Location:
Project Number: 3010-12210-004-005-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2017
End Date: Mar 31, 2022
Objective:
1. The time line required to improve the productivity of unproductive soil (eroded cropland).
2. Improve soil quality and to quantify and compare beef manure with commercial fertilizer application on soil quality and sustainability.
Approach:
A field plot experiment was initiated (Spring 06) on marginal (low fertility) soils in order to address the effect of animal manure on soil quality under row crop production (crop rotation that will be decided each year) and two tillage practices (no-tillage and conventional tillage). After 5 and 10 years, the experimental plots will be sampled and the crop land will be evaluated for soil quality evolution. Within the next 5 years (present 2017 to 2020) the research plots will be sampled two or three time for further soil quality evaluation and the possibility of changing the management. The USDA-ARS will quantify some of the physical and chemical properties of the soil samples and some chemical properties for the plant samples. In addition, the USDA-ARS principal investigator will help in making decisions about future management changes in this study site.
