Reading Time: 4 minutes Researchers are diving deep into the soil - more than 60 cm. below the surface - to find out how microbial communities shape how carbon and nitrogen cycle through our soils.
What is going on deep below the surface?
Even 60 centimetres below, microbial communities can affect how organic matter breaks down
Alberta women GRO-ing the farm
Gateway Research creates a quarterly learning series for women in agriculture
Reading Time: 4 minutes Gateway Research Organization (GRO) has begun hosting GRO-ing Women in Agriculture events exclusively for women in agriculture.
Soil health skepticism prevalent
Survey finds that many farmers see it as a contemporary fad
Reading Time: 3 minutes A survey of 300 Western Canadian farmers found that a large number of producers believe the soil health movement is just a fad.
Organic farmers invited to soil health benchmarking study
Organic farmers across the country are invited to measure the benefits of soil management practices on their farms as part of a study led by Prairie organic organizations.
More cash available for 4R practices
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canola Council of Canada is boosting incentives for the second year of its Canola 4R Advantage program. There are grants for soil testing, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, preferred application and field zone mapping. This year, the grants are being increased to $20,000 per farm (up from $6,000 last year), more incentives per farm (four this […] Read more
Soil sensing goes radioactive with gamma ray spectrometry
A geiger counter for your fields is one of the latest innovations for mapping soil
Reading Time: 4 minutes Scanning your field with what is essentially a geiger counter may seem like a strange way to find out which areas might yield the most, but it works pretty well, says a digital ag expert. “In combination with soil sampling, gamma ray measurement can be used for soil modelling, creation of site-specific nutrient maps and […] Read more
Put away the snacks and pay attention when it’s soil sampling time
High fertilizer prices mean soil sampling is especially critical this year — and that means doing it right
Reading Time: 3 minutes With fertilizer prices through the roof, everyone and their dog is advising farmers to soil test like never before. But assessing your soil isn’t a simple business. “Soil potential is going to be determined by organic matter, cation exchange process, pH and the soil nutrients that are available, electrical conductivity and base saturation,” said Rachelle […] Read more
When it’s this pricey, handle fertilizer with care
Do a soil test, and realize what has happened to your nutrients after the drought, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes Between drought and the soaring price of fertilizer, you might want to manage your grain farm a little differently this year. “In a dry year, there will be reduced crop growth and reduced nutrient uptake,” soil scientist Rigas Karamanos said at Agronomy Update earlier this month. “We had plenty of heat, but not moisture. Consequently, […] Read more
Could soil electrical conductivity maps give productivity a little jolt?
This easy-to-obtain data could be a way to use fertilizer and irrigation more effectively
Reading Time: 4 minutes You might get a charge out of this — measuring the ability of soil to conduct electricity, turning that info into field maps of moisture, and then using that info to fertilize or irrigate more effectively. Soil electrical conductivity is something that may already be measured on your farm. “Often if farmers are getting their […] Read more
Soil testing should be a cornerstone of your farm, says agronomist
Develop management zones, consider mobile nutrients, and don’t neglect phosphorus, says Matt Gosling
Reading Time: 4 minutes When you talk to Matt Gosling about soil — even if it’s over the phone — you can picture his eyes getting wider as his voice becomes more animated. He considers soil the cornerstone of crop agriculture: A living organism that is constantly shifting, changing and moving. By that logic, then, soil testing must be […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
