ARS | Publication request: GREAT PLAINS SOIL QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROJECT: LOCATIONS AND CROPPING SYSTEMS

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 21, 2003
Publication Date: October 29, 2003
Citation: VARVEL, G.E., RIEDELL, W.E., TANAKA, D.L., VIGIL, M.F., SCHWARTZ, R.C., DEIBERT, E., MCCONKEY, B. 2003. GREAT PLAINS SOIL QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROJECT: LOCATIONS AND CROPPING SYSTEMS. AGRONOMY ABSTRACTS #872941.

Technical Abstract: Soils serve a multitude of functions and play an important role in environmental quality through interactions with the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Long-term studies are usually required to compare management effects on the soil resource to make soil quality assessments. This requirement exists because of the effect annual variations in weather has on the system and also because we are often trying to detect changes in the value of large pools exhibiting spatial variability. In protocols established by the Great Plains Cropping System Network in 1998, sampling and testing procedures were selected to identify components or fractions of larger pools that are responsive to management that may serve as indicators of changes in the larger pool, which would be useful in assessing the effect management practices have on the soil resource. Several existing long-term studies are available in the region and these locations and the selected conventional and alternative treatments selected for soil quality assessments are described in the poster. Precipitation, temperature, and yield data for both the conventional and alternative treatments for each location are also presented.