The Nitrogen Value of Cover Crops with Dr. Guillermo Marcillo
Field, Lab, Earth
“The Nitrogen Value of Cover Crops” with Dr. Guillermo Marcillo. Cover crops are known for their ability to provide economic and ecosystem services to farmers, including, for example, impacting soil nitrogen. But how much nitrogen, exactly, can cover crops add or remove and how do we find out? In this episode, Guillermo joins me to discuss his work collating research data to get to the bottom of cover crop nitrogen replacement values. Tune in to learn: · What a nitrogen replacement value is ...
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Compost Organic Matter in a Snap with Dr. David C. Weindorf
Field, Lab, Earth
“Toward sustainable compost use: Prediction of organic matter via smartphone image analysis” with Dr. David C. Weindorf Compost needs to be regularly tested to ensure labels regarding organic matter, nutrients, and more remain accurate. However, getting compost tested is time- and cost-intensive. This episode, Dr. Weindorf joins me to discuss how developing a model to predict organic matter from cell phone pictures might make this process a whole lot easier. Tune in to learn: · Which factors best correlated with organic matter ...
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Cover Crops and the Transition to Organic with Nick Boogades
Field, Lab, Earth
“Early impacts of cover crop selection on soil biological parameters during a transition to organic agriculture” with Nick Boodages. Incorporating cover crops is an important step in the transition from conventional to organic growing practices, but in Texas, limited resources can bring complications. In this episode, Nick joins me to discuss his work researching how to help farmers make the leap. Tune in to learn: · What challenges Texan farmers face when hoping to transition to organic agriculture · ...
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Soybean Seed Protein Decline with Dr. Anuj Chiluwal
Field, Lab, Earth
“United States soybean seed protein concentrations – current status, challenges and some potential crop management solutions” with Dr. Anuj Chiluwal. Soybeans are a crucial crop in the United States for a variety of uses, including for its use as a protein source in animal feed. However, in recent years, high yield varieties have seen a steady decline in seed protein concentration. In this episode, Anuj joins me to discuss the sources of this decline and some potential strategies to combat it. Tune in to learn: · Why soybean seed protein...
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Precision Turfgrass Management with Dr. Briana Wyatt and Dallas Williams
Field, Lab, Earth
“Using electromagnetic induction to inform precision turfgrass management strategies in sand-capped golf course fairways” with Dr. Briana Wyatt and Dallas Williams Golf courses are well known for their beautiful greens, but overusing fertilizer and water to keep them looking pristine can lead to inefficient, expensive, and environmentally damaging waste. Precision turfgrass management can help, but only if we can find the right methods to put it into use. In this episode, Briana and Dallas join me to discuss their research on how electrical conductivity can be used to help determine golf...
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The Soil Health Cycle with Dr. Bijesh Maharjan
Field, Lab, Earth
“Soil Health Cycle” with Dr. Bijesh Maharjan Researchers, advisers, and farmers alike know that soil health is important, but taking steps forward in the knowledge of which practices to use and their impacts can be difficult. Enter the soil health cycle, an iterative approach to help track how practices and their implementation take soil health forward. In this episode, Bijesh joins me to discuss his work on the soil health cycle. Tune in to learn: · How the soil health cycle is similar to human health care cycles ...
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Speed Breeding to Combat Wheat Disease with Drs. Nidhi Rawat and Vijay Tiwari
Field, Lab, Earth
“Evaluation of speed breeding conditions for accelerating Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol screening in wheat” with Nidhi Rawat and Vivek Tiwari. Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as head scab, is one of the most significant diseases affecting wheat, causing substantial economic losses for farmers in the U.S. and worldwide. While FHB resistant wheat lines have been identified, breeding these traits into desirable cultivars is a time-consuming process that can take decades, with uncertain success. In the U.S., particularly for spring wheat, crossing of wheat lines can...
