scholarly journals Assessing Soil Health: Soil Water Cycling

Crops & Soils ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 35-41
Author(s):  
Cristine L.S. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Water Cycling

scholarly journals Sod-Based Peanut/Cotton Rotation-Soil Health Part 1: Root Depth, Earthworms and Soil Water Infiltration

EDIS ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 2006 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tawainga W. Katsvairo ◽  
David L. Wright ◽  
James J. Marois ◽  
D. Hartzog ◽  
P. J. Wiatrak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Root Depth ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Soil Water Infiltration ◽  
Earthworm Population

SS-AGR-124, a 4-page article by T. W. Katsvairo, D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, D. Hartzog, P. J. Wiatrak and J. R. Rich, reports on the importance of perennial grasses on soil health and focuses on root growth, earthworm population densities and soil water infiltration. Published by the UF Department of Agronomy, July 2006. SS-AGR-124/AG256: Sod-Based Peanut/Cotton Rotation—Soil Health Part 1: Root Depth, Earthworms, and Soil Water Infiltration (ufl.edu)

scholarly journals Simulated Dryland Cotton Yield Response to Selected Scenario Factors Associated With Soil Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivasulu Ale ◽  
Sushil K. Himanshu ◽  
Steven A. Mauget ◽  
Darren Hudson ◽  
Tim S. Goebel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Seed Cotton ◽  
Soil Drainage ◽  
Dryland Agriculture ◽  
Soil Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Water Holding

In the Texas High Plains (THP), diminishing irrigation well-capacities, and increasing costs of energy and equipment associated with groundwater extraction and application are contributing factors to a transition from irrigated to dryland agriculture. The primary goal of this modeling exercise was to investigate whether and to what extent hypothetical changes in factors putatively associated with soil health would affect dryland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields. The factors selected were drainage, surface runoff, soil water holding capacity, soil organic carbon (SOC) and albedo. As a first analysis to evaluate these factors, we used the CROPGRO-Cotton module within the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) cropping system model. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of reduced surface runoff, increased soil water holding capacity, and SOC, doubling of the soil albedo through stubble mulching, and of soil drainage by enhancing infiltration with no-tillage/cover crops on yield by adjusting related soil properties. In our analysis, we used mean yields simulated with soil properties of a Pullman clay loam soil at Halfway, TX on the THP as baseline, which were compared to values obtained with the adjusted factors using weather data from 2005 to 2019. Simulated mean yield increased by 27% when the soil water holding capacity was increased by 25 mm, 7% when the runoff curve number was decreased from 73 to 60, 16% when soil albedo was increased from 0.2 to 0.4, and by 58% when the soil drainage factor (fraction day−1) was doubled from 0.2. No significant statistical change in simulated mean yield was calculated when SOC was increased by 1%. Further, effects of a 50 mm pre-plant irrigation were also assessed, simulating limited irrigation in the transition to dryland agriculture that resulted in a statistically insignificant 12% increase in seed-cotton yield. Simultaneous implementation of the four statistically significant individual scenarios (increased water holding capacity, infiltration, albedo, and drainage) resulted in the highest increase (93%) in mean seed-cotton yield. An economic and risk analysis of simulated yields under different scenarios indicated that these factors could reduce revenue risk for dryland cotton producers, with most of the effect from soil drainage improvements.

Agroforestry buffer, biomass crop, and grain crop effects on soil quality and soil water use

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Salah Mahdi Alagele
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Row Crop

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Soil degradation, impaired water quality, and reduced soil organic carbon have become major concerns in the management of degraded claypan soils with their associated ecological and environmental challenges. Restoration of degraded soils by the adoption of recommended perennial vegetative management systems can rehabilitate watersheds and lead to enhancing soil health. Sustainable management practices such as trees, grasses, biomass crops may avoid soil degradation as well as improve soil and water quality. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the effects of different perennial vegetative management systems and soil depth (10-cm depth increments from the surface to the 40-cm depth) on soil bulk density (ρb), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), soil water retention, and pore size distributions as compared to corn (Zea mays L.) -- soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation; (ii) to assess the influence of perennial mament systems, landscape positions (summit, backslope, and footslope), soil depth, and the distance from the tree base for the agroforestry buffer (AB) (50 and 150 cm) treatment on soil quality relative to row crop management; (iii) to determine the impacts of perennial vegetation practices and soil depth on soil water dynamics as compared to row crop system; (iv) to evaluate the effects of long-term perennial management and cropping systems, landscape positions, and the distance from the base of a tree trunk on soil microbial biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC); and (v) to assess the conservation vegetative management practice effects on potential evapotranspiration (ETo). The experiment was conducted at the Greenley Memorial Research Center in northeastern Missouri, USA. Vegetation management treatments were row crop (RC), grass buffer (GB), agroforestry buffer (AB), grass waterways (GWW), and biomass/biofuel crop (BC), which were established in 1991, 1997, 1997, 1997, and 2012, respectively. ... The results of these studies imply that the establishment of perennial vegetative management systems of trees, grasses, and biomass crops on degraded soils can improve soil hydraulic properties, soil quality, soil water storage, soil microbial biomass, and soil water use. These improvements may ameliorate the productivity of degraded claypan soils as well as provide more economical and environmental benefits. Perennial management systems such as trees and grasses can play a considerable role in enhancing soil health for future sustainable production and ecosystem services.

