1. Comparison of Soil Health Measurements
and Soil Conservation Practices
Alan Sundermeier – Extension Educator , sundermeier.5@osu.edu
Vinayak Shedekar – Postdoctoral Researcher, shedekar.1@osu.edu
Funding support
North Central Region SARE Partnership Grant Program
Healthy Soil Healthy Environment Extension Signature Program
2. Site Summary
Three Different Fields with different history of tillage & Cover crops
1. Sod, grass, 10 year undisturbed
2. Tillage, less than 30% residue, corn/soybean crops
3. No-till, corn/soybean crops, 20 years of multi-species cover crop
5. Bacteria – Fungi Relationship
Increases in fungal-to-bacterial ratio under the long-term No till and
cover crops.
As the ratio of fungi to bacteria increases, the soil biome becomes
more efficient in utilizing carbon and other nutrients and the soil
therefore releases LESS CO2 to the atmosphere
12. Comparison of Soil Health Measurements
and Soil Conservation Practices
For more information, contact:
Alan Sundermeier, Wood County Extension, OSU
(Sundermeier.1@osu.edu)
Vinayak Shedekar, Food, Ag. Biol. Engineering Dept., OSU
(shedekar.1@osu.edu)
Funding support
North Central Region SARE Partnership Grant Program
Healthy Soil Healthy Environment Extension Signature Program
Notas del editor
David Johnson of New Mexico State University says – “The recipe to store more carbon in soil while also increasing agricultural yields, is to tip the soil’s fungal-to-bacterial ratio strongly toward the fungi.”
Here you can see increases in fungal-to-bacterial ratio under the long-term No till and cover crops. As the ratio of fungi to bacteria increases, the soil biome becomes more efficient in utilizing carbon and other nutrients and the soil therefore releases LESS CO2 to the atmosphere. You will see that on next slide. Now, also notice the numbers in orange bar – the amount of bacteria in Plowed soil versus Long-term site. Almost a 3-fold difference. Now note the numbers in green bar – that’s the amount of Fungi…again from Plowed soil to Long-term cover crop soil – there is almost 8-fold increase in Fungi. So, you can see that overall, there is much more activity in matured systems than some of the younger or conventionally tilled systems.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-soil-microbes-slow-climate-change/
David Johnson of New Mexico State University says – “The recipe to store more carbon in soil while also increasing agricultural yields, is to tip the soil’s fungal-to-bacterial ratio strongly toward the fungi.”
Here you can see increases in fungal-to-bacterial ratio under the long-term No till and cover crops. As the ratio of fungi to bacteria increases, the soil biome becomes more efficient in utilizing carbon and other nutrients and the soil therefore releases LESS CO2 to the atmosphere. You will see that on next slide. Now, also notice the numbers in orange bar – the amount of bacteria in Plowed soil versus Long-term site. Almost a 3-fold difference. Now note the numbers in green bar – that’s the amount of Fungi…again from Plowed soil to Long-term cover crop soil – there is almost 8-fold increase in Fungi. So, you can see that overall, there is much more activity in matured systems than some of the younger or conventionally tilled systems.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-soil-microbes-slow-climate-change/
This is overall Soil Health Score from Ward Lab. You can see, that in general this shows the contrast between the Plowed System versus a No-till or Cover Cropped system. But, this may or may not tell you the whole story. The only way to know more about the overall health of your soil is – to dig a little! More than these lab results – you know your soils better – and with some experience, you should be able to figure out how a “healthy soil” looks and feels and smells. It may even Taste better if you try it!