elsa sanchez brian caldwell. outline what are the farmers goals/needs for their soil? (brian and...
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Organic Soil ManagementElsa Sanchez
Brian Caldwell
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OutlineWhat are the farmers goals/needs for their
soil? (Brian and Elsa) 5 minNutrient building (Elsa) 20 minSoil tests and recommendations (Brian and
Elsa) 5 minNutrients and weeds (Brian) 10 minN from cover crops/green manures (Brian) 10
minCase studies (Brian and Elsa) 10 min
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Farmer Goals/Needs for their Soil
ProductionSustainability (physical, biological, economic)Reduce off farm pollutionAlso--??
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Compost
• Difficulty using conventional soil tests• Excess nutrients – P, K, Mg, Ca – but many
didn’t realize it• Compost applied based on amount on hand
vs. calculating • Compost generally not analyzed prior to use
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Case study of 11 organic farms:
Those relying on compost, often had surplus nutrients, as much as about 160 – 182 lbs P & N/acre/yr excess.
Drinkwater et al., 2005
West Virginia organic research fields had begun to saturate soil nutrient holding capacity; decided to “restrict compost applications to crops with maximum yield response.”
Kotcon, 2004
Other Support
Over 2 years, Morris et al., (2004) sampled 30 farms, found on average: 42% had above optimum P levels, 20% below optimum.
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Challenges Using Compost
1. Compost, manures, other organic amendments & green manures slowly release nutrients– When & how much to apply challenging
2. Nutrient availability often unpredictable – especially nitrogen– When & how much to apply challenging
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Mineralization• Breakdown of organic nutrient sources • Conversion to inorganic, plant available forms• Rate and timing of mineralization depends on many
variables• Soil temperature• Soil moisture• Incorporation/depth of incorporation • Soil microorganisms• Carbon to nitrogen ratio• Particle size
• 10-50% a year
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Who does the work of mineralization?
Mineralization Process
• Fungi, bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, some small critters (nematodes, rotoifers)
• Nitrogen temporarily tied up by microbes
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C:N Ratios
• Ratio of carbon to nitrogen in a material• C:N ratios decrease as organic material
decomposes (CO2 given off, nitrogen incorporated into fungi & bacteria)
• C:N ratio & nitrogen availability– > 30:1; nitrogen tied-up by microorganisms– < 20:1; nitrogen release
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Nutrient Build Up in Soils
– Because mineralization unpredictable & uncontrollable:• Nutrients released at times when plant need is
not high resulting in build up of nutrients & salts in soil
• Organic nutrient sources are often over applied to insure nitrogen available for good crop yields
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Nutrient Build Up
– Also, organic nutrient sources often contain more than one nutrient, not in balance with crop needs resulting in surpluses
– Compost 1 – 0.7 – 1 • Applied 12.5 tons/acre• 250 lbs nitrogen; 175 lbs P2O5; 250 lbs K2O
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DeficientExceeds Crop
Needs
PhosphatePotash
Magnesium
Calcium
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Compost Use for High Tunnel Bell Peppers
• 10-wk-old ‘Paladin’ in 2000, ‘King Arthur’ in 2001 transplanted late May
• 4 Raised beds per tunnel; 18” in row spacing• Drip irrigation• Harvest mid July – late Oct.• Pests: weeds – hand weeded; aphids – lady-
bird beetles
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Compost Treatments
• Compost – dairy manure based • 3 treatments compost applied at 1” or 2”
depth, incorporated 12”; inorganic fertilizer at a rate of 75-150-75
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Nutrient Recommendations
• Clay-loam soil, nutrients in optimum range• Nitrogen – 100 lb/acre• Phosphate – 150 lb/acre• Potash – 100 lb/acre
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Beginning Soil Analysis
Soil Property lb/acreP2O5 174 ± 44K2O 383 ± 66CaO 3862 ± 565MgO 356 ± 63pH 6.7 ± 0.2Organic matter (%) 2.4 ± 0.3Soluble salts (mmhos/cm) 0.15 ± 0.03
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Compost Properties
Soil Property lb/ton FWN 33P2O5 15K2O 17Ca 117Mg 28pH 8C:N 12Soluble salts (mmhos/cm) 5.1
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Available Nutrients Added
lb/acre Fertilizer 1” 2”
Nitrogen 75 441* 883*Phosphate 150 1345 2683 Potash 75 1559 3118Calcium 0 10570 21147Magnesium 0 2555 5110
*using a 15% mineralization rate
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Nutrient Summary
• Nitrogen– 1” compost = 4.5x more than 100 lbs/a– 2” compost = 9x more
