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Articles 61 - 90 of 183
Full-Text Articles in Soil Science
Factors Affecting Crop Response To Liming, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims
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
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 …
Row Cleaners In No-Till Corn, Lloyd W. Murdock, James H. Herbek, Tim Gray
Row Cleaners In No-Till Corn, Lloyd W. Murdock, James H. Herbek, Tim Gray
Soil Science News and Views
Row cleaners are planter attachments mounted in front of the double-disc openers on planters. They are designed to move most of the surface residue to the sides of the row, allowing no-till planting into a band with a fairly clean surface. This attachment is best suited for wet, cool soils to allow a more rapid warming of the soil surface, on rough soil to allow some smoothing before planting, and in heavy residue to prevent "hairpinning" of residue into the planting slot. There is evidence that cleaning the residue from the row raises soil temperatures which results in quicker corn …
A New Concept In Treating Wastewaters ... "Constructed Wetlands", Anastasios D. Karathanasis
A New Concept In Treating Wastewaters ... "Constructed Wetlands", Anastasios D. Karathanasis
Soil Science News and Views
During the last few years a new technology for treating municipal and industrial waste water has emerged, which also shows some potential for treatment of farm and home wastewaters. This technology involves the construction of "artificial wetlands" and establishing a dominant vegetation of Typha (cattails), Sphagnum (moss), certain algae, and other plant species which have the potential to beneficially affect small flows of waste water moving through them by biochemical processes. Interest in these systems has steadily increased because of their low cost (1/10 to 1/2 that of conventional treatment), efficiency, and near nonexistent maintenance. These "constructed wetland" biochemical-treatment systems …
The Relationship Between Soil Properties And No-Tillage Agriculture, Robert L. Blevins
The Relationship Between Soil Properties And No-Tillage Agriculture, Robert L. Blevins
Soil Science News and Views
I am highly honored to be invited to present the 3rd annual S.H. Phillips Distinguished Lecture on No-Tillage Agriculture. My interest and subsequent research efforts in the area of no-tillage agriculture began in 1969. Shirley Phillips encouraged my efforts through his interest and enthusiasm for this rather radical and new approach to farming without the use of tillage equipment. At that time, Harry Young, a western Kentucky farmer and pioneer of no-tillage agriculture along with Shirley, Jim Herron, Charlie Slack and other co-workers were excited about the potential of this new, innovative farming system and what it could do for …
Fall Fertilization And Liming For Tobacco Production, J. L. Sims, Kenneth L. Wells
Fall Fertilization And Liming For Tobacco Production, J. L. Sims, Kenneth L. Wells
Soil Science News and Views
Proper nutrition of tobacco is a prerequisite for achieving high yields of cured leaf possessing desirable marketing characteristics. Together with the variety grown, soils, climate, and curing conditions, a desirable nutrient environment greatly influences yield, quality, and usability of the leaf produced. Late summer and early fall is a good time to select fields for future tobacco crops or to sample this year's tobacco fields which will be used for tobacco next year, and to assess their needs for lime, phosphorus, and potassium. Planning fertilization strategies this fall that lead to increased profit is much more effective than waiting until …
Farm Nutrient Management, William O. Thom
Farm Nutrient Management, William O. Thom
Soil Science News and Views
Nutrient management is becoming a buzz word in today's vocabulary of crop and livestock production. In the past it was applied to efficient management of all nutrient sources used for crop production. More recently it is being used to account for all nutrients used for crop production that are brought onto the farm, removed from the farm in crop and animal products, and reallocated within the farm unit. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the nutrients of concern with nitrogen and phosphorus being most important.
Using Solid, Bulk Blended Mix-Grade Fertilizers, Kenneth L. Wells, Jonathan D. Green
Using Solid, Bulk Blended Mix-Grade Fertilizers, Kenneth L. Wells, Jonathan D. Green
Soil Science News and Views
Most solid, mixed fertilizers used in Kentucky are prepared by physically mixing two or more fertilizer materials to a desired analysis. The ingredient materials most commonly used to prepare mixed fertilizers in Kentucky are diammonium phosphate, urea, ammonium nitrate, muriate of potash, and sulfate of potash. During the period January - June, 1990, these 5 materials made up 60% of the 700,000 tons of fertilizer used in Kentucky. And just three of them ... urea, diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash ... made up 47% of the total used during that period.
