The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Marcio R Nunes - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Soil Health assessment past accomplishments current activities and future opportunities
Soil & Tillage Research, 2019Co-Authors: Douglas L Karlen, Kristen S Veum, Kenneth A Sudduth, John F Obrycki, Marcio R NunesAbstract:Abstract Global interest in Soil Health has increased exponentially during the past decade, with many different government, non-government, and private sector groups striving to develop monitoring and assessment protocols. This brief review focuses on developments in the United States (U.S.) with some references to activities in other countries. It also documents how the Soil Health concept evolved and projects what is needed to scientifically advance monitoring and assessment with a particular focus on activities in the U.S. Recommendations emphasize improving the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) and/or Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) assessment tools, developing protocols for national Soil Health monitoring, identifying and calibrating better indicators of Soil biological, chemical, and physical Health, and developing sensors and other tools for more rapid and in-situ assessments. Collectively, these and other research and technology transfer activities will help achieve what we suggest should be a universal goal – striving for Healthy Soils, Healthy landscapes, and vibrant economies.
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corn root and Soil Health indicator response to no till production practices
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2019Co-Authors: Marcio R Nunes, Douglas L Karlen, J E Denardin, Cynthia A CambardellaAbstract:Abstract Crop production guidelines in Brazil currently focus on Soil fertility or chemical indicators (i.e., Soil pH and nutrient availability) but often neglect physical and biological aspects of Soil Health. No-tillage (NT) practices have been widely adopted in Brazil primarily to mitigate erosion, but chemical-based guidelines associated with those practices may be contributing to nutrient stratification and a concentration of crop roots within the top few centimeters of the Soil profile. Our objective was to quantify relationships between Soil physical and chemical attributes and root growth in Soils with a long-term NT history (>10-yr). Crop root development and several Soil Health indicators were measured within the 0 to 7-, 7- to 17- and 20- to 30-cm depth increments of two long-term NT studies on Rhodic Hapludox Soils in Brazil. Data from both experiments showed strong organic carbon (OC) stratification, significant differences in Soil physical and chemical attributes, and root systems that were concentrated within the surface layer. Soil compaction below 7-cm appeared to be the dominant factor limiting root growth. Soil-test phosphorus (P) and OC were also correlated to root growth. Based on these analyses and other on-farm observations, we concluded that it is important to recognize that despite its benefits, NT practices can result in plant root stratification. Therefore, it is important to not only monitor Soil fertility/chemical conditions, but also Soil structure and biological indicators of Soil Health when developing NT guidelines for Brazil.
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no till and cropping system diversification improve Soil Health and crop yield
Geoderma, 2018Co-Authors: Marcio R Nunes, Harold M Van Es, Robert R Schindelbeck, Aaron Ristow, Matthew R RyanAbstract:Abstract The performance of no-till (NT) in temperate regions may be enhanced through the integration of additional conservation practices such as cover cropping and crop rotations. This study assessed the long-term impacts of continuous (20+ years) NT in comparison to plow-till (PT) management on Soil properties and corn (Zea mays L.) yields in New York. The effects of tillage were assessed in combination with different cropping systems (24 years corn monoculture vs. 12 years corn monoculture; and with or without interseeded cover crops) on three Soil textures: clay loam, loamy sand and silt loam. We measured four Soil biological indicators - organic matter (OM), active carbon (ActC), respiration (Resp) and protein (Prot); four Soil physical indicators - available water capacity (AWC), water stable aggregation (WSA), penetration resistance (PR) and water infiltration rate (InfRate); Soil chemical indicators (plant available nutrients, pH and total N), and corn yield. Soil managed under long-term NT showed the most favorable Soil biological, physical and chemical conditions for plant development, with higher levels of OM, Prot, Resp, WAS, total N, P and Zn, and InfRate. Benefits of introducing a grass-legume cover crop mixture into the cropping system were evident after 4 years for OM, Prot, Resp, AWC, Fe and Zn. Cover crop effects were greater under NT than PT, and additive to the NT benefits. On the clay loam Soil, the effects of a 6-year interruption of continuous corn production with a perennial grass crop were still discernable with several Soil Health indicators 12 years after resuming corn production under NT. The better Soil conditions under NT resulted in higher corn yields in both the loamy sand and silt loam Soils, but not the clay loam. Our study shows that long-term NT can be viable in temperate regions, promoting significant improvement in Soil Health and crop yield and that these benefits are enhanced when NT is combined with crop rotation (perennial grass) and cover crops.
