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Full-Text Articles in Soil Science

Estimation Of Relative Pesticide Leaching In Nebraska Soils, P. J. Shea, L. N. Mielke, W. D. Nettleton Mar 1992

Estimation Of Relative Pesticide Leaching In Nebraska Soils, P. J. Shea, L. N. Mielke, W. D. Nettleton

Historical Research Bulletins of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station

A computational procedure (RIPS, Relative Index for Pesticides and Soils) was developed as a conservative estimator of pesticide leaching and groundwater contamination based on soil and pesticide properties, and water table depth. RIPS values offer guidance in pesticide selection and identify situations where a detailed site-specific evaluation should be conducted.


Factors Affecting Crop Response To Liming, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims Jan 1992

Factors Affecting Crop Response To Liming, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Soil acidity levels directly affect the rate, kinds, and degree of chemical reactions which take place in soil. Crops respond to varying degrees to these chemical reactions. For the most part, these reactions affect the solubility of mineral elements in soil and the activity of the soil's biological processes. As a result, the availability of many plant nutrient elements is regulated by soil acidity. The level of availability of plant required nutrients can be adequate, deficient, or toxic to the plant, depending on the nutrient, soil acidity, and the crop. That is why measurement of soil acidity is regarded by …


Developing Efficient Crop Production Systems, Kenneth L. Wells Jan 1992

Developing Efficient Crop Production Systems, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Land is initially the most limiting resource to consider in setting up a farm system aimed at maximizing returns. This is because soil, its topographical features, and its physical and chemical properties are largely fixed. There is little which can be done about them except to manage soil fertility and control erosion. Over the long run, crop production from any land tract will be directly influenced by the nature and character of the soils in that land tract. For this reason, the most basic step in initiating or redesigning a farming operation is to get an evaluation of the soil …


Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part I. Laboratory Investigation, Xiwen Luo, Larry G. Wells Jan 1992

Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part I. Laboratory Investigation, Xiwen Luo, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Gamma ray attenuation was evaluated as a means of determining soil bulk density. Experiments were conducted using clay, silt, and sandy loam soils wherein samples were compacted to uniform densities at various moisture contents. We determined the attenuation characteristics of dry soil to be independent of soil texture while being significantly different from that of water. Comparison of gamma density measurements with known soil sample densities indicated that the gamma gauge provided reliable measurement of soil bulk density, provided that the effect of soil moisture on attenuation was accounted for and the manufacturer-prescribed calibration procedure was followed daily. Further, we …


Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part Ii. Field Investigation, Larry G. Wells, Xiwen Luo Jan 1992

Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part Ii. Field Investigation, Larry G. Wells, Xiwen Luo

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A field investigation was conducted at sites near Lexington and Central City, Kentucky, to evaluate the use of gamma ray attenuation for measuring soil bulk density. Experiments were conducted whereby the gamma gauge was calibrated by various means and compared with volumetric cores collected from the field soils. Calibration by the manufacturer’s recommended procedure was determined to be as accurate as more rigorous laboratory calibration or calibration via regression of soil bulk density data, provided that the effect of soil water on gamma attenuation is correctly considered. We also developed a linear regression equation to correct for the occurrence of …