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Esther Thomsen

SIMPLE ON-SITE SOIL QUALITY TESTING

Importance of soil qualityMeasuring soil qualityResearch project and preliminary results

OVERVIEW

Soil Qualit

y

Properties affected by management

Ability of a soil to

support plant and animal

health

Ability of a soil to maintain water and air quality

Measured by physical,

biological and chemical

properties

Test kitSoil health cards

Laboratory

OPTIONS TO TEST SOIL QUALITY

Compare the accuracy of simple field tests against laboratory tests measuring the same parameter.

USU Kaysville Research Orchard:1. Organic straw mulch plus grass alleyway2. Organic straw mulch plus trefoil alleyway3. Organic tillage plus grass alleyway4. Conventional herbicide plus grass alleyway

RESEARCH GOAL

Simple tests: Biological Lab Tests: Biological

Worm test Dehydrogenase assay, microbial biomass (readily mineralizable carbon, basal respiration, substrate induced respiration)

Litter bag test

Berlese Funnel test

Solvita basal respiration test kit

METHODS

Simple tests: Physical Lab tests: Physical

Sieve and bucket slake test Mechanized wet sieving

Hose test

NRCS slake test

Simple tests: Chemical Lab tests: Chemical

Lamotte test kit: NPK and pH

Olsen phosphorus and potassium

Rapidtest kit: NPK and pH Nitrate and ammonium KCl extraction

Hanna pH meter pH

Tests

Biological

ChemicalPhysical

Photo Credit: University of Nebraska Extension

Slake test/Aggregate stability

Worm tests, Solvita

Rapid test kits, Lamotte test kits

SIEVE AND BUCKET SLAKE TEST

Sandy loam18% clay37% sand45% silt


Organic straw mulch and trefoil alleyway at USU Kaysville Research Orchard

Sandy loam18% clay37% sand45% silt


Conventional herbicide plus grass alleyway at USU Kaysville Research orchard


Soil test on northern Utah peach orchard under tillage

LoamTillage 30 years20% clay42% sand37% silt


Fine sandy loamNo till14% clay61.5% sand24.3% silt

Soil test on northern Utah soon-to-be orchard under long term grass

HOSE TEST

Straw mulch + trefoil alleyway (left) vs. tillage + grass (right), USU Research orchard in Kaysville, UT

R= .

RESULTS: SIEVE AND BUCKET SLAKE TEST AND HOSE TEST

150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 5500

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Laboratory respiration compared to hose test

Microbial biomass ug C/g soil

% s

table

aggre

gate

s

150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 5500

20

40

60

80

100

120

Laboratory respiration compared to sieve and

bucket slake test

HNSGSTTG


% s

table

aggre

gate

s

R= .83 R= .80

HN) Herbicide with NPK SG) Straw mulch with grass (Festuca rubra and Lolium perenne) alleywayST) Straw mulch with Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) alleyway TG) Tillage with grass alleyway

RESULTS: SOLVITA RESPIRATION

R= .83

HN) herbicide with NPK

SG) straw mulch with grass (Festuca rubra and Lolium perenne) alleyway ST) straw mulch with Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) alleyway

TG) tillage with grass alleyway

150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 5500

1

2

3

4

5

6

Laboratory respiration compared to Solvita respi-

ration

HNSGSTTG


Solv

ita r

espir

ati

on

R= .88

RESULTS: SIMPLE CHEMICAL TESTS LAMOTTE

R= .83

R= -.6

Organic Treatments:SG: Straw Mulch with grass alleywayST: Straw Mulch with legume alleywayAG: Allysum with grass alleywayAT: Allysum with Bird’s foot trefoil alleywayTG: Tillage with grass alleywayWG: Weed fabric with grass alleyway

7 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8 8.27

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

8

8.2

Lamotte pH test compared to pH measured in a labo-

ratorySGSTAGATTGWG

Lab measured pH

Lam

ott

e s

imple

test

measure

d p

H

R= .37

100 200 300 400 500 600 7000

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Laboratory potassium test compared to Lamotte

simple test potassiumSGSTAGATTGWG

lab potassium ppmLam

ott

e p

ota

ssiu

m

sim

ple

test

Lab Test Field test R value

SUMMARY OF RESULTS BY RANK

Biological

Microbial biomass Solvita basal respirationSieve and bucket slake test

.88

.83

Dehydrogenase assay Solvita basal respiration .83

Microbial biomass Hose test .8Physical

Mechanized wet sieve NRCS slake test .31

Chemical

Laboratory measured pH Lamotte pH .37

Laboratory measured phosphorus

Lamotte phosphorus .32

Laboratory measured potassium

Rapidtest potassium .29

TESTS WHICH GENERATED MOST INTEREST BY GROWERS

sieve and bucket test;

17

hose test; 5

send to a lab; 1

worm test; 9

solvita test ; 4

Soil quality tests are not routine, hence are often cost prohibitive, or unavailable.

Simple soil quality tests may help engage landowners in actively promoting soil quality for the long term.

Modified slaking tests and Solvita tests seem to be promising tools for monitoring soil quality on site.

Growers gave positive feedback for using simple modified slake tests.

CONCLUSION

P. Faeth, R. Repetto, K. Kroll, Q. Dai, and G. Helmers, (1991) Paying the Farm Bil l: U.S. Agricultural Policy and the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture. Washington, D.C.: World Resources Institute.

Andrews, S. S., C. B. Flora, J. P. Mitchell, and D. L. Karlen.(2003) Growers’ Perceptions and Acceptance of Soil Quality Indices. Geoderma 114, no. 3–4: 187–213. doi:10.1016/S0016-7061(03)00041-7.

