Comparison of soil assessment methods

Transcription

1 Comparison of soil assessment methods First year of field trials February 2017 Dominic Amos and Anja Vieweger The Organic Research Centre

2 Growing Resilient Efficient And Thriving - GREATsoils A three year programme to: inspire growers to develop their ability to assess the health of their soil give growers practical solutions to improve soil health. Funded by AHDB Horticulture. Delivered in partnership by Soil Association, Organic Research Centre and Earthcare Technical. In partnership with:

3 Field testing of soil assessment tools 6 Case study field trials in leafy salads, carrots, potato/brassica, top fruit and protected cropping systems Regional grower groups have identified their priorities and now field test their chosen soil assessment methods to elaborate system-specific recommendations and tools In partnership with:

4 Field testing of soil assessment tools Selected methods Earthworm counts - Visual Soil Assessment (VSA) - NRM Soil Health Test In partnership with:

5 Field testing of soil assessment tools Additional methods 2017? - Compaction (Penetrometer) - Soil Microbiology Assessment (SoilBioLab) - Infiltration rates (Drainpipe method) In partnership with:

6 Trial 1 Region Scotland System (conventional) Host Method to evaluate Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second David Aglen, Balbirnie Estates (growing for Kettle Produce) Studying the impact of conventional carrot production in beds on soil health parameters including routine soil nutrient testing (ph, P, K, Mg), SOM, VESS and soil respiration. Hope to investigate the impact of crop residues on soil health (same parameters to be used as in baseline testing) after the carrot crop and prior to the following crop winter 2016/ NRM, VSA, EW Nov-16 In partnership with:

7 Trial 2 Region West-Midlands System Lettuce/Oriental veg, large scale (conventional) Host Steve Nickells, Hampton Lucy, Valefresco Method to Effect of cover crops on soil health, fertility evaluate and structure, assess and monitor benefits in a large scale conventional protected and field veg production system in the West- Midlands: focussed on respiration rates, earthworm counts, bulk density and VESS/VSA. Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second Monitor two intensive rotations: (1) protected cropping spinach and rocket and (2) intensive field veg rotation introducing overwintering cover crops. Test NRM health suite, bulk density, infiltration rates, before and after main growing season NRM (protected) NRM (protected) and VSA and EW in field bed 4 bed 3 bed 2 bed 1

8 Trial 3 Region East-Midlands System Salad/Lettuce crops, large scale (conventional) Host Phillip Hubbert, Jepco Method to Various approaches to assess and monitor evaluate SOM in a large scale conventional field veg production system in the East-Midlands: focussed on respiration rates, soil health suite, earthworm counts and their result interpretation. Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second split one field: (1) intensive salad rotation and (2) strip green manure for 5-6 weeks. Test NRM health suite, VSA and EWC, plus leaf quality just before harvest of following crop and its shelf life test done on the holding NRM, VSA, EW NRM, VSA, EW 20m bed 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4 bed 5 bed 6 bed 7 bed 8 bed9 1.84m on ave 1.45m worki fast growing GM for one block in the successive cropping cycle (5-6 w Bare beds left to rest. In July green manure to be chopped and incorporated and 2nd salad crop to be drilled in all beds

9 JEPCO Results Soil Health Report Location Sample Ref. CONTROL Oct-16 JEPCO GREEN MANURE AVERAGE Average VSA score October 2016 (1=friable, 5=very compacted) Soil Chemical Analysis P (mg/l) K (mg/l) Mg (mg/l) Organic Matter (LOI) (%) Soil ph Microbal Activity CO2 Burst (mg/kg) Pot. N Mineralisation (kg/ha/yr) Textural Classification Sand (%) Silt (%) Clay (%) Soil Textural Class Sandy Silt Loam Sandy Silt Loam Major Soil Classification Medium Medium Slope Control Earthworm counts October 2016 Buckwheat juvenile adult Soil Health Index Control Buckwheat

10 OPAL Soil and Earthworm Survey Lettuce root comparison

11 Trial 4 Region East-Midlands System Salad/Lettuce crops, large scale (organic) Host Method to evaluate Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second Joe Rolfe, Taylorgrown Ltd. (growing for Various approaches to assess and monitor SOM in a large scale organic field veg production system in the East-Midlands: focussed on respiration rates, soil health suite, VSA tool and their result interpretation! covercrops on beds: (1) carrot on beds, add (2) flower strips on bed to encourage predators and add OM to soil. Test NRM health, VSA and EWC, plus pest evaluation on leafs during/end of growing period NRM, VSA, EW postponed 2017 bed 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4 bed 5 bed 6 bed 7 bed 8 bed 9 flowering green manure stripes on bed carrot beds managed as usual 32 beds 65 beds

12 Trial 5 Region South/South-East System Top fruit (conventional) Host Method to evaluate Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second Paul Smith, Loddington Farm (top fruit Various approaches to assess and monitor SOM in an orchard production system in the South: particularly the labile SOM fraction, respiration rates and earthworm assessments and their result interpretation new plantation: apples, (1) 3 alleys grass mixture (herbizide); (2) 3 alleys flowering green manure (a); and (3) flowering greenmanure (b) for beneficials and SOM. Test NRM health, VSA and EWC before and after main growing season NRM, VSA, EW NRM, VSA, EW

13 Trial 6 Region South/South-East System Diverse field veg, smaller scale, stockfree (organic) Host Method to evaluate Details of the trial field days 2016 First Second Iain Tolhurst, Tolhurst Organic C.I.C. Organic matter assessment and monitoring (for a long-term increase), in a stock-free, small scale organic veg system without animal inputs: labile SOM, respiration rates, earthworm counts and their result interpretation. split one field: early potatos harvested June. Compare (1) early and (2) late sowing of green manure on SOM and EW. Test NRM health, VSA and EWC over two years in old and new fields in rotation EW only NRM and VSA NRM, VSA and EW edge bed 6 bed 5 bed 4 bed 3 bed 2 bed 1 edge <-1m-> <-1.5m-> 12m path

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