ARS | Publication request: ASSESSMENT OF PUBLISHED SOIL SURVEYS AS A BASIS FOR DELINEATING SAMPLING ZONES FOR SITE-SPECIFIC NUTRIENT APPLICATION.

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 31, 1999
Publication Date: October 31, 1999
Citation: Franzen, D.W., Sweeney, M.D., Hopkins, D.G., Ulmer, M.G., Halvorson, A.D., Peck, T.R. 1999. Assessment of published soil surveys as a basis for delineating sampling zones for site-specific nutrient application. Agronomy bstracts. 91:311.

Technical Abstract: Published soil surveys from five fields in North Dakota and two fields in Illinois were evaluated for their relationship to nutrient patterns, particularly nitrate. The published Order-2 surveys did not represent N relationships well. Order-1 surveys were made on each of these fields. He resulting maps depicted similar nutrient relationships as other nutrient zone determining methods, such as aerial photography, satellite imagery or electrical conductivity detectors. At the present Order-2 level, it is unlikely that soil survey has much value in directing precision farming. However, more detailed soil surveys on the level of an Order-1 might be very useful in directing sampling and management for site-specific farming.