• Phosphate– 1” compost + soil = 10x more than 150 lbs/a– 2” compost + soil = 19x
• Potash– 1” compost + soil = 13x more than 100 lbs/a– 2” compost + soil = 35x
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Marketable Pepper Yield
2000 2001Treatment lb/ft2
Fertilizer 2.1 3.31” Compost 2.4 3.32” Compost 1.4 2.9
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Soil Properties After Harvest
Fertilizer 1” Compost 2” Compost 2000
pH 6.4 7.3 7.4OM (%) 2.5 4.8 6.6Salts (mmhos/cm) 0.14 0.45 0.81
2001pH 6.8 7.3 7.3OM (%) 2.3 4.7 6.6Salts (mmhos/cm) 0.30 0.95 1.9
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Conclusions
• Possible salt injury led to lower yields– 0.40 or 1.5 mmho/cm threshold for peppers– Above threshold 16-50% yield reduction
• Exclude precipitation and drip irrigation• Leaching reduced; can lead to build up of salts
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Using Compost
• Nutrient content varies; recommend tested to determine amount of nutrients
• Apply nutrients based on plant needs vs. volume
• Leaching in soil or compost - remove plastic, sprinkler irrigation
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Problems with Over-Application
– Loss profits due to cost of over-applied organic nutrient sources
– Indirect losses from decreased yields associated with high salt or nutrient levels in soil & weed competition
– Pollution of surface & groundwater
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How to Avoid Over Application
• Soil testing• Analyze compost• Calculate how much to apply• Use variety of nutrient sources • Avoid continuous use of any single organic
nutrient source with more than 1 nutrient
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3 Composts
Soil Property Compost 1 2 3Organic N (%) 1.1 1.2 0.7NH4+-N (lb/ton) 1.6 1.5 0.0Phosphate (%) 0.5 0.8 0.2Potash (%) 0.8 1.8 0.4pH 7.4 6.9 7.5C:N 12.1 13.2 14.7Soluble salts 5.5 14.1 0.8 (mmhos/cm)
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75 lb/acre N
• Compost 1– 12.5 tons/acre (55 lbs organic N + 20 lbs
ammonium-N)• Compost 2
– 12 tons/acre• Compost 3
– 27 tons/acre
1 2 30
5
10
15
20
25
30
tons/acre
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• For organic nutrient sources with more than 1 nutrient– Use only when soil P, K levels not above optimum
(exception, P in cold soils)– If P, K levels high, use legume cover crops, nitrogen
fertilizers with no or low levels of P & K– Always incorporate to minimize runoff & erosion
losses
How to Avoid Over Application
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When Nutrient Levels are High
• Soil testing to monitor levels• Nitrogen supply – use N sources with no or minimal
levels of other nutrients– Legume cover crops, other nutrient sources– Calculate residual nitrogen to determine how much is
needed• Plant cover crop, reduce tillage, use grass waterways
to minimize erosion, runoff losses
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Soil tests and recommendations
Variety of tests and philosophiesEarly years—more intensive samplingAfter about 5 years—sampling to monitor the
fertility program, every 2-3 years
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Nutrients and Weeds
Recent research results
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Do organic nutrient amendments promote
weed problems?
Chuck Mohler
Cornell University
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The problemMost livestock farms and organic farms use compost and manure as primary nutrient sourcesCorrect application rates are difficult to determine– Nutrients released slowly over time– Concentration varies
Farmers often err on the high side to insure adequate nutrients for crop growthEnough to supply N needs usually applies excess P and K
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Crop yield responses to compost
Rate giving full yield
Year Crop Soluble High OM
2004 Corn 0.5X 0.67X
2005 Soybean No response No response
2006 Spelt 0.8X 2.0X
2007 CornNo response(to residual)
No response(to residual)
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Weed height did not reach
a maximum
as rate increased
Weed heights in corn 2004, high OM compost
Compost rate (relative to conventional recommendation)
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
Hei
ght (
cm)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Factor vs mCHEAL Factor vs mAMBEL Factor vs mSETsp Plot 1 Regr
Giant foxtail
Lambsquarters
Common ragweed
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Cornell Organic Cropping Systems: Grain Experiment
Initiated 2005
3-year rotation: soybean spelt/(red clover) corn
5 Systems– “High” nutrient– Low input– Intensive weed management– Reduced tillage– Chemical
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Weed dry weight in corn, 2010
System
Wee
d b
iom
ass
lb/A
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000Ragweed Other annualsPerennials
a
a
b bb
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Which nutrient is limiting for the weeds?
