Nutrient Management and Soil Amendments...
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Nutrient Management and Soil Amendments Session Nick Goeser, Soil Health Partnership Joe Nester, Nester Ag Warren Dick, OSU Leo Espinoza, University of Arkansas
Transcript of Nutrient Management and Soil Amendments...
Nutrient Management and Soil Amendments
Session Nick Goeser, Soil Health Partnership
Joe Nester, Nester Ag Warren Dick, OSU
Leo Espinoza, University of Arkansas
On-farm nitrogen trialing – factors to consider for soil health improvements
Nutrient Management and Edge of Field Monitoring Conference Nicholas J. Goeser, Ph.D.
The Soil Health Partnership & National Corn Growers Association
What is soil health?
Greater than the sum of parts
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Sustain higher yields Increase farmer profitability Build resilience to extreme weather Preserve soil and water biodiversity Enhance the utilization and retention
of nutrients for the crop
Physical
Biological
Chemical
Soil Health
Driving Factors Affecting Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Cropping system/rotation – Soil factors – type, structure, organic matter, drainage
– Rotation/fertilizer history
– Timing of residue input
– Residue composition
– Tillage method/intensity
Temperature/moisture
Soil microbial community
NUE trialing on farm– How do we measure it?
What are some of the options? – Split applications
– Enhanced efficiency fertilizers
– Variable rate applications – sensor based
– Fertilizer placement
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NUE trialing on farm – factors to consider?
Abiotic factors
– Soil moisture, soil temperature, growing season length
Input Costs
– Fertilizer, seed, time, labor, etc.
Equipment costs
– Availability, depreciation, knowledge and training
Cover crops
– Early season growth, timing of incorporation and nitrogen release, composition
Manure
– Supply, distance, composition
Context and scope of inferences – Cropping systems
– Geography specific features
– Management practices
NUE trialing on farm – Analyses and inferences
NUE trialing on farm - Practical outcomes for farmers
Better understanding of soil health linkages
Improved analytical methods
Better recommendations and education – On-farm, supply chain, consumer
Better decision enablement tools – Precision conservation
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Phosphorus Management
Joe Nester
Nester Ag, LLC
Bryan, OH
WLEB Gypsum Research
The Ohio State University
Dr. Warren Dick
Electrical Power Research
Institute
Nester Ag, LLC
Plot Layout
• Consistent Soils
• Segregated Tile Outlets
• 1 Ton Gypsum Applied
• Water Samples During Tile Flow
What has changed ?
• Are Fertility Applications Guilty?
–Rates and Timing
• Rates of P Have Actually
Decreased
• Soil Testing and VRT Have
Increased Dramatically
What has changed ?
• Soil Test Levels are Not Big
• Cover Crops
• No on Frozen Ground
• Livestock Permits
• Strip Till/ Injection
What has changed ?
• EQIP and Conservation Practices
• Costs are Up
• Yields / Stand Improvements
• Why Wasn’t Lake Erie Green 10
years ago?
Why is Lower pH on Top?
• Acidifying Surface Fertilizers
• Shallow Roots Exchanging H+
• Rainfall
• In the Clay Soils of WLEB-
• pH INCREASES as you go deeper in the profile
• Lack of Inversion Tillage Maintains the Lower pH surface
What Farmers Can Do
• Operate Under This Assumption:
–P is more soluble in (on) our soils
than it used to be • Reduce P Rates
• Build Soil Test Data Base
• Practice 4Rs
• Cover Crops
• Employ Practices that Enhance Soil Health –
Increasing Recoverability
OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Gypsum as a Soil Amendment and
Potential for Water Quality Benefits
Warren A. Dick
The Ohio State University
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OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Water soluble P in 0.5 in soil layer
(4 T/A gypsum, 1:3 w/v soil:water)
0.000
1.000
2.000
3.000
4.000
5.000
6.000
7.000
8.000
9.000
10.000
CS - C CC CS – S
Hoytville Samples
+ Gypsum
- Gypsum
Crop Rotation
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8
6
4
2
0
So
lub
le P
(p
pm
)
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OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Water Quality Benefits
Effect of Gypsum on Water Runoff, Soil Erosion
and Soluble Reactive Phosphorus (SRP)
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OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Samples were collected
from the Rolland Wolfrum
Hale Farm (Hicksville,
OH) on December 20,
2012.
Tile Drain
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OHIO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Summary of Gypsum Application Effects
The equation of the line that defines the points on the graph is y =
43.85 – 0.02063x where “y” is the percent reduction in
phosphorus concentration and “x” is the number of days since
gypsum application.
Tile Water Drainage
Results – (through
June 29, 2015)
(1) 89 Events Sampled
(2) 9 Locations
(3) P concentrations
Gyp(-) = 0.086 mg/L
Gyp(+) = 0.055 mg/L
Leo Espinoza, Ph.D. Soil Scientists
Nitrogen Management - Nutrient Use Efficiency
A significant amount of resources are devoted to provide fertilizer
recommendations that are based on research conducted in Arkansas.
Trends in the Response to the Pre-tassel Application of N
280 lbN/a
200 lb N/a
Clay
Sandy loam
Silt loam
Variable Rate N
Effect of Delayed Irrigation on Fertilizer Efficiency
% C
ott
on
yie
ld
100 83
45
75 78
43
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
On-time Delayed Dryland
100 lb/a Check
