Management of Wisconsin Soils
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TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 1 A3588 Management of Wisconsin Soils Fifth Edition TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 2 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 3 A3588 Management of Wisconsin Soils Fifth Edition TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 4 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 5 CONTENTS Soil formation and Comparison of tillage systems .....34 1 classification Estimating residue cover........37 What is soil? ..............1 Soil crusting ..............38 Soil formation .............1 Soil compaction ............38 Factors of soil formation ......1 Effect of tillage on nutrient Soil-forming processes .......3 availability .............39 Weathering.............3 5 Soil and water conservation Soil classification ............4 Runoff and erosion ..........42 Soil horizons............4 Factors influencing erosion ......43 Soil name .............5 Soil and water conservation Soil maps and mapping reports .....5 practices ..............43 Soil factors affecting management ...7 Crop rotation ...........43 Soil slope..............7 Conservation tillage........44 Soil depth .............7 Contour tillage ..........44 Soil drainage ............7 Strip cropping ..........45 Land capability classes .........8 Cover crops............45 2 Physical properties of soil Terraces and diversions ......45 Texture ................11 Grass waterways .........45 Importance of soil texture.....12 Buffer/filter strips .........45 Determining soil texture Wind erosion .............46 by feel .............13 Tillage translocation..........47 Structure ...............14 Conservation incentives ........47 Organic matter ............15 6 Soil acidity and liming Mineral matter ............16 Soil pH ................49 Bulk density ..............18 Importance of soil pH ......50 Tilth..................18 How soils become acidic .......51 Color .................19 Acid parent material .......51 Temperature..............19 Leaching of basic cations .....51 3 Soil water Crop removal of basic cations...51 Hydrologic cycle .........21 Acid-forming fertilizers ......52 Evapotranspiration (ET) .....22 Carbonic acid...........52 Water-use efficiency........24 Acid rain .............53 How water is held in soil .....24 Oxidation of sulfides .......53 Forms of soil water ........25 Nature of soil acidity .........53 Water movement in soil......26 Optimum pH for crops ........53 Irrigation scheduling .......27 Liming acid soils ...........55 Benefits of liming .........55 4 Tillage Liming materials .........58 Purpose of tillage ...........29 How much lime to apply .....59 Kinds of tillage ............29 When to apply aglime ......62 Conventional tillage .......29 Other factors to consider .....62 Conservation tillage........31 Correcting soil alkalinity .....63 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 6 7 Biological properties of soil Sources of phosphate........87 Soil fauna ...............66 Methods of phosphorus fertilizer Arthropods ............66 application ...........89 Mollusks .............66 Potassium................89 Earthworms............66 Function in plants .........89 Protozoa .............66 Reactions in soils..........90 Nematodes ............66 Sources of potassium ........91 Mammals .............66 Secondary nutrients...........92 Soil flora................66 Calcium ..............92 Algae ...............66 Magnesium ............93 Bacteria ..............66 Sulfur ...............94 Actinomycetes ..........67 Micronutrients .............97 Fungi ...............67 Boron...............97 Carbon cycle .............67 Manganese .............98 Oxygen requirements .........68 Zinc................98 Symbiotic relationships ........68 Copper...............99 Role of microorganisms in nutrient Iron................99 transformations ...........69 Molybdenum ...........99 Plant roots...............69 Chlorine ..............99 Nickel ...............99 8 Soil chemistry and plant nutrition Summary of the fate of applied Essential plant nutrients ........71 nutrients ..............100 Non-essential elements ........73 Fertilizer analysis ...........101 Properties of chemical elements, Forms of commercial fertilizer.....101 atoms, ions, and salts ........73 Fertilizer grades ..........102 Sources of plant nutrients in the soil. 74 Methods of fertilizer application....103 Soil solution ...........74 Starter or row application.....103 Exchange sites on clay and Broadcast and topdress organic matter .........74 applications ..........106 Complexed or chelated nutrients . 75 Sidedress applications.......106 Decomposition of organic matter . 