Jacqueline L Stroud - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Soil Health pilot study in england outcomes from an on farm earthworm survey
PLOS ONE, 2019Co-Authors: Jacqueline L StroudAbstract:Earthworms are primary candidates for national Soil Health monitoring as they are ecosystem engineers that benefit both food production and ecosystem services associated with Soil security. Supporting farmers to monitor Soil Health could help to achieve the policy aspiration of sustainable Soils by 2030 in England; however, little is known about how to overcome participation barriers, appropriate methodologies (practical, cost-effective, usefulness) or training needs. This paper presents the results from a pilot #60minworms study which mobilised farmers to assess over >1300 ha farmland Soils in spring 2018. The results interpretation framework is based on the presence of earthworms from each of the three ecological groups at each observation (20 x 20 cm x 20 cm pit) and spatially across a field (10 Soil pits). Results showed that most fields have basic earthworm presence and abundance, but 42% fields may be over-worked as indicated by absence/rarity of epigeic and/or anecic earthworms. Tillage had a negative impact (p < 0.05) on earthworm populations and organic matter management did not mitigate tillage impacts. In terms of farmer participation, Twitter and Farmers Weekly magazine were highly effective channels for recruitment. Direct feedback from participants included excellent scores in trust, value and satisfaction of the protocol (e.g. 100% would do the test again) and 57% would use their worm survey results to change their Soil management practices. A key training need in terms of earthworm identification skills was reported. The trade-off between data quality, participation rates and fieldwork costs suggests there is potential to streamline the protocol further to #30minworms (5 pits), incurring farmer fieldwork costs of approximately £1.48 ha-1. At national scales, £14 million pounds across 4.7 M ha-1 in fieldwork costs per survey could be saved by farmer participation.
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Soil Health pilot study in England: Outcomes from an on-farm earthworm survey
2019Co-Authors: Jacqueline L StroudAbstract:Earthworms are primary candidates for national Soil Health monitoring as they are ecosystem engineers that benefit both food production and ecosystem services associated with Soil security. Supporting farmers to monitor Soil Health could help to achieve the policy aspiration of sustainable Soils by 2030 in England; however, little is known about how to overcome participation barriers, appropriate methodologies (practical, cost-effective, usefulness) or training needs. This paper presents the results from a pilot #60minworms study which mobilised farmers to assess over >1300 ha farmland Soils in spring 2018. The results interpretation framework is based on the presence of earthworms from each of the three ecological groups at each observation (20 x 20 cm x 20 cm pit) and spatially across a field (10 Soil pits). Results showed that most fields have basic earthworm presence and abundance, but 42% fields may be over-worked as indicated by absence/rarity of epigeic and/or anecic earthworms. Tillage had a negative impact (p
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Soil Health pilot study in england outcomes from an on farm earthworm survey