The answer determines the management strategy.
2010 Experiment
Alfalfa/clover plow down on low K, low P soil
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Pigweed Control
Pigweed with highest rate of
compost
Pigweed with highest “N-P-K”
treatment
Pigweed biomass
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Corn Control
Corn at highest
compost rate
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Error bars are standard error.
0X 1X 2X 4X 8X
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N from Cover Crops and Green Manures
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Balancing Cover Crops and TillageTillage destroys soil organic matterHow to balance planting a cover crop which
may require extra tillage?Get the most out of it
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Spring Oats and PeasPlant as early as
possibleTerminate in early
July before fall-planted brassicas
Good biomass production
5000 lb/acre peas ~ 150 lb/acre N
Good weed suppression
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Summer Oats and PeasPlant before 8/15Allow to winter killModerate biomass
production3000 lb/acre peas ~
100 lb/acre NGood weed
suppression
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Red CloverProduction of 1000-4000 lb/acre of dry
biomass in the fallPlus 2500-5000 lb/acre by plowdown (mid
May) the following springRoots are substantial as wellAdequate N for 160 bu/acre corn on a strong
soil
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Hairy Vetch—Early FallPlanting date not
critical if before 9/15Can plant with a
grass companion crop
5000 lb/acre biomass ~ 150+ lb/acre N
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Hairy VetchTermination date
makes a large difference
Fair weed suppression
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Rye can inhibit crop growthManaging for maximum biomass is good if
residues are to be harvested (for mulch) or left on the surface
If tilled in, they can strongly inhibit crop growthSucking all the moisture out of the soilTying up NAllelopathy (roots also?)
To prevent this, till under in early May when the tissues are green and lush
Planting with hairy vetch will add more N
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Vetch planted with low rate of rye
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Cover crop Planting window
Termination Window
Comments
Hairy Vetch Before 9/15 After 5/15 Terminating in June is much better
Austrian Winter Peas
9/1 to 9/15 After 5/15 Terminating in June is much better
Field Peas and Oats --Spring
April July They should grow for at least 75 days; use forage varieties
Field Peas and Oats—Later Summer
Before 8/15 Winterkill A dramatic decrease in biomass after mid-August (50% in 10 days)
Rye Before 9/15 Late May Best with hairy vetch; if incorporated, terminate earlier
Red Clover Frost seed into winter grain
May of following year
Excellent rotational strategy
Buckwheat June and July
40 days after planting
Do not wait to terminate; may produce seed
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Making Legumes Work HarderLegumes get lazy and fix less N in a high N
environment (it takes energy to feed the Rhizobium bacteria that fix the N)
Planting with a grass companion can help If soil is already high in N, use lower grass
seeding rateThis may also help slow down the release of
legume N, making it better timed to crop needs
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What do we know about root systems?Not muchRoots are woodier and decompose slower
than plant topsSome researchers think that the main benefit
from cover crops derives from their rootsRoot biomass is often in the range of 30% of
aboveground for annualsPerennials like clover may have much larger
relative root biomass
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More sources of informationThomas Bjorkman at Cornell has created a
clearinghouse of CC informationhttp://www.hort.cornell.edu/bjorkman/lab/cov
ercrops/Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Ed.http://www.hort.cornell.edu/extension/organi
c/ocs/reports/Cover%20Crops%20Planting%20and%20Termination.pdf
Others?
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Case StudiesNutrient budgetsBlue Heron Farm, Lodi, NYParadise Farm, Paradise, PA
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Nutrient Budgets, 11 Farms
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G1 G2 G3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8
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Blue Heron Farm
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Blue Heron Farm Nutrient Budget
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Table 2. Soil Test Results for Blue Heron Farm, 1993 and 1999, analyzed by Cornell University. Mean (with standard error) of 10 fields.
1st Barn1993
1st Barn1999
Vineyard1993
Vineyard1999
Phosphorus (lb/acre) 62 436 29 425
Potassium (lb/acre) 280 935 200 715
Magnesium (lb/acre) 460 875 265 425
Calcium (lb/acre) 4140 8360 2980 4420
pH 7.4 7.5 7.1 7.4
Percent Organic Matter 4.4 4.9 2.7 2.7
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Paradise Farm
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Figure 2. Cumulative nutrient balances for N,P, and K for five years of a typical rotation on Paradise Farm.
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