A soil health analysis of the Nathan Stecklein home farm

Nicole Stecklein

Field Year Crop Yield

(bu/ac)

North 2008 Corn 177

2009 Corn 214

2010 Corn 177

2011 Corn 169

2012 Corn 111

2013 Corn 178

2014 Corn 222

2015 Corn 167

South 2008 Soybeans 46

2009 Corn 231

2010 Corn 156

2011 Corn 161

2012 Corn 97

2013 Corn 195

2014 Corn 221

2015 Corn 230

West 2008 Corn 175

2009 Soybeans 46

2010 Corn 161

2011 Corn 184

2012 Corn 98

2013 Corn 209

2014 Corn 217

Historical yield data for Nathan’s Home Farm

“Soil Health”“The capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental health, and

promote plant and animal health” (Soil Health, 2014)

Need for this case study

• What is a ‘good’ soil?

• What is a practical definition for soil health?

• How do we measure it?

• How do we improve it?

IndicatorsAggregate StabilitySoil StructurePorosityBulk DensityWater InfiltrationWater Holding CapacitySoil Available water

IndicatorsEarthwormsSoil MicroorganismsParticulate Organic MatterSoil RespirationSoil Enzymes

IndicatorsCation Exchange CapacityNitrogenPhosphorusPotassiumSoil pH

Soil Organic Matter

Soil Physical

Properties

Soil Biological Properties

Soil Chemical

Properties

InputsTillage

Crop RotationCover Crops

Grass WaterwaysPerennials

InputsRoot SystemCover Crops

Crop ResidueAnimal Manure

(Al-Kaisi,2015)

Chemical AnalysisSamples taken Fall 2014

2.5 acre Grids

pH

Organic matter

Potassium

Phosphorus

pH ResultsMin-6.3

Max-7.3

Avg-6.7

OM ResultsMin-2.0%

Max-2.9%

Avg-2.4%

K ResultsMin-128 ppm

Max- 666 ppm

Avg- 262 ppm

P ResultsMin-31

Max- 323 ppm

Avg- 121.7 ppm

Physical AnalysisSubmitted to Cornell University Soil Test Lab Fall 2015

Soil from North field vs.soil from adjacent pasture

Texture

Aggregate Stability

Available Water Capacity

On-farm Water Infiltration

On-farm Slake

available

client lab aggregate water

ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1

North Field-Tilled FN26221-1 5.6 28.7 65.7 silty clay loam 4.7 0.29

Adjacent Pasture FN26221-2 8.6 16.2 75.2 silt loam 49.1 0.24

available

client lab aggregate water

ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1

North Field-Tilled FN26221-1 5.6 28.7 65.7 silty clay loam 4.7 0.29

Adjacent Pasture FN26221-2 8.6 16.2 75.2 silt loam 49.1 0.24

Scoring function graph for Aggregate Stability for three textural categories. In this case, more is better. The higher the percent stability of aggregates, the higher the score of the indicator.

On-Farm Slake Test

30 hours After Submerging Colloids

30 hours After Submerging Colloids

available

client lab Aggregate water

ID ID %sand %clay %silt texture stability % capacity g g-1

North Field-Tilled FN26221-1 5.6 28.7 65.7 silty clay loam 4.7 0.29

Adjacent Pasture FN26221-2 8.6 16.2 75.2 silt loam 49.1 0.24

Scoring function graph for Available Water Capacity (AWC) for three texturalcategories. In this case, more is better. The higher the AWC (g/g), the higher the score until a maximum amount is attained. Nathan’s tilled and pasture samples varied slightly, with tilled scoring 0.29 m/m and pasture scoring 0.24 m/m.

On-farm Water Infiltration Test

Biological AnalysisSubmitted to Cornell University Soil Test Lab Fall 2015

Soil from North field vs soil from adjacent Pasture

Respiration

Active Carbon

Sample Active carbon Respiration

ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil)

North Field-Tilled 333.7 0.53

Adjacent Pasture 836.5 1.37

Scoring function graph for Soil Respiration for three textural categories. In this case more is better. The higher the respiration, the higher the score and indication of a larger, more active soil community. Nathan’s tilled soil had a total respiration of 0.53 mg/g and the pasture sample had 1.37 mg/g.

Sample Active carbon Respiration

ID mg C/kg soil (Tot CO2 mg/gsoil)

North Field-Tilled 333.7 0.53

Adjacent Pasture 836.5 1.37

Scoring function graphs for Active Carbon for three textural categories. In this case more is better. The higher the Active Carbon, the higher the score indicating a trend toward more Organic Matter building up in the soil through biological activity. Nathan’s tilled soils had 333.7 ppm and the pasture sample showed 836.5 ppm.

Conclusions

Moebius,2015

0

50

100

150

200

250

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Yields x Temperature and Moisture (April-September

Rainfall Inches pergrowing season

Average Growing SeasonHigh Temperature

Home Farm Avg. Yield

County Average Yield

Physical

• Short Term• Incorporate fresh organic materials

• Use shallow rooted cover/rotation crops

• Add manure, green manure, mulch

• Long Term• Reduce tillage

• Use surface mulch

• Rotate with sod crops and mycorrhizal hosts

Other Factors Affecting Structure

Ca:Mg Ratio and Implications on StructureIon Charge Hydrated

radius

(nm)

Relative

flocculating

power

Sodium +1 0.79 1.0

Potassium +1 0.53 1.7

Magnesium +2 1.08 27.0

Calcium +2 0.96 43.0Relative flocculating power and hydrated radius of soil cations. When these cations become hydrated, they

have differing flocculating effects. Calcium has a much greater ability to flocculate clay particles than

magnesium, potassium, or sodium, which may also cause dispersion of clay particles (Walworth, 2006).

Soil Loss Rate as a Function of Calcium and Magnesium Saturated Soils

Donstova,2001

Infiltration Rate as a Function of Calcium and Magnesium Saturated Soils

Biological Low Respiration

• Short Term• Maintain plant cover throughout season

• Add fresh organic materials

• Add manure/green manure

• Long Term• Reduce tillage/mechanical cultivation

• Increase rotational diversity

• Maintain plant cover throughout season

• Cover crop with symbiotic host plants

Biological Active Carbon

• Short Term• Add fresh organic materials

• Use shallow rooted cover/rotation crops

• Add manure, green manure, mulch

• Long Term• Reduce tillage/mechanical cultivation

• Rotate with sod crop

• Cover crop whenever possible

Recommendations

• Incorporation of use of multispecies cover crops• Increase microbial diversity

• Decrease impact of heavy rainfall events

• On-farm gypsum trials• Increase Ca:Mg ratio

• Improve clay particle flocculation and strength of soil structure• Currently 2.16:1

• Mg- 25% Suggested: 10-13%

• Ca- 54% Suggested: 70-80%

Questions?

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