bioRxiv, 2018Co-Authors: Jacqueline L StroudAbstract:Abstract Earthworms are primary candidates for national Soil Health monitoring as they are ecosystem engineers that benefit both food production and ecosystem services associated with Soil security. Supporting farmers to monitor Soil Health could help to achieve the policy aspiration of sustainable Soils by 2030 in England; however, little is known about how to overcome participation barriers, appropriate methodologies (practical, cost-effective, usefulness) or training needs. This paper presents the results from a pilot #60minworms study which mobilised farmers to assess over >1300 ha farmland Soils in spring 2018. The results interpretation framework is based on the presence of earthworms from each of the three ecological groups at each observation (20cm3pit) and spatially across a field (10 Soil pits). Results showed that most fields have basic earthworm biodiversity, but 42 % fields may be at risk of over-cultivation as indicated by absence/rarity of epigeic and/or anecic earthworms; and earthworm counting is not a reliable indicator of earthworm biodiversity. Tillage had a negative impact (p
Matthew R Ryan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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legacy effects of contrasting organic grain cropping systems on Soil Health indicators Soil invertebrates weeds and crop yield
Agricultural Systems, 2020Co-Authors: Ashley B Jernigan, Kyle Wickings, Charles L Mohler, Brian A Caldwell, Christopher J Pelzer, Sandra Wayman, Matthew R RyanAbstract:Abstract Elucidating relationships between the Soil food web, Soil processes, and agroecosystem function is a critical step toward a more sustainable agriculture. Soil and crop management practices can alter these relationships, and their effects can persist even after imposing new management practices. In 2005, the Cornell Organic Grain Cropping Systems Experiment was established in central New York. Four cropping systems that varied in fertilizer inputs, tillage practices, and weed control were compared: High Fertility, Low Fertility, Enhanced Weed Management, Reduced Tillage. Two crop rotation entry points were included in the experiment. In June 2017, the entire experimental site (plots and alleyways) was plowed and seeded with sorghum sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench x S. sudanense (Piper) Stapf] as part of a uniformity trial to assess legacy effects of past management practices. Prior to initiating the uniformity trial, Soil samples were collected and analyzed for Soil Health indicators. Soil samples were also collected to assess Soil invertebrate abundance and community structure 34 and 70 days after planting. Sorghum sudangrass and weed biomass were sampled at the end of the uniformity trial in September 2017. Legacy effects of past management that were observed during the uniformity trial were associated with differences in nutrient inputs and Soil disturbance, as well as the preceding crop. The High Fertility system had greater Soil phosphorus than the Low Fertility system, and in one of the two crop rotation entry points, Soil aggregate stability and Soil respiration were greater in the Reduced Tillage system compared to the Enhanced Weed Management system. The Enhanced Weed Management cropping system also had a Soil invertebrate community characterized by more disturbance tolerant taxa. Weed biomass varied by crop rotation entry point, but not cropping system. Sorghum sudangrass biomass was greater in the Reduced Tillage system than the Low Fertility system, and the entry point that had greater weed biomass also had greater sorghum sudangrass biomass. Piecewise structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test relationships between response variables and showed that Soil phosphorus, Soil aggregate stability, and Soil respiration explained variation in abundance of some invertebrates, and that aggregate stability, Soil respiration, Soil moisture, weed biomass, and a select group of invertebrates affected sorghum sudangrass biomass production. Overall our findings show that Soil invertebrates can mediate the relationship between Soil Health indicators and crop productivity, and provide support for including direct measurements of Soil invertebrates in Soil Health assessments.