Cover crop effects on corn plant water uptake and soil health

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lalith Mahendra Rankoth
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Plant Water ◽  
Corn Plant ◽  
University Of Missouri ◽  
Soil Quality Improvement

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Cover crops (CC), close growing crops that provide soil and seeding protection between periods of normal cash crop production or between trees in orchards or vines in vineyards, are used for soil quality improvement. However, the effects of CC on water use of the following corn (Zea mays L.) crop is not yet studied. Also, CC effects on soil water availability is yet inconclusive. Although CC are believed to play a major role in soil quality improvement, the effects of CC on microbial populations and community structure and their enzyme activity is not well understood. Soil porosity and pore distribution characteristics might play a major role in controlling soil water and microbial characteristics and thereby plant growth. The objectives of this study were to identify the CC effects on corn plant water use and yield responses, soil water dynamics, microbial population, community structure and enzyme activities and geometrical pore distributional characteristics of the surface soil layer. The study was conducted at Bradford Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia and the Chariton County, Cover Crop Soil Health Research and Demonstration Farm (CCSH), Missouri in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Plant sap flow measurement techniques are among the most reliable methods to evaluate water stress and water consumption by measuring the whole plant transpiration.

Impact of Dairy Wastewater Irrigation and Manure Application on Soil Structural and Water-Holding Properties

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 857-868
Author(s):  
Taylor C. Pinkerton ◽  
Amjad T. Assi ◽  
Valentini A. Pappa ◽  
Eunsung Kan ◽  
Rabi H. Mohtar
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Soil Aggregate ◽  
Wash Water ◽  
Aggregate Structure ◽  
Waste Reuse ◽  
Available Water ◽  
Water Holding

HighlightsQuantitative evaluation was performed of dairy waste on soil water-holding capacity.Considering the soil variability on a farm is significant for management practices.Soil aggregate structure plays a pivotal role in studying the impact of waste reuse.Abstract. The livestock sector contributes about 40% of global agricultural output and uses over 30% of total feed-crop land. The sector’s continuing growth has led to increased technology and larger-scale, commercialized agriculture, and it correlates to growth in by-products and waste, which can compromise the environment and human health. Although organic manure is an excellent soil fertilizer whose nutrient content increases crop yield, untreated and/or overapplied manure pollutes local water resources and can alter soil aggregate structure, potentially affecting soil health and available water. Proper livestock waste management is essential for sustainable food production. Waste reuse strategies exist, with goals such as minimizing freshwater consumption, improving food production, and contributing to energy production, However, each strategy has tradeoffs in environmental, energy, or monetary costs. This study provides a quantitative approach to evaluating waste impact on soil health and helps to better manage irrigation practices and water supply gaps in arid and semi-arid areas by better understanding how management practices affect physical soil health. The TypoSoil apparatus was used to measure and analyze the hydrostructural parameters (water-holding capacity and soil structure) of fine sandy loam (A horizon) and sandy clay (B horizon). Soils from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Dairy (Stephenville, Texas) were collected and compared with control (untouched) soils. Waste (manure, bedding materials, wash water) was separated into liquid (passed through a natural lagoon treatment process) and solid components (applied as fertilizer). Approximately half the wastewater was reused as wash water, the remainder for irrigation. Although the soil varied substantially between sample locations, a statistically significant difference existed between the control and manure/wastewater applications in both the A and B horizons. Both applications improved plant-available water (AW) in the A horizon (40% and 30%, respectively) but deteriorated AW in the B horizon (25% and 30%). Thus, dairy farm waste is a viable source for agricultural use. Keywords: Available water capacity, Pedostructure, Soil health, Soil shrinkage curve, Soil water characteristic curve.

SOIL WATER CONTENT AFFECTS THE AVAILABILITY OF PHOSPHATE

1985 ◽  
pp. 185-189
Author(s):  
M.C.H.Mouat Pieter Nes
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Solution ◽  
Equivalent Reduction

Reduction in water content of a soil increased the concentration of ammonium and nitrate in solution, but had no effect on the concentration of phosphate. The corresponding reduction in the quantity of phosphate in solution caused an equivalent reduction in the response of ryegrass to applied phosphate. Keywords: soil solution, soil water content, phosphate, ryegrass, nutrition.

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