A soil health analysis of the Nathan Stecklein home farm. Nicole Stecklein

Transcription

1 A soil health analysis of the Nathan Stecklein home farm Nicole Stecklein

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3 Historical yield data for Nathan s Home Farm Field Year Crop Yield (bu/ac) North 2008 Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn 167 South 2008 Soybeans Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn Corn 230 West 2008 Corn Soybeans Corn Corn Corn Corn 209

4 Soil Health The capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental health, and promote plant and animal health (Soil Health, 2014)

5 Need for this case study What is a good soil? What is a practical definition for soil health? How do we measure it? How do we improve it?

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7 Indicators Aggregate Stability Soil Structure Porosity Bulk Density Water Infiltration Water Holding Capacity Soil Available water Inputs Root System Cover Crops Crop Residue Animal Manure Soil Physical Properties Soil Organic Matter Inputs Tillage Crop Rotation Cover Crops Grass Waterways Perennials Indicators Cation Exchange Capacity Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Soil ph Soil Chemical Properties Soil Biological Properties Indicators Earthworms Soil Microorganisms Particulate Organic Matter Soil Respiration Soil Enzymes (Al-Kaisi,2015)

8 Chemical Analysis Samples taken Fall acre Grids ph Organic matter Potassium Phosphorus

9 ph Results Min-6.3 Max-7.3 Avg-6.7

10 OM Results Min-2.0% Max-2.9% Avg-2.4%

11 K Results Min-128 ppm Max- 666 ppm Avg- 262 ppm

12 P Results Min-31 Max- 323 ppm Avg ppm

13 Physical Analysis Submitted to Cornell University Soil Test Lab Fall 2015 Soil from North field vs.soil from adjacent pasture Texture Aggregate Stability Available Water Capacity On-farm Water Infiltration On-farm Slake

14 available client lab aggregate water ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1 North Field-Tilled FN silty clay loam Adjacent Pasture FN silt loam

15 available client lab aggregate water ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1 North Field-Tilled FN silty clay loam Adjacent Pasture FN silt loam Scoring function graph for Aggregate Stability for three textural categories. In this case, more is better. The higher the percent stability of aggregates, the higher the score of the indicator.

16 On-Farm Slake Test

17 30 hours After Submerging Colloids

18 30 hours After Submerging Colloids

19 available client lab Aggregate water ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1 North Field-Tilled FN silty clay loam Adjacent Pasture FN silt loam Scoring function graph for Available Water Capacity (AWC) for three textural categories. In this case, more is better. The higher the AWC (g/g), the higher the score until a maximum amount is attained. Nathan s tilled and pasture samples varied slightly, with tilled scoring 0.29 m/m and pasture scoring 0.24 m/m.

20 On-farm Water Infiltration Test

21 Biological Analysis Submitted to Cornell University Soil Test Lab Fall 2015 Soil from North field vs soil from adjacent Pasture Respiration Active Carbon

22 Sample Active carbon Respiration ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil) North Field-Tilled Adjacent Pasture Scoring function graph for Soil Respiration for three textural categories. In this case more is better. The higher the respiration, the higher the score and indication of a larger, more active soil community. Nathan s tilled soil had a total respiration of 0.53 mg/g and the pasture sample had 1.37 mg/g.

23 Sample Active carbon Respiration ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil) North Field-Tilled Adjacent Pasture Scoring function graphs for Active Carbon for three textural categories. In this case more is better. The higher the Active Carbon, the higher the score indicating a trend toward more Organic Matter building up in the soil through biological activity. Nathan s tilled soils had ppm and the pasture sample showed ppm.

24 Conclusions

25 Moebius,2015

26 250 Yields x Temperature and Moisture (April-September Rainfall Inches per growing season Average Growing Season High Temperature Home Farm Avg. Yield County Average Yield

27 Physical Short Term Incorporate fresh organic materials Use shallow rooted cover/rotation crops Add manure, green manure, mulch Long Term Reduce tillage Use surface mulch Rotate with sod crops and mycorrhizal hosts

28 Other Factors Affecting Structure

29 Ca:Mg Ratio and Implications on Structure Ion Charge Hydrated radius (nm) Relative flocculating power Sodium Potassium Magnesium Calcium Relative flocculating power and hydrated radius of soil cations. When these cations become hydrated, they have differing flocculating effects. Calcium has a much greater ability to flocculate clay particles than magnesium, potassium, or sodium, which may also cause dispersion of clay particles (Walworth, 2006).

