ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICES: INFLUENCES ON SOIL, PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITE PROFILES, CROP QUALITY, AND STRESS RESISTANCE

Abstract

Organic farming is increasingly recognized as a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture; however, its mechanistic effects on soil functionality, plant secondary metabolism, crop quality, and stress resistance remain incompletely understood. This study employed an integrated experimental framework combining multivariate soil analyses, biochemical profiling of plant secondary metabolites, physiological stress indicators, and yield stability assessments to compare organic and conventional farming systems. The results demonstrate that organic management significantly enhances soil biological activity, enzymatic efficiency, and carbon–nitrogen coupling, leading to more efficient nutrient cycling. These soil-level improvements were strongly associated with increased accumulation of phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant enzymes in crops, indicating elevated biochemical defense capacity. Graphical and three-dimensional analyses further revealed tightly coupled interactions among soil fertility, metabolic flux, and stress tolerance under organic practices. Yield analyses showed greater stability and reduced variability under abiotic stress in organic systems, despite comparable or moderately lower absolute yields. Collectively, the findings indicate that organic farming promotes metabolic plasticity, physiological resilience, and functional stability by reinforcing natural soil–plant feedback mechanisms. This study highlights the potential of organic agriculture to sustain productive, resilient, and environmentally compatible agroecosystems while enhancing crop biochemical quality and long-term system robustness.