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Principles of Soils
Organic Soil Amendments
| Term/Question | Definition/Answer |
|---|---|
| What are some benefits of manure? | Source of nutrients - slowly releases N, P, K; Adds organic matter - 20-40% organic solids in manure; soil microbial improvements |
| What are some problems with manure as a soil amendment? | Leaching and runoff of nitrates and phosphates (nitrate leaching more of an issue in storage); Generation of gaseous air pollutants (Methane/Ammonia); Applying evenly |
| What are some of the best management practices for manure? | Test manure/soil applied to for nutrient levels; Base manure rate on phosphorus levels; Incorporate manure into soil quickly; Compost excess manure and sell it |
| What is composting? | aerobic decomposition of manure or other organic materials - generates temps up to 150 degrees; |
| What is composting used most in? | horticultural and high value crops |
| What does composting provide? | Source of nutrient; Organic matter |
| When did land application of biosolids start happening and why? | 1992 when ocean dumping was prohibited |
| What are some regulations the EPA has on land application? | Treatments to eliminate hazards; Restrictions on types of land/crops; No food crops |
| What are some biosolids problems? | Pollutants; Human Pathogens; Human disease vectors; Pathogens; Others |
| Pollutants | Heavy metals; Industrial household chemicals |
| Human Disease Vectors | Insects; Rodents |
| Pathogens | try to destroy them w/ heat and other treatments |
| Others | Odor; Soluable Salts |
| What was the first and second benefit recognized for adopting no-till? | Reduced soil erosion; Saving water |
| What are some No-till benefits? | Saves water; Reduces Erosion; Less Fuel/Labor Costs; Less equipment costs; Less field prep time; Increases soil quality; Carbon sequestration; Less dust, air pollution |
| What is some beneficial no-till equipment? | Rolling spikes (Planter); Hydraulic Down pressure |
| Principles of Soil Health | Minimize Disturbance; Maximize Soil Cover; Maximize Biodiversity; Maximize Days w/ Living Roots |
| What are some no-till challenges? | Transitional Period; Slower to dry out; Soil slower to warm; Specialized planting equipment; Nutrient Management Challenges; Increased Diseases; Pesticide Use; Cand Furrow Irrigate |
| What are some keys to successful no-till? | Diverse rotations with 3 crops at least; Increase Cropping Intensity ; Systems maintained low disturbance at planting; More focus on pest management; Changes in Methods of applying fertilizers - more 'at planting' applications |
| Cropping Intenstity | Use little or no fallow; use cover and deep rooted crops |
| What is traditional definition of cover crop? | crop grown just to protect the soil from erosion |
| What is today's definition of cover crop? | Crop planted between periods of regular crop production to: Positively benefit soil; Aid in pest control; Improve success of no-till productions; use as grazing resource (Integrating Livestock) |
| Cover Crop Soil Benefits | Adds organic matter Increase water infiltration; Reduce soil erosion; Breakup soil compaction; Increases soil biological activity; Increases soil Nitrogen content (legumes); Nutrient cycling (reduce nitrate leaching); Nutrient pumping |
| Grazing | plants grazed - secrets chemicals into soils = biology/aggregation |
| Other Cover Crop Benefits | Weed suppression - growing/later seasons; Disease/insect pest cycles broken by adding biological time; Provides additional grazing for livestock |
| When can you use cover crops? | After Wheat Harvest; After corn/soybeans; Early spring prior to seeding summer crop |
| After Wheat Harvest | Provides long growth period potential: August to freeze or spring if winter species; Fall grazing opportunity |
| After corn/soybeans | Challenge of short growth period before freeze: Longer periods after silage corn/seed corn; Possible arial seeding before harvest |
| Early spring prior to seeding summer crop | Seed as early as field conditions/weather allow; May jumpstart microbial activity; Timing of killing cover crop influences moisture/nitrogen for summer crop |
| Cover Crop Examples | Legumes; Brassicas; Grasses; Other broadleaves |
| Legumes | Increases Nitrogen in soils; Low C:N ratio; Beans, peas, vetches, clovers |
| Brassicas | Excellent nutrient cycling/residue decay; Tremendous roots; Frost hardy; Radish, Turnip, Rapeseed (non-food canola) |
| Grasses | Produce lots of dry matter; Good for grazing; High C:N ratios; Oats, Rye, Triticale, Millets, Sudangrasses |
| Other Broadleaves | Sunflowers, Flax, Safflower, Buckwheat; Match to your goal |
| What are some advantages of mixes? | More consistent growth under various weather/field conditions; Support greater variety of microbial activity in soils; Different plant heights/canopies, thus better light utillzation; Variety of crops provide more balanced grazing mixture for cattle |
| What are some examples of a balanced grazing mixture for the cattle? | Legumes higher in protein; Grasses higher in tons of feed; Brassicas very good grazing |
| What are some other management considerations? | Grazing removes soil quality benefits - partial/mob grazing strategy; Must be aware of herbicide carry-over impact on cover crop - herbicide restrictions on grazing; Ways to reduce seed costs |
| Ways to reduce costs | Typical costs $20-$40/acre; Nitrogen/grazing benefits can justify costs |
Created by:
horktera
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