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Economics of Autonomous Strip-Cropping with Professor James Lowenberg-DeBoer
Field, Lab, Earth
“Economics of strip cropping with autonomous machines” with James Lowenberg-DeBoer. With the growing global population, the demand for food continues to rise. However, increasing food production often depends on intensive farming practices and agricultural inputs that can negatively impact environmental health. To counter this, promoting crop diversity, improving soil health, and reducing disease and pest pressure are crucial. Mixed cropping presents a viable solution but poses challenges for mechanization and labor efficiency. In this context, customized autonomous machines and advanced...
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Benefits of Microarthropods with Dr. Ashley Jernigan
Field, Lab, Earth
“Microarthropods improve oat nutritional quality and mediate fertilizer effects on soil biological activity” with Dr. Ashley Jernigan Microarthropods are little critters that can have a big impact on crop production, particularly when it comes to nutrient cycling and nutrient acquisition. However, there’s still much to learn about how the work these little helpers do is affected when paired with different types of fertilizers. In this episode, Dr. Jernigan joins me to discuss how microarthropods get along with different fertilizer treatments. Tune in to learn: ...
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Grazing Cover Crops in the Great Plains with Drs. John Holman and Augustine Obour
Field, Lab, Earth
“Grazing cover crops: How does it influence soils and crops?” with Drs. John Holman and Augustine Obour. Cover crops have a lot of uses depending on where you live and what you grow, but in some regions like the Great Plains, it can take a little extra help to make sure they’re as helpful as they can be. In this episode, John and Augustine join me to discuss the advantages and challenges of grazing cover crops in the Great Plains. Tune in to learn: · Which factors most impact strategy when incorporating cover crops ...
info_outline“Shallow water habitat management influences soil CO2 efflux from agricultural fields in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB), USA” with Amitava Chatterjee.
The Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) serves as a critical stopover habitat for migratory birds traveling between Canada and Central and South America, presenting both challenges and opportunities for habitat conservation. To support these birds, farmers in the region flood agricultural fields in the winter, creating temporary wetlands that provide habitat and essential food sources. This practice has increased bird stopovers but raises concerns about soil health, as flooding can alter soil properties. In this episode, Dr. Amitava Chatterjee shares his insights on research related to the effects of flooding on soil properties in agricultural lands in the LMRB and how it contributes to maintaining sustainable stopover habitats for migratory birds.
Tune in to learn:
· What migratory bird stopovers are
· How flooding of agricultural lands helps migratory birds
· How flooding of agricultural land affects soil health
· How flooding affects soil microbial activity
· What are the long-term impacts of agricultural land flooding
If you would like more information about this topic, this episode’s paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20365
This paper is always freely available.
Contact us at [email protected] or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don’t forget to subscribe. If you’d like to see old episodes or sign up for our newsletter, you can do so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/.
If you would like to reach out to Amitava Chatterjee, you can find him here: [email protected]
https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/ames/nlae/people/amitava-chatterjee/
If you would like to reach out to Sourajit Dey from our Student Spotlight, you can find him here: [email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sourajit-dey-100208215
Resources
“Flooding Fields May Be a Win-Win For Farmers and Birds in the Mississippi Delta” article: https://tellus.ars.usda.gov/stories/articles/flooding-fields-may-be-win-win-farmers-and-birds-mississippi-delta
“Flooding Fields in the Mississippi Delta Helps Crop Yields—and Shorebirds” article: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/flooding-fields-in-the-mississippi-delta-helps-crop-yields-and-shorebirds/#
“Soil carbon mineralization, enzyme activities, and crop residue decomposition under varying soil moisture regime” article in Soil Science Society of America Journal: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20601
https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/18529.wba
Conservation Incentive Program: Winter-Flooded Rice Fields for Waterfowl Habitat: https://youtu.be/yzOFy0weIx0?si=QoTRQHwHdwF5ZGo9
MDWFP Waterfowl Program - Mississippi Land Conservation Assistance Network: https://www.mississippilandcan.org/local-resources/MDWFP-Waterfowl-Program/20187
https://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/waterfowl-program.aspx
https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/ames/nlae/
Thank you to Om Prakash Ghimire for help with the shownotes and other assets.
Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.