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no till and cropping system diversification improve Soil Health and crop yield
Geoderma, 2018Co-Authors: Marcio R Nunes, Harold M Van Es, Robert R Schindelbeck, Aaron Ristow, Matthew R RyanAbstract:Abstract The performance of no-till (NT) in temperate regions may be enhanced through the integration of additional conservation practices such as cover cropping and crop rotations. This study assessed the long-term impacts of continuous (20+ years) NT in comparison to plow-till (PT) management on Soil properties and corn (Zea mays L.) yields in New York. The effects of tillage were assessed in combination with different cropping systems (24 years corn monoculture vs. 12 years corn monoculture; and with or without interseeded cover crops) on three Soil textures: clay loam, loamy sand and silt loam. We measured four Soil biological indicators - organic matter (OM), active carbon (ActC), respiration (Resp) and protein (Prot); four Soil physical indicators - available water capacity (AWC), water stable aggregation (WSA), penetration resistance (PR) and water infiltration rate (InfRate); Soil chemical indicators (plant available nutrients, pH and total N), and corn yield. Soil managed under long-term NT showed the most favorable Soil biological, physical and chemical conditions for plant development, with higher levels of OM, Prot, Resp, WAS, total N, P and Zn, and InfRate. Benefits of introducing a grass-legume cover crop mixture into the cropping system were evident after 4 years for OM, Prot, Resp, AWC, Fe and Zn. Cover crop effects were greater under NT than PT, and additive to the NT benefits. On the clay loam Soil, the effects of a 6-year interruption of continuous corn production with a perennial grass crop were still discernable with several Soil Health indicators 12 years after resuming corn production under NT. The better Soil conditions under NT resulted in higher corn yields in both the loamy sand and silt loam Soils, but not the clay loam. Our study shows that long-term NT can be viable in temperate regions, promoting significant improvement in Soil Health and crop yield and that these benefits are enhanced when NT is combined with crop rotation (perennial grass) and cover crops.
Cynthia A Cambardella - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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corn root and Soil Health indicator response to no till production practices
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2019Co-Authors: Marcio R Nunes, Douglas L Karlen, J E Denardin, Cynthia A CambardellaAbstract:Abstract Crop production guidelines in Brazil currently focus on Soil fertility or chemical indicators (i.e., Soil pH and nutrient availability) but often neglect physical and biological aspects of Soil Health. No-tillage (NT) practices have been widely adopted in Brazil primarily to mitigate erosion, but chemical-based guidelines associated with those practices may be contributing to nutrient stratification and a concentration of crop roots within the top few centimeters of the Soil profile. Our objective was to quantify relationships between Soil physical and chemical attributes and root growth in Soils with a long-term NT history (>10-yr). Crop root development and several Soil Health indicators were measured within the 0 to 7-, 7- to 17- and 20- to 30-cm depth increments of two long-term NT studies on Rhodic Hapludox Soils in Brazil. Data from both experiments showed strong organic carbon (OC) stratification, significant differences in Soil physical and chemical attributes, and root systems that were concentrated within the surface layer. Soil compaction below 7-cm appeared to be the dominant factor limiting root growth. Soil-test phosphorus (P) and OC were also correlated to root growth. Based on these analyses and other on-farm observations, we concluded that it is important to recognize that despite its benefits, NT practices can result in plant root stratification. Therefore, it is important to not only monitor Soil fertility/chemical conditions, but also Soil structure and biological indicators of Soil Health when developing NT guidelines for Brazil.
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organic farming Soil Health and food quality considering possible links
Advances in Agronomy, 2016Co-Authors: Jennifer R Reeve, Cynthia A Cambardella, Lori Hoagland, Juan J Villalba, Patrick M Carr, Amaya Atucha, Donald R Davis, Kathleen DelateAbstract:Abstract That the Health of Soils, plants, animals, and people are linked is an ancient idea that still resonates. Growing evidence links farm management, Soil Health, and plant Health but relationships among Soil Health, food crop nutritional quality, and human Health are less understood. Numerous studies compare organic with conventional farming in order to shed light on these links. Organic farming systems utilize carbon-based amendments, diverse crop rotations, and cover crops to build Soil fertility. These practices increase biologically available Soil organic matter and beneficial Soil microbe and invertebrate activities, improve Soil physical properties, reduce disease potential, and increase plant Health. To date, comparisons of nutrient content between organic and conventional foods have been inconsistent. Recent evidence suggests that organically grown fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of Health promoting phytochemicals, possibly linked to greater plant stress, rhizosphere microbial communities, and/or lower available nitrogen. But the overlap in management practices among farming systems make broad generalizations difficult. Moreover, environmental and crop species and/or cultivar interactions may exert stronger effects than management. Here we summarize the known factors influencing Soil and plant Health and link these with food-crop quality and human Health. Though this paper draws primarily from research on organic farming, management practices that enhance Soil, plant, and human Health remain an important goal for all sustainable food production systems.
