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

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

Historical yield data for Nathan s Home Farm Field Year Crop Yield (bu/ac) North 2008 Corn 177 2009 Corn 214 2010 Corn 177 2011 Corn 169 2012 Corn 111 2013 Corn 178 2014 Corn 222 2015 Corn 167 South 2008 Soybeans 46 2009 Corn 231 2010 Corn 156 2011 Corn 161 2012 Corn 97 2013 Corn 195 2014 Corn 221 2015 Corn 230 West 2008 Corn 175 2009 Soybeans 46 2010 Corn 161 2011 Corn 184 2012 Corn 98 2013 Corn 209

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)

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?

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)

Chemical Analysis Samples taken Fall 2014 2.5 acre Grids ph Organic matter Potassium Phosphorus

ph Results Min-6.3 Max-7.3 Avg-6.7

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

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

P Results Min-31 Max- 323 ppm Avg- 121.7 ppm

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

available client lab aggregate water ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1 North Field-Tilled FN26221-1 5.6 28.7 65.7 silty clay loam 4.7 0.29 Adjacent Pasture FN26221-2 8.6 16.2 75.2 silt loam 49.1 0.24 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.

On-Farm Slake Test

30 hours After Submerging Colloids

available client lab Aggregate water ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1 North Field-Tilled FN26221-1 5.6 28.7 65.7 silty clay loam 4.7 0.29 Adjacent Pasture FN26221-2 8.6 16.2 75.2 silt loam 49.1 0.24 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.

On-farm Water Infiltration Test

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

Sample Active carbon Respiration ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil) North Field-Tilled 333.7 0.53 Adjacent Pasture 836.5 1.37 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.

Sample Active carbon Respiration ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil) North Field-Tilled 333.7 0.53 Adjacent Pasture 836.5 1.37 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 333.7 ppm and the pasture sample showed 836.5 ppm.

Conclusions

Moebius,2015

250 Yields x Temperature and Moisture (April-September 200 150 100 50 Rainfall Inches per growing season Average Growing Season High Temperature Home Farm Avg. Yield County Average Yield 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

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

Other Factors Affecting Structure

Ca:Mg Ratio and Implications on Structure Ion Charge Hydrated radius (nm) Relative flocculating power Sodium +1 0.79 1.0 Potassium +1 0.53 1.7 Magnesium +2 1.08 27.0 Calcium +2 0.96 43.0 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).

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

Infiltration Rate as a Function of Calcium and Magnesium Saturated Soils

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

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

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%

Questions?

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