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Tag Archives Soil — page 5

The new test uses water instead of KCl to understand available N in corn.
Crops

A new test for nitrogen on the horizon

New test being developed aims to better identify plant-available nitrogen

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Research completed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and University of Guelph researchers indicates that Ontario corn producers may soon have a more reliable tool for nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate recommendations ahead of planting. Why it matters: Fertilizer prices have increased significantly, so more accurate methods of measuring nitrogen in a field can help save […] Read more
Nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).
Crops, News

Soil freeze and thaw spike nitrous oxide emissions

Science Notes: Computer simulation aims to determine hotspots

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Nitrous oxide (N2O) may be much less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2), but it is 300 times more potent.  University of Illinois and University of Minnesota have documented an overlooked but crucial timeframe for nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in U.S. Midwest agricultural systems: the non-growing season. “Nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils […] Read more
farmer handling soil
Crops

Calculating soil health returns

Greenbelt report highlights costs and returns of soil-supporting management practices

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Short term costs for long term gains – that’s what a Greenbelt Foundation report says farmers need to consider when it comes to building soil health.  Released in early 2022, The Greenbelt’s Towards a business case for soil health report compiled and analyzed field research data from different production practices in different cropping and cow-calf […] Read more
A tractor equipped with a plow is strip-tilling a field, preparing the soil for planting crops efficiently
Crops

Strip till a matter of helping the soil and lowering costs

Adoption rate is slow, but tools are available for growers to learn more

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Twenty years ago, growers were less likely to adopt strip till on their farms, primarily because the practice lacked an immediate payback with higher yields. It didn’t help that early adopters had to develop their own systems if applying fertilizer while strip tilling. In theory, strip till should boost yields, based on “berming” the soil […] Read more
OMAFRA engineer Alex Barrie examines the damage done to the soil and to his pressure sensor by a fully-loaded gravity wagon during a Compaction Day event hosted on Aug. 5 by the Perth County chapter of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
Crops, Machinery

Making the case for low-pressure tires and waiting out the wet

Last fall’s harvest weather increased compaction risk

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Signs of soil compaction are evident across Ontario this year due to persistently wet weather during the harvest and wheat planting seasons in fall 2021, crop consultant Peter Johnson told attendees of a Compaction Day on-farm demonstration in Rostock Aug. 5. Under soil conditions purposefully manipulated to mimic a wet spring, a recently harvested wheat […] Read more
Root growth of corn plants (V5 growth stage) growing in soil compacted to different bulk densities before corn seeds were planted.
Crops, News

Evaluating soil structure

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 15

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Many Ontario soils display a similar pattern of compaction. The secondary tillage layer – usually the top 2-4 inches – is relatively loose and friable, with mostly small, rounded aggregates, especially earlier in the season before rains reconsolidate the soil. Below this layer is usually one that is significantly denser and more poorly structured. In the second […] Read more
The rise in average temperatures is contributing to declines in soil moisture, which can impact crop production and degrade soil.
Crops, News

Soil quality critical to help crops weather heat stress

Science Notes: Study analyzed 30 years of data on four major crops

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The capacity of soil to hold water will be critical to determine how well farms in some regions of the United States manage prolonged heat stress due to climate change, a new study suggests. The journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems published the finding, based on analyses of 30 years of data on four major crops — […] Read more
Compacted soil from equipment decreases soil volume porosity, which will negatively affect root development in crops and the ability of the soil to absorb water.
Crops, Machinery

Three common soil compaction mistakes

Avoid these missteps to keep compaction from getting worse

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Glacier FarmMedia – With the advent of mechanized agriculture, farms became a great deal more productive than they were in times past. However, the large machines that ply farmers’ fields today can be hard on the soil and cause issues with compaction. Why it matters: Soil compaction can be a serious form of soil degradation resulting […] Read more
The author argues that governments must take a more collaborative approach to soil health that makes the provinces responsible for on-farm programs while agreeing to a common set of ambitious objectives.
News

Comment: Better approach needed for soil health

Farmers need support from those who ask them to do more

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Soil might seem like simple dirt to many people, but it is anything but simple for Canada’s food producers. It is foundational to putting food on tables in Canada and worldwide. Healthy soil can also boost production, fight climate change and promote biodiversity. However, for soil to deliver on its full potential, farmers must adopt […] Read more

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