Rattan Lal - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of sesbania brown manuring and rice residue mulch on Soil Health weeds and system productivity of conservation rice wheat systems
Land Degradation & Development, 2017Co-Authors: Ahmad Nawaz, Rattan Lal, Muhammad Farooq, Abdul Rehman, Tasawar Hussain, Asif NadeemAbstract:The sustainability of rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS) is threatened by increasing labor, water, and energy crises in the region. Conservation RWCSs offers an ecofriendly alternate option. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of sesbania brown manuring in direct-seeded aerobic rice (DSAR) and of rice residue mulch in no-tilled wheat (NTW) on Soil Health, weed dynamics and system productivity. The experiment was composed of five RWCS systems: (i) DSAR-NTW; (ii) DSAR + sesbania brown manuring-NTW; (iii) DSAR-NTW + rice residue mulch; (iv) puddled transplanted flooded rice (PudTR)-NTW; and (v) PudTR-plow-tilled wheat. Sesbania brown manuring in direct-seeded rice decreased the weed density and dry biomass 41–56% and 62–75%, respectively, than the sole direct-seeded rice crop. At rice harvest, better Soil Health, in terms of total nitrogen (N), Soil organic carbon, Soil microbial biomass carbon, and Soil microbial biomass nitrogen, was noted with DSAR + sesbania brown manuring-NTW. Rice residue mulch retention in NTW decreased weed density and dry weight by 60 and 69%, respectively, than those under NTW with no mulch. At wheat harvest, highest total N, Soil organic carbon, and Soil microbial biomass carbon were recorded with DSAR-NTW + rice residue mulch, followed by DSAR + sesbania brown manuring-NTW. Overall, NTW grown after DSAR + sesbania brown manuring produced more grain yield than PudTR-NTW and PudTR-plow-tilled wheat systems. In conclusion, sesbania brown manuring in DSAR and residue mulch retention in NTW may be opted to improve Soil properties, suppress weeds, and to harvest better grain yield and achieve higher system productivity in conservation RWCSs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Soil Health and carbon management
Food and Energy Security, 2016Co-Authors: Rattan LalAbstract:Soil, a natural four-dimensional body at the atmosphere–lithosphere interface, is organic-carbon-mediated realm in which solid, liquid, and gaseous phases interact at a range of scales and generate numerous ecosystem goods and services. Soil organic carbon (SOC) strongly impacts Soil quality, functionality and Health. Terms Soil quality and Soil Health should not be used interchangeable. Soil quality is related to what it does (functions), whereas Soil Health treats Soil as a living biological entity that affects plant Health. Through plant growth, Soil Health is also connected with the Health of animals, humans, and ecosystems within its domain. Through supply of macro- and micronutrients, Soil Health, mediated by SOC dynamics is a strong determinant of global food and nutritional security. Soil C pool consists of two related but distinct components: SOC and Soil inorganic C (SIC). The SIC pool comprises of primary and secondary carbonates, and the latter consists of calcitic (no net sequestration of atmospheric CO2) and silicatic (net sequestration). While SOC is highly dynamic, its mean residence time depends on the degree of protection (physical, chemical, biological, and ecological) within the Soil matrix. Formation of stable microaggregates and of organo–mineral complexes can protect SOC against microbial processes for millennia. In addition to formation of silicatic type of secondary carbonates, leaching of bicarbonates into the subSoil or shallow water table is also an important mechanism of sequestration of CO2 as SIC. Numerous Soil functions and ecosystem services depend on SOC and its dynamics. Improvements in Soil Health, along with increase in availability of water and nutrients, increases Soil's resilience against extreme climate events (e.g., drought, heat wave) and imparts disease-suppressive attributes. Enhancing and sustaining Soil Health is also pertinent to advancing Sustainable Development Goals of the U.N. such as alleviating poverty, reducing hunger, improving Health, and promoting economic development.