Life Sciences Commons^™

Kansas Soil Health Partnership, C. B. Pires, I. A. Ciampitti, D. A. Ruiz Diaz, M. V. Sarto, Charles Rice

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was part of a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health, benefitting farmer profitability, supporting a stable food supply, and preserving the environment. This study’s objective was to measure the effect of soil management strategies on the soil microbial community distribution and activity. Four farmers in Kansas were accepted into the program to conduct on-farm comparisons of a standard farm practice and an improved practice. This was ongoing research, and for this field research report, we are presenting the study at one of the selected farms. This site was located near Bucyrus, Miami County …

Electrical Resistivity Tomography Of Claypan Soils In Southeastern Kansas, M. A. Mathis Ii, S. E. Tucker-Kulesza, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Claypan soils cover approximately 10 million acres across several states in the central United States. The soils are characterized by a highly impermeable clay layer within the profile that impedes water flow and root growth. While some claypan soils can be productive, they must be carefully managed to avoid reductions to crop productivity due to root restrictions, water, and nutrient limitations. Clay soils are usually resistant to erosion but may exacerbate erosion of the silt-loam topsoil.

Soil production potential is the capacity of soil to produce at a given level (yield per acre). The productive capacity is tied to soil …

Exploring The Physical, Chemical And Biological Components Of Soil: Improving Soil Health For Better Productive Capacity, G. F. Sassenrath, K. Davis, A. Sassenrath-Cole, N. Riding

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

“Soil health” is a term that is used to describe soil quality. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has defined soil health as “The continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans (NRCS 2018).” For a farmer, soil health is the productive capacity of the soil, or the capacity of the soil to produce a crop or pasture. Healthy soils produce more and with better quality.

Soil health is critical for water and nutrient cycling. Soil captures rainwater and stores it for use by plants. Soil health is …