About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The majority of state-developed nitrogen recommendations, many of which are 30 or more years old ignore significant nitrogen pools in the soil. These recommendations view soils "as a medium to grow plants". This may have been valid 30-40 years ago, but as no-till and cover cropping has increased, many farmers are beginning to question this assumption.

A recent large study by Rick Haney showed that from 6,227 soil samples, an average of 36 lb/ac nitrogen in organic form was present in the soil. In addition, we can also make educated decisions on the availability of nutrients to the next crop by measuring cover crop biomass and nutrient content.

Soils are living integrated ecosystems and if treated as ecosystems, will provide farmers with services that were previously bought.

What is the significance of this project?

There is an obvious economic benefit to the farmer, up to $190 per acre or 57% of a standard crop budget for wheat goes into commercial fertilizer. We think that in a health soil, less than 20% of this is needed - that's a savings to the farmer of $152/acre.

Carl Coleman is a unique farmer in that he initiated the idea and has deliberately chosen a field next to the road. Carl wants to show his neighbors that soil health works in Dillon County soils, not just Ohio or North Dakota.

There are a huge environmental benefit to this that is becoming a big deal to farmers that include:

1. a radical (like 90%) reduction of nutrients to local waterbodies
2. a big energy saving (including the energy content of commercial nitrogen
3. sequestration of around 2,400 pounds of carbon per acre per year!

What are the goals of the project?

1. We plan to divide the field into 40 plots made up of 2 identical experiments. Each experiment with four treatments x five replicates.
2. Our treatments begin with (1) zero commercial fertilizer (2) 30 lb/ac starter N only (3) 30 lb/ac starter N and 1 lb/ac P fertilizer and (4) the full agronomic rate of N, P, K.
3. We intend to use conventional soil tests and the Haney Soil Health Tests (e.g., soil respiration, water extractable carbon and nitrogen) and well as plant tissue samples and biomass to soil and crop during crop growth.
4. Mr. Coleman will measure yield of each plot at harvest with the aid of a weigh wagon (this involves a significant amount of time and effort)