30 Soil Loss Rate as a Function of Calcium and Magnesium Saturated Soils Donstova,2001

31 Infiltration Rate as a Function of Calcium and Magnesium Saturated Soils

32 Biological Low Respiration Short Term Maintain plant cover throughout season Add fresh organic materials Add manure/green manure Long Term Reduce tillage/mechanical cultivation Increase rotational diversity Maintain plant cover throughout season Cover crop with symbiotic host plants

33 Biological Active Carbon Short Term Add fresh organic materials Use shallow rooted cover/rotation crops Add manure, green manure, mulch Long Term Reduce tillage/mechanical cultivation Rotate with sod crop Cover crop whenever possible

34 Recommendations Incorporation of use of multispecies cover crops Increase microbial diversity Decrease impact of heavy rainfall events On-farm gypsum trials Increase Ca:Mg ratio Improve clay particle flocculation and strength of soil structure Currently 2.16:1 Mg- 25% Suggested: 10-13% Ca- 54% Suggested: 70-80%

35 Questions?

36 REFERENCES Johnson, C Nitrogen basics--the nitrogen cycle. Cornell University Cooperative Extension. (accessed 26 May 2016). Albrecht, William Albrecht on soil balancing. Acres USA, Austin. Brady, N. C., and R. R. Weil The nature and properties of soils. 14th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. Curtin, D., H. Steppuhn, and F. Selles Effects of magnesium on cation selectivity and structural stability in sodic soils. Soil Society of America Journal 58: Davidson, D Evaluating the quality of your soil. Crops and Soils: Dontsova, K., and L. D. Norton Effects of exchangeable Ca:Mg ratio on soil clay flocculation, infiltration and erosion. In: D. E. Stott et al., editors, Sustaining the global farm. Purdue University and the USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory. Hoeft, R Do you need micronutrient soil tests? Extension and Outreach--Crop Science. University of Illinois. (accessed 17 October 2015) International Plant Nutrient Institute. Soil ph and the Availability of Plant Nutrients. Fall (accessed 15 December 2015) Iowa State University Extension and Outreach A general guide for crop nutrient and limestone recommendations in Iowa. (accessed 15 January 2016)

37 Marschner, P Mineral nutrition of higher plants. 3 rd ed. Elsevier,San Diego. Moebius-Clune, B.N., D.J. Moebius-Clune, B.K. Gugino, O.J. Idowu, R.R. Schindelbeck, A.J. Ristow, H.M. van Es, J.E. Thies, H. A. Shayler, M. B. McBride, D.W. Wolfe, and G.S. Abawi Comprehensive assessment of soil health The Cornell framework manual, ed. 3.0, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Natural Resources Conservation Service Healthy soils are well structured. NRCS. (accessed 5 July 2014). Rehm, G Is there a role for gypsum in Midwest agriculture. Proceedings of the Thirty-Third North Central Extension- Industry Soil Fertility Conference. (accessed 25 March 2015). Rosen, C., P. M. Bierman, and R. D. Eliason Soil test interpretation and fertilizer management for lawns, turf, gardens, and landscape plants. University of Minnesota Extension. (accessed 10 December 2015). Sawyer, J Corn nitrogen rate calculator. Iowa State University Extension. (accessed 10 December 2015).

38 Penn State Extension The agronomy guide. Penn State Extension. (accessed 10 December 2015). Soil Quality Institute. June Agricultural Management Effects on Earthworm Populations. USDA-NRCS. (accessed 10 December 2015) Walworth, J Using gypsum and other calcium amendments in Southwestern soils. University of Arizona Extension. (accessed 10 Deccember 2015).