Managing Soil Content Of Nitrate Nitrogen, Kenneth L. Wells
Managing Soil Content Of Nitrate Nitrogen, Kenneth L. Wells
Soil Science News and Views
The concerns about leaching of fertilizer nitrogen (N} into groundwater which were raised in the late 1960's were largely silenced during the 1970's as our agricultural economy was massively expanded. But since the early 80's they have been raised again to the point that national legislation (the Clean Water Act) was put into place to bring purity of the nation's water supplies into compliance with EPA-established standards. Beyond the apprehension largely about nitrate (NO3) levels in groundwater, the groundwater issue today also includes concerns about pesticides. At the current time, the public is apprehensive about drinking water and …
Effectiveness Of Two Lime Sources With Different Relative Neutralizing Values (Rnv), Greg Henson, Lloyd W. Murdock
Effectiveness Of Two Lime Sources With Different Relative Neutralizing Values (Rnv), Greg Henson, Lloyd W. Murdock
Soil Science News and Views
Quality of agricultural lime (ground limestone) is an important factor in maintaining proper soil pH. The quality of lime is determined by its purity and fineness of grind. Purity is the amount of calcium and magnesium carbonate present in the limestone. Clay, silt, sand, organic matter, and other materials present in limestone rock dilute its purity. Since limestone is slowly soluble, it must be finely ground to be effective. The more finely ground the lime, the more rapidly it will dissolve in the soil.
Effectiveness Of Surface Application Of Phosphorus And Potassium On Yield Of No-Till Corn Grown On Soils Testing Low Or Medium Below A Depth Of 3 Inches, Grant W. Thomas
Effectiveness Of Surface Application Of Phosphorus And Potassium On Yield Of No-Till Corn Grown On Soils Testing Low Or Medium Below A Depth Of 3 Inches, Grant W. Thomas
Soil Science News and Views
When crops are grown continuously under no-tillage or very minimum tillage, there is a tendency for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to become concentrated at or near the soil surface. This occurs when P and K fertilizers are broadcast on the surface and not mixed with the soil as would occur with plowing. The result is a stratification of P and K such that the surface few inches become very high in those nutrients, but soil test levels remain largely unaffected below that. The question is whether high yields of no-till crops can be obtained under these conditions.
Production Of No-Tillage Burley Tobacco, Jack M. Zeleznik, R. E. Phillips
Production Of No-Tillage Burley Tobacco, Jack M. Zeleznik, R. E. Phillips
Soil Science News and Views
In the early 1970's, researchers at the University of Kentucky produced burley tobacco by using no-tillage methods. These studies were abandoned a few years later due to poor growth, poor plant survival, and the lack of adequate weed control as the contributing factors. In 1984, the experimental production of no-tillage burley tobacco was reinitiated with the hopes that the newer herbicides would perform more effectively for no-tillage tobacco production. Burley producers could realize several potential advantages to no-tillage tobacco production if the yields produced by no-tillage were equal to or near those of conventional tillage. These potential advantages would include: …
Urease Inhibitor Reduces Ammonia Loss From Surface-Applied Urea, Wilbur Frye, Lloyd W. Murdock, Robert L. Blevins
Urease Inhibitor Reduces Ammonia Loss From Surface-Applied Urea, Wilbur Frye, Lloyd W. Murdock, Robert L. Blevins
Soil Science News and Views
Urea is the world's leading N fertilizer, and its use continues to grow. In the USA, for example, the use of urea increased 50 fold from 1955 to 1986. During that same time, its use in Kentucky increased from 214 to more than 112,000 tons per year, which was 28% of the N used in Kentucky in 1986. The increasing popularity of urea is due to advantages over other N fertilizers in its manufacture and to its use in making most N solutions, another rapidly growing form of N fertilizer. Desirable qualities of urea include the highest N content of …
Sulfur And Magnesium Trials With Wheat In West Kentucky, Monroe Rasnake
Sulfur And Magnesium Trials With Wheat In West Kentucky, Monroe Rasnake
Soil Science News and Views
Interest in fertilizing wheat with sulfur and magnesium has increased recently in West Kentucky. This has been due primarily to positive test results in adjoining states and recommendations being made by some commercial people. Previous-testing in Kentucky has shown no response by wheat to sulfur, or to magnesium. However, in order to have current data on which to base recommendations, research plots were established in the fall of 1987 in Todd and Hopkins counties. They were repeated on different farms in 1988, making a total of 4 different sites studied.