75 Injection .............106 Low-solubility compounds ....75 Foliar application .........106 Soil rocks and minerals ......76 Dribble application ........107 What constitutes a fertile soil .....76 Fertigation ............107 Soil and fertilizer sources 9 10 Soil amendments of plant nutrients Organic amendments ........109 Nitrogen ................78 Manure .............109 Function in plants .........78 Biosolids.............113 Reactions in soils..........79 Whey..............114 Sources of nitrogen.........82 Miscellaneous organic Timing of nitrogen fertilizer amendments .........115 applications ...........85 Inorganic amendments........116 Nitrogen fertilizer timing summary 85 Gypsum .............116 Phosphorus ...............86 Non-traditional soil amendments . 117 Function in plants .........86 Soil conditioners.........117 Reactions in soils..........86 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 7 Mineral nutrient sources.....117 Soil testing, soil test 12 Wetting agents and surfactants . 118 recommendations, and Biological inoculants and plant analysis activators ...........118 Soil testing ..............135 Plant stimulants and growth Soil sampling..........136 regulators ...........119 Tillage considerations ......139 Environmental concerns and Timing and frequency ......139 11 Analyzing the soil ........139 preventive soil management Interpreting the analytical results 140 practices Soil test recommendations ......141 Nitrates in groundwater .......121 Nitrogen recommendations ...141 Rate of application .......122 Phosphate and potash Methods to improve nitrogen recommendations.......142 rate recommendations ....123 Aglime recommendations ....145 Nitrogen credits .........125 Secondary nutrient Timing of nitrogen applications . 125 recommendations.......147 Manure management ......126 Micronutrient recommendations 150 Irrigation scheduling ......126 Soil test report..........152 Urease inhibitors ........127 Plant analysis.............153 Best management practices ...127 Uses of plant analysis ......153 Phosphorus in surface water .....127 Limitations of plant analysis ...154 Rate of application .......127 Collecting plant samples.....154 Phosphorus credits .......127 Interpretation of plant analyses . 155 Manure management ......128 Tissue testing ..........157 Erosion control .........129 Identification of landscape areas Economics of lime and 13 prone to phosphorus loss ...129 fertilizer use Best management practices Returns from aglime .........160 for phosphorus ........130 Returns from the use of fertilizer ...161 Nutrient management planning ...130 Availability of capital ......162 Soil testing............130 Price changes ..........162 Assessment of on-farm Residual carryover ........163 nutrient resources.......130 Substituting fertilizer for land . 164 Nutrient crediting ........130 Calculating the cost of Consistency with the farm’s plant nutrients ..........164 conservation plan .......131 Single nutrient fertilizer .....165 Manure inventory ........131 Mixed fertilizer .........165 Manure spreading plan .....131 Calculating profits from improved The 590 nutrient management soil management .........166 standard ...........131 Annual costs for long-term capital Non-essential elements........131 investments ..........166 Sources of increased returns ...166 Comparison of net returns ......166 Feeding higher crop yields through livestock .........167 Index.................169 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 8 TOC-FM 10/20/05 10:07 AM Page 9 “If you are thinking a year ahead, sow seed. If you are thinking 10 years ahead, plant a tree. If you are thinking 100 years ahead, educate the people.” Old Chinese saying Introduction People look at soils differently. Both grain and livestock farmers need People may view soil in the home as a to produce crops efficiently in order to source of “dirt” or as a good medium succeed economically. And to produce for growing house plants. crops efficiently, they must understand Construction engineers look at soil in and use good soil management terms of its ability to support a practices. building or highway. But Growth of a colony of organisms, agriculturalists look at soil in terms of whether microbes, higher plants, its ability to support the growth of animals, or people, is limited plants. Obviously, this is its most ultimately by exhaustion of the food important function because the soil supply or toxic accumulation of ultimately supports nearly all plant and wastes. As the world population animal life. continues to grow, agriculturalists will Soil appears to be simply an inert be challenged as never before to mixture of different-sized particles. But increase production while managing this certainly is not the case. Living wastes so as to recycle nutrients organisms by the billions, decaying without polluting water supplies. and residual organic matter, a wide Good soil management is a key variety of minerals, and air and water factor in maintaining the quality of interact to form a dynamic and our water resources.