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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #403221
Research Project: Sustainable Intensification of Cropping Systems on Spatially Variable Landscapes and Soils

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: Long-term soil health research on Sanborn Field

Author
item REINBOTT, TIMOTHY - University Of Missouri
item Veum, Kristen
item KREMER, ROBERT - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2023
Publication Date: 6/20/2023
Citation: Reinbott, T., Veum, K.S., Kremer, R.J. 2023. Long-term soil health research on Sanborn Field [abstract]. Association of Applied Biologists Conference: Rothamsted Research, Long Term Experiments: meeting future challenges, June 20-22, 2023, Hertfordshire, UK

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sanborn Field, established in 1888, is the 3rd oldest continuous research site in world. The 40 experimental plots focus on crop rotation, crop species, and fertility inputs with 15 plots relatively unchanged for the past 135 years. Approximately every 25 years beginning in 1915, four 1.2 m soil cores are taken from each plot and divided into fixed, 10 cm increments. Historically, sample analysis focused on basic soil fertility measurements. More recently, samples from the upper 7.5 cm indicated that soil health indicators were greater in monoculture wheat compared to monoculture corn or soybean and were greater with manure inputs compared with no fertilizer or commercial fertilizers. For example, water stable aggregate stability (WSA) was 280 mg g-1 for continuous wheat with manure, 220 mg g-1 for continuous wheat without manure, 210 mg g-1 for continuous corn with manure, and only 80 mg g-1 for continuous corn with no fertilizer inputs. In addition, WSA was 290 mg g-1 in a corn-wheat-red clover rotation with manure versus 130 mg g-1 with commercial fertilizer. However, WSA values were reduced to 220 mg g-1 when soybean replaced red clover in the rotation with manure and was unchanged in the commercial fertilizer treatment. Manure treatments also demonstrated greater total organic carbon, active carbon, total nitrogen, and microbial biomass relative to commercial fertilizer treatments; however, the effect of crop rotation on these soil health indicators was minimal. To further investigate the effects of long-term management on soil health indicators through the soil profile, soil cores were collected in 2020 and divided by horizon. Laboratory results from these samples will provide future insights.