Has The Nitrate-Nitrogen In Streams Draining Agricultural Watersheds In Kentucky Changed In The Last 18 Years?, Grant W. Thomas, Gerald R. Haszler, James D. Crutchfield
Has The Nitrate-Nitrogen In Streams Draining Agricultural Watersheds In Kentucky Changed In The Last 18 Years?, Grant W. Thomas, Gerald R. Haszler, James D. Crutchfield
Soil Science News and Views
In 1971 and 1972, we sampled streams across Kentucky for nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) during the high-water flow months of January through June. The results were variable and showed a dominant effect of geology and lesser effects of both time and land use on the results. Since that time, use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) has nearly doubled in Kentucky and, further, there is a high degree of concern among the public that NO3-N from fertilizer use may be contaminating streams. The US Environmental Protection Agency has set a maximum of 10 ppm NO3-N in water as …
The Effect Of Fall And Spring Tillage Of A Compacted Soil On Corn And Tobacco Yields, Kenneth L. Wells, Roy V. Catlett
The Effect Of Fall And Spring Tillage Of A Compacted Soil On Corn And Tobacco Yields, Kenneth L. Wells, Roy V. Catlett
Soil Science News and Views
Soil compaction is being diagnosed in increasing instances as the cause of poor crop performance in Kentucky. While the basic causes of compaction can usually be identified, it is much more difficult to prescribe techniques to solve the problem. Following identification of compacted soil as being the cause of poor corn growth in a field in Shelby County, Kentucky, a study was conducted to compare three tillage tools on production of corn and tobacco. The compacted zone was within the top 6-inch layer of soil.
Movement Of Triazine Herbicides In Conventional, Reduced Tillage, And No-Tillage Corn Production, William W. Witt, K. W. Sander
Movement Of Triazine Herbicides In Conventional, Reduced Tillage, And No-Tillage Corn Production, William W. Witt, K. W. Sander
Soil Science News and Views
Herbicides are applied to over 90 percent of the corn acreage in Kentucky and triazine herbicides are used the most. Conservation tillage methods are often used to prevent soil erosion and to conserve soil water. However, as tillage is decreased the dependence on herbicides for weed control often increases. Minimizing herbicide movement from the application sites to non-target areas, such as ground and surface waters, is necessary to maintain optimum water quality.
What Happened With No-Till In 1988, Morris J. Bitzer, Robert L. Blevins, Wilbur Frye
What Happened With No-Till In 1988, Morris J. Bitzer, Robert L. Blevins, Wilbur Frye
Soil Science News and Views
No-till (NT) received some bad publicity in 1988 in Kentucky and throughout the Midwest,especially during the early part of last summer's drought. Some farmers found that corn yields were lower with NT than with conventional tillage (CT). However, others observed that the NT corn recovered faster and grew better than CT corn following the rains. Data from Kentucky and Nebraska tend to support this latter observation.
Fertilizer Value Of Cattle Dunghills In A Pasture Field, Kenneth L. Wells, Steve D. Davis
Fertilizer Value Of Cattle Dunghills In A Pasture Field, Kenneth L. Wells, Steve D. Davis
Soil Science News and Views
There were nearly 2.5 million cattle and calves in Kentucky in 1988. Most of these were maintained under pastureland conditions. Nutrients taken up by pasture plants, consumed by cattle, and re-cycled back onto fields by fecal and urine excretions can be a major source of nutrients for maintaining pastureland productivity. In order to estimate the value of this under grazing conditions, observations were made on a pasture field in Casey County, Kentucky, following stocking of the field with cattle.
New Opportunities For Science Students In Agronomy, Wilbur Frye
New Opportunities For Science Students In Agronomy, Wilbur Frye
Soil Science News and Views
High school students interested in science and looking for a field of study that will prepare them for a rewarding career will like the proposed new agronomy programs. The Agronomy Department at the University of Kentucky is preparing to offer undergraduate students three future-oriented options--Plant and Soil Management, Plant Science, and Soil Science. In designing these options, we tried to determine what agronomy students need to be prepared to do in a rapidly changing and highly competitive world of the 1990s.
Foliar Fertilization Of Burley Tobacco At Topping, Kenneth L. Wells, Kim D. Strohmeier
Foliar Fertilization Of Burley Tobacco At Topping, Kenneth L. Wells, Kim D. Strohmeier
Soil Science News and Views
Many burley growers follow the practice of applying 1-2 gallons/A of liquid fertilizer to their tobacco crop by mixing it with their sucker control chemical and spraying the combined mixture on the crop soon after topping. This practice is thought to improve yields. However, previously reported testing of this practice by the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture indicated that it did not improve yields.
Effectiveness Of Tile Drainage On Karnak Silty Clay Soil, Gerald R. Haszler
Effectiveness Of Tile Drainage On Karnak Silty Clay Soil, Gerald R. Haszler
Soil Science News and Views
Artificial drainage of agricultural lands has been practiced for centuries. Earlier techniques devised were open ditches to drain the excess water. The widescale development of subsurface tile drains began with the production and availability of clay tiles. Today, corrugated plastic pipe is the most popular and efficient way to install subsurface drainage lines. The objective of agricultural soil drainage is the removal and disposal of excess water from the rooting zone in order to improve soil productivity. The 1971 Soil Conservation Service (SCS) handbook estimated that 130 million acres or about one-third of all crop land in the United States …
Tests With A Product Having Alleged Value For Increasing Plant Available Water In Soil, Gale Dunn
Tests With A Product Having Alleged Value For Increasing Plant Available Water In Soil, Gale Dunn
Soil Science News and Views
Currently, there are a number of products being marketed for agricultural and horticultural use that have tremendous water absorbing properties. Some of these products are polyacrylamides which are synthetic compounds with chemical and physical properties which allow them to absorb large amounts of water relative to their dry weights. The implied advantage for use of such materials is that they can absorb more water than the soil itself, and acting like a sponge, hold more plant available water in the root zone.
