congresses and celebration of the World Soil Day as well as the various editorial activities carried out over time are given. It also highlights the relationships between SISS and other national and international scientific societies and the various public activities organized for the dissemination of a soil culture in Italy.

The Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry (SICA) was founded in Padova on 24 July 1981, to establish a scientific platform for researchers, scholars and scientists working in the wide field of chemistry and biochemistry related to the agriculture. Thus, the common denominator of the SICA members is not the “object” of the study (i.e., soil vs. plant), but the approach, that is, the chemical and biological mechanisms governing the soil (or plant) functioning as well as the agricultural crop production. The current research lines characterizing the SICA are the chemical, biochemical, physiological and ecological aspects of the soil–water–plant–atmosphere system and the corresponding interactions, the biogeochemistry of carbon and other elements, the processes governing the accumulation, mobilization and uptake of chemical species, under both optimal and stress conditions. The SICA represented and still represents a scientific platform which goes beyond the traditional frontiers of soil-related disciplines, cross-linking individuals of very different background and expertise and contributing to raise the next generation of soil-system-scientists.

This chapter traces the history of the Italian Society of Pedology from its foundation in 1997 to today. We thought it was right to remember the people who have represented the Society over the years: presidents, secretaries, and members who have worked for the common good of Italian pedologists. Training and dissemination activities and the university/research third mission are mentioned.