Helping crops acquire nitrogen from the air could be a sustainable solution to meeting crop nutrient requirements with less synthetic fertilizer. A team of bacteriologists and plant scientists from the […] Read more
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Tag Archives Soil
Genetic engineering of microbes lower fertilizer dependence
Science Notes: Nitrogen-fixing microbes could help crops pull nitrogen from the air
Assessing strength, building on foundation key to soil health
Crop advisor says soil health options will vary by farm and by economics
Lee Briese’s soil health principles build upon five pillars: soil armour, minimizing disturbance, diversity, continuous living roots, and livestock integration. “I don’t find these to be laws, commandments or requirements […] Read more
Soil microbes help plants cope with drought
Science Notes: Microbes seen to adapt to drought over time
Plants call out with chemical signals in times of stress, summoning microbes that can unlock bound nutrients and find water in soil pores too small for the finest roots. In […] Read more
A soil health investigation
It took old and new technology to diagnose compaction as the culprit
The soil on Ken Mitchell’s alfalfa and corn fields looked good on paper but the reality was less than stellar in terms of production. The 100-acre block was the focus […] Read more
Ontario’s new Living Lab to receive $12 million over five years
Projects focused on innovation and adoption of on-farm climate change practices
A new living lab is being created in Ontario with funding assistance from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Led by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), the project will […] Read more
Evaluating your soil’s structure
Why it’s important and how to measure quality
Many Ontario soils display a similar pattern of compaction. The secondary tillage layer, usually the top two to four inches, is relatively loose and friable, with mostly small, rounded aggregates, […] Read more
How to get the most from farm drainage investment
It comes from exploring the benefits of proper drainage
The search for every last advantage in a field often requires growers to step out of their comfort zone, whether that means considering precision agriculture applications, reduced tillage, lengthening rotations […] Read more
Maximizing nitrogen availability with manure and cover crops
Considerations for nitrogen availability timing in corn
Combining cover crops with manure can get the most value from soil nitrogen — sort of. How significantly a manure-cover crop combination affects nitrogen availability can vary based on manure […] Read more
Microbes key to sequestering carbon in soil
Science Notes: Research is first to measure the relative importance of microbial processes in soil carbon cycle
Microbes are by far the most important factor in determining how much carbon is stored in the soil, according to a new study with implications for mitigating climate change and […] Read more
Is soil health society’s responsibility?
Agriculture should not attend to soil health concerns on its own, says advocate
There are many well-intentioned terms, such as sustainability and regenerative, that arise when talking about soil health and soil conservation. But turning words in action is hard to accomplish, given […] Read more
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