Handling Leftover Spray Mixtures And Rinsates, James Martin, Monroe Rasnake, Doug Johnson
Handling Leftover Spray Mixtures And Rinsates, James Martin, Monroe Rasnake, Doug Johnson
Soil Science News and Views
Pesticide applicators are faced with the issue of what to do with leftover spray mixtures and rinsewater from cleaning sprayers or other equipment involved with the mixing and application of pesticides. There is increasing concern that releasing these diluted pesticides around such places as the workshop and loading or mixing areas could be a potential risk to human health and the environment.
Control Of Nitrate Leaching With Winter Annual Cover Crops, Daniel Mccracken
Control Of Nitrate Leaching With Winter Annual Cover Crops, Daniel Mccracken
Soil Science News and Views
Public attention and Federal legislation have focused recently on the contamination of groundwater by nitrate. Seeking to establish standards for safe drinking water, the Federal Government has set the maximum concentration for nitrate (as nitrogen) at 10 parts per million. In large areas of the Great Plains, this value is now commonly exceeded in well water. The limited data from Kentucky appear to indicate that excessive nitrate concentrations are not as widespread in Kentucky water supplies as they are in the water of states more heavily involved in grain production and more dependent on shallow wells for supply. One of …
Will Liming Acid Soils Now Be Adequate For Spring Needs?, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims
Will Liming Acid Soils Now Be Adequate For Spring Needs?, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims
Soil Science News and Views
Each spring many farmers are faced with seeding forages, corn, and soybeans, and transplanting tobacco into acid soils. The choices are either to go ahead with planting and do nothing, don't plant, or to try some liming practice and hope that it works. The results from planting without doing anything may be disastrous or result in limited crop performance. While not planting is a viable option for some producers, most cannot afford this choice. The question most often faced is, "Will liming now do any good for this year's crop?"
Managing Soils For Optimum Crop Production, Kenneth L. Wells
Managing Soils For Optimum Crop Production, Kenneth L. Wells
Soil Science News and Views
The major resources which must be manipulated to develop a farm operation are LAND, LABOR, CAPITAL, and MANAGEMENT. Of these four broad categories of resources, LAND is the one which imposes constraints which ultimately determine the productive capacity of the individual farming system developed. This is because land is a fixed resource from the standpoint of the nature and amount of it available for developing a specific farming system. In this regard, the allocation of LABOR, CAPITAL, and MANAGEMENT should be directly linked to LAND productive capability in order to economically optimize the farming system developed. In other words, the …
Safe Disposal Of Pesticide Containers And Residue, Doug Johnson, Monroe Rasnake, James Martin
Safe Disposal Of Pesticide Containers And Residue, Doug Johnson, Monroe Rasnake, James Martin
Soil Science News and Views
The use of pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.) has been an important factor in improving productivity of American agriculture to the point that quantity and quality of food and fiber produced by American farmers is unequalled in the world. However, in recent years, increased concern is being expressed regarding potential harmful effects of pesticide use on the environment. Most farmers want to know how to safely handle pesticides and dispose of waste materials, and the pesticide industry is working hard to develop better systems for handling pesticides. However, poor disposal practices are still too common.
How Much Fertilizer Ls Needed For Corn?, Kenneth L. Wells, Keenan Turner
How Much Fertilizer Ls Needed For Corn?, Kenneth L. Wells, Keenan Turner
Soil Science News and Views
Corn producers are faced each year with the decision of how much money to invest in fertilizer for use on their crop. Differing philosophies used by those who make fertilizer recommendations often leave the grower bewildered as to what is best to do. It is not unusual for a producer to be told by his agricultural extension agent that he doesn't need any phosphate and potash on fields which test high in these nutrients while other sources may recommend fertilizer use. The philosophy behind the zero P-K recommendation made by extension agents in such cases is based on University of …
The Real Value Of Agricultural Limestone, Monroe Rasnake
The Real Value Of Agricultural Limestone, Monroe Rasnake
Soil Science News and Views
There are big differences in quality of agricultural lime sold in Kentucky. According to the most recent test results, the Relative Neutralizing Value (RNV) of Kentucky aglime ranged from a low of 50 to a high of 89. Actually, some were below the RNV of 50, but these did not meet state lime law regulations and could not legally be sold as ground agricultural limestone.