Location: Application Technology Research
Project Number: 5082-30500-001-084-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2026
End Date: Aug 31, 2029
Objective:
Determine how cover crops, green manures and soil amendments contribute to soil health maintenance in high tunnel vegetable production, including abiotic and biotic stress amelioration. Given that soil health benefits are related to the individual and collective action of soil and plant associated microorganisms, this project will also monitor microbial contributions to organic matter buildup.
Approach:
In year 1, we will evaluate current implementation of practices that promote soil health in high tunnels, develop a baseline of microbial communities to reflect prior years legacy, and implement interventions in replicated sites across states. To assess impact of soil health on biotic and abiotic resilience, we will select high tunnels with known disease pressure, as well as control frequency of irrigation. We will measure effects on soilborne pathogen populations, and crop responses to stressors, and correlate observations with soil health measurements and shifts in microbial functions. We expect that length of implementation will have a strong signal able to be differentiated across locations, followed by practices that incorporate different carbon sources in the soil. We also expect that practices that result in greater organic carbon accrual correlated with greater crop health and resilience in the presence of pathogens or abiotic stress.