Location: Water Management and Systems Research
Project Number: 3012-13660-010-011-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 31, 2022
End Date: Mar 30, 2027
Objective:
1. The timeline required to improve the productivity of unproductive soil (eroded cropland).
2. Quantify and compare beef manure with commercial fertilizer application on soil health parameters and land sustainability.
Approach:
Field plots experiment was initiated (Spring 2006) on a marginal (low fertility) soil in order to address the effect of animal manure on soil quality under row crop production (crop rotation that will be decided each year) and two tillage practices (no-tillage and conventional tillage). After 5, 10, and 15 years, the experimental plots will be sampled and the cropland will be evaluated for soil health parameters. In 2022 the research plots will be sampled for further soil quality evaluation and possibility of changing the management. The USDA-ARS will quantify some of the physical and chemical properties of the soil samples and some chemical properties for the plant samples to evaluate nutrient uptake.
