Location: Water Management Research
Project Number: 2034-13000-013-008-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jan 1, 2023
End Date: Jul 31, 2025
Objective:
Evaluate soil health metrics in cover cropped vineyards for soil beneath vines and beneath cool-season cover crops planted in interrow alleys. (ii) Compare soil health metrics determined for California Central Valley soils to those derived from a cross-continental US study.
Approach:
California State University, Fresno (CSUF) student will collect soil samples over two years to monitor soil structural stability, general microbial activity, carbon food source, bioavailable nitrogen, microbial biomass, soil respiration, and soil organic carbon. All analyses will be conducted by the CSUF student at the USDA-ARS research station in Parlier, CA with training from USDA staff. Student will also work at CSUF to determine soil salinity measurements for Five Pints field samples. All analyses will be conducted using standardized protocols provided by NRCS to best facilitate cross-site comparisons.
