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Full-Text Articles in Earth Sciences
Spatial Estimation Of Hydraulic Properties In Structured Soils At The Field Scale, Xi Zhang
Spatial Estimation Of Hydraulic Properties In Structured Soils At The Field Scale, Xi Zhang
Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences
Improving agricultural water management is important for conserving water during dry seasons, using limited water resources in the most efficient way, and minimizing environmental risks (e.g., leaching, surface runoff). The understanding of water movement in different zones of agricultural production fields is crucial to developing an effective irrigation strategy. This work centered on optimizing field water management by characterizing the spatial patterns of soil hydraulic properties. Soil hydraulic conductivity was measured across different zones in a farmer’s field, and its spatial variability was investigated by using geostatistical techniques. Since direct measurement of hydraulic conductivity is time-consuming and arduous, pedo-transfer functions …
Long-Term Land Management Practices And Their Effect On Soil Health And Crop Productivity, Thomas Joseph Muratore Jr.
Long-Term Land Management Practices And Their Effect On Soil Health And Crop Productivity, Thomas Joseph Muratore Jr.
Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences
Agricultural intensification reliant on monocrops could change soil health in a way that does not support maximum crop productivity. Twenty-nine-year-old no-till field plots at the University of Kentucky Spindletop research farm showed a significant reduction in corn yields from continuous corn plots compared to those from plots in various types of rotation. The objective of this study was to determine what role soil microbes might play in yield reduction and how management and time effects microbial community structure. Samples were collected from the following treatments: continuous corn (CC), continuous soybean (SS), a 2-year corn/soybean rotation (CCSS), Corn in rotation with …