Wienhold, B. J. , S. S. Andrews, and D. L. Karlen. (2004) Soil Quality: A Review of the Science and Experiences in the USA. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 26, no. 2: 89–95. doi:10.1023/B:EGAH.0000039571.59640.3c.

Ball, B. (2009). Optimal Soil Structure for plant growth: Field evalutations and management guidelines for improved soil quality. Plantekongres.

Friedman, D., Hubbs, M., Tugel, A., Seybold, C., and Sucik., M. (2001). Guidelines for Soil Quality Assessment in Conservation Planning. NRCS. USDA. Web. Jan. 2014.

Pimental, D. (2006). Soil Erosion: A Food and Environmetal Threat. Environment, Development and Sustainabil ity. 8: 119–137.

Sull ivan, P. (2004). Sustainable soil management: Soil systems guide. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, National Center for Appropriate Technology.

REFERENCES

Jennifer ReeveMae CulumberDiane AlstonRobert NewhallGrant CardonThor LindstromGaia Nafziger Leanna HayesKareem AdelekeAlanna NafzigerAlicia Campbell

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

LLLL

NRCS SOIL TEST KIT

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FARMERS?

Photo credit: Paul Preuss UC Berkeley

• Moderate to severe erosion on ~80% worlds farmland (Pimental 2006)

• 6% of agricultural land requires major capitol investment to restore its original productivity (Doran et. al, 1996).

• Enhancing soil quality can increase yield by 3-12%. Reduce costs from inputs (fossil fuel use, herbicide and manure application) by 41-79%

(Liebman et al., 2003)

R= .83

RESULTS: SIMPLE CHEMICAL TEST RAPIDTEST

R= .08100 200 300 400 500 600 7000

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Rapid test kit for potassium correlated to lab analysis

potassium in ppmSG

ST

AG

AT

TG

WG

Laboratory analysis for potassium in ppm

rapid

test

kit

scale

for

pota

ssiu

m

R= .29

5 10 15 20 25 30 350

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Rapid test kit phosphorus correlated to lab phos-

phorus reading

HCHNHCNPCPR

Laboratory analysis for phosphorus in ppmR

apid

test

kit

scale

for

phosphoru

s

Conventional treatments:HN: Herbicide and NPKHC: Herbicide and NPK convert to organic after tree establishmentHCN: Herbicide and Compost NPC: Paper mulch, reduced herbicide and NPKPC: Paper mulch, organic herbicide and compost

Organic Treatments:SG: Straw Mulch with grass alleywayST: Straw Mulch with legume alleywayAG: Allysum with grass alleywayAT: Allysum with Bird’s foot trefoil alleywayTG: Tillage with grass alleywayWG: Weed fabric with grass alleyway

SOIL HEALTH CARD

(Ball, B., 2009)

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

NRCS SOIL TEST KIT

Capacity to:Filter and buffer Maintain or improve air and water quality

Support plant and animal health, productivity and biodiversity

WHAT IS SOIL QUALITY? PROPERTIES AFFECTED BY MANAGEMENT

Friedman, D., Hubbs, M., Tugel, A., Seybold, C., and Sucik., M. (2001). Guidelines for Soil Quality Assessment in Conservation Planning. NRCS. USDA. Web. Jan. 2014.

Defining a minimum data set Physical – texture, structure, infiltration, aeration

Chemical- nutrients, pH, salinityBiological- macro and microflora

MEASURING SOIL QUALITY

Compare management practices against each other

Determine long term trends

GOAL IS TO ENABLE FARMERS/LANDOWNERS TO EASILY

Wienhold, B. J., S. S. Andrews, and D. L. Karlen. (2004) Soil Quality: A Review of the Science and Experiences in the USA. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 26, no. 2: 89–95. doi:10.1023/B:EGAH.0000039571.59640.3c.

NRCS SLAKE TEST

QUESTIONS?

Esther [email protected]

WORM TEST

USU Research orchard in Kaysville, UT

Working with minimum of 7 farmers on soil quality in their orchards

Teaching simple soil tests, to be done by farmers on their operations

The study will compile feedback from growers on usefulness and ease of tests

Results of the research will be made into reading material made available online and in USU extension offi ces

RESEARCH THIS COMING SEASON

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FARMERS?

Photo credit: Paul Preuss UC Berkeley

• Moderate to severe erosion on ~80% worlds farmland (Pimental 2006)

• 6% of agricultural land requires major capitol investment to restore its original productivity (Doran et. al, 1996).

• Enhancing soil quality can increase yield by 3-12%. Reduce costs from inputs (fossil fuel use, herbicide and manure application) by 41-79%

(Liebman et al., 2003)

SG) straw mulch with grass (Festuca rubra and Lolium perenne) alleyway ST) straw mulch with Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) alleyway

TG) tillage with grass alleyway

HN) herbicide with NPK

R= .57

LAMOTTE TEST KIT

100 200 300 400 500 600 7000

5

10

15

20

25

Laboratory potassium test compared to Lamotte simple test potassium (organic or-

chard)

SGSTAGATTGWG

lab potassium ppmLam

ott

e p

ota

ssiu

m

sim

ple

test

R= .57

2 7 12 17 22 27 32 375

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

6

6.2

Laboratory measured phosphorus compared to Lamotte phosphorus simple soil test (organic orchard)

SGSTAGATTGWG

Lab test for phosphorus in ppm

Lam

ott

e s

imple

test

measure

d

phosphoru

s in

R= .32

7 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8 8.2 8.47

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

8

8.2

Lamotte pH simple test corre-lated to laboratory pH read-

ings

Lab pH

Lam

ott

e s

imple

test

pH

re

adin

gs

R= .03

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