Ecosystem services (ES) are the benefits people obtain from nature, which fall into three categories: provisioning, regulation/maintenance, and cultural. Ecosystem disservices are damages which can be of natural and/or anthropogenic
Soil aggregation is an essential indicator of soil health and productivity. The physical component of soil is characterized by different aggregate-size classes, ranging from micro- to macro-aggregates. The different soil
The objective of the trial was to compare wet soil tolerance of several clovers. Arrowleaf Clover (Blackhawk) Balansa Clover (Fixation) Crimson Clover (Dixie) White Clover (Durana) The clover was no-till
In the Midwest, the spatial variability that farmers encounter us due to the topographical diversity of the landscape. The topographical diversity controls many soil properties, including the distribution of soil
Most agricultural soils are depleted of their soil organic matter (SOM) reserves. A severe loss of SOM content may degrade soil functionality, its capacity for provisioning of essential ecosystem services,
Compost and cover crops are often used to add organic matter to the soil in frequently tilled, intensive organic vegetable production systems. The objectives of this study were to quantify
Removal of biomass for bioenergy production may decrease soil organic carbon. While perennials or cover‐cropped grains often have greater root production than annual grain crops, they variably impact soil carbon
The use of plastic mulch film is standard practice in many conventional and organic fresh market vegetable production systems. Key benefits of plastic mulch include temperature moderation, increased moisture retention,
Zone tillage has recently risen in popularity as an approach for reducing tillage by tilling only areas directly where crops will be sown and leaving between-row regions untilled. This practice
In this session, leading experts dive deep into the soil-related benefits of cover crops. Ray Weil (University of Maryland) discusses the physical benefits, including improved water infiltration and aggregate stability,
Cowpeas were extensively grown in the southern U.S. for use as cover crops, seasonal forage, or green manure before the development of inorganic N fertilizers. Cowpeas are excellent warm season
Soil microbial community structure and functioning, including substrate catalysis and nutrient cycling, in agroecosystems vary with soil management practices. Intensifying and diversifying cropping systems by integrating cover crops can increase
The definition of soil health is changing. For many decades, the study of soil health emphasized soil’s physical and chemical properties. Today, soil scientists strive to include biological aspects as
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital component of soil with important effects on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Storage of SOC results from interactions among the dynamic ecological processes
Methods of improving soil health come back to the core principles identified by NRCS, including a greater diversity of plants, keeping the soil covered, having living roots in the soil
Legume cover crops can play a valuable role in maintaining and increasing soil quality and nitrogen availability, but are infrequently grown in the Upper Midwest due to short growing seasons
Global agricultural and food systems face the challenge of feeding a growing world population in the face of finite and diminishing resources. To guide the redesign of agricultural systems, farmers
Soil health is a combination of physical, chemical and biological properties impacting the function and productivity of the soil. Several of these properties directly affect your farm’s net return. Soil
Fungi in the genus Metarhizium are insect pathogens that can establish as endophytes and can benefit their host plant. In field experiments, a positive correlation between the prevalence of M.
Rollers/crimpers have been used to terminate cover crops typically with supplemental herbicide application to speed-up termination. Due to environmental concerns, there is a need to reduce herbicide use. Terminating tall