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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » New England Plant, Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #206908
Title: Balancing Soil Health and Nutrient Inputs

Author
item Griffin, Timothy
item PORTER, GREG - UNIV OF MAINE
item ERICH, SUE - UNIV OF MAINE
item MALLORY, ELLEN - UNIV OF MAINE

Submitted to: The Proceedings of the Mid Atlantic Vegetable Workers
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2007
Publication Date: 2/1/2007
Citation: Griffin, T.S., Porter, G., Erich, S., Mallory, E. 2007. Balancing Soil Health and Nutrient Inputs. The Proceedings of the Mid Atlantic Vegetable Workers. CD-ROM

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In New England and the Northeast, potatoes and many vegetables are usually grown in rotation with either other vegetable crops or with grain or green manure crops. These short rotations, coupled with the intensive tillage associated with potato management (primary tillage, secondary tillage, cultivation, hilling, and digging) have substantially reduced soil organic matter concentration, especially on sandy soils. One common strategy to reverse this trend is to apply amendments, including compost, manure, mulch, and other materials. Because these materials are commonly thought of as soil conditioners, the loading of nutrients is often overlooked. Long-term experiments in Maine (more than 15 years of amendment) demonstrate rapid increases in soil carbon, phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). This is true even when fertilizer P applications are reduced or eliminated. The amended soils release almost twice as much plant available N as unamended soils, and may also result in higher P concentration in runoff water. A broad sampling of commercial fields in central Maine also demonstrates the beneficial effect of integrating potato and dairy operations, because of the increased organic matter associated with manure application.