Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting was conducted at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Campus on July 17-18, 2018. The officers selected for 2018 at the 2017 meeting are Julie Grossman (Chair), University of Minnesota and Sindhu Jagadamma (Secretary), University of Tennessee.

Julie Grossman opened the meeting on July 17, 2018 at 9 am at the Coffee Hall, Room 120.  The first order of business was the introduction of the attendees. After that, Ron Turco gave a general overview and history of the committee by the request of a few new members. He then presented the advisor’s report. He alerted everyone that the mid-term review for this committee is due in 2019. He talked about the farm bill and summarized the current NIFA funding situation, which sounded promising. Ron’s talk was followed by the election of the 2019 Chair and Secretary. Sindhu Jagadamma (TN) was elected as Chair for 2019 and Mark Coyne (KY) was elected as Secretary for 2019. This was followed by the presentation of the state reports for the rest of the day, which included reports from CA, ND, MN, WI, MI, KY, IL, IN, KY and TN with one hour lunch break and one hour tour of the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus’s experimental plots and facilities.

On July 18, 2018 the meeting started at 9 am at the Coffee Hall, Room 120. A detailed discussion was held about how to advance current soil health research in items of standardizing indicators, selection of representative soils from each state/geographic region and standardizing soil health assessment. The group identified a few tasks for the members to work together including a submission of a position paper to Agricultural and Environmental Letters on soil health, contributing to a soil health meta-data and datasets commentary initiated by Michelle Wander’s group, completing the methods book started in 2013, and co-organizing a workshop or symposium with Soil Health Institute (SHI). Ron Turco was assigned the task of interacting with SHI members as he was planning to attend the SHI meeting later that month in New Mexico. So, next year’s annual meeting could be a special topics meeting in Tennessee chaired by Sindhu Jagadamma and inviting members of SHI, or it could be at a location where SHI meeting will be held next year. We decided to conduct monthly conference calls to discuss these matters in detail. After lunch, we depart to visit the Hmong American Farmers Association. The meeting was adjourned at 3 pm by Julie Grossman. 

CA:     Potential soil tests for the commercial testing industry were continued to be evaluated to assess soil health and soil nitrogen availability to crops. A number of standard tests were compared, including total soil carbon and nitrogen, water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen, salt–extractable carbon and nitrogen, mineralizable carbon on rewetting, and permanganate-oxidizable carbon to a new proposed test of soil respiration to estimate nitrogen mineralization across a variety of soils from cover-cropped and non-cover-cropped fields.  We found the soil respiration test was variable and not better than existing tests used by commercial labs. However, site-specific data showed that tests were able to differentiate the influence of management practices such as cover cropping and compost additions.  The findings suggest that within site these soil tests can be useful to determine short-term changes in soil outcomes.

IL:       On-campus and on-farm studies of plant-soil health interactions embedded within a study of participatory maize variety testing and breeding in the Midwest. Field studies of Woody Perennial Polycultures that include a large replicated trial in Urbana and a recovered mature trial in Dixon Springs IL will provide needed opportunities to study agroecological function of agroforestry systems focused on food production. Data archives of soil health metrics (primary research and meta-analytic studies) are being compiled using standardized methodologies. Based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature reporting results for three ‘Tier 2’ indicators (β-glucosidase (BG), fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC)) that considers how well each can contributes to interpretive frameworks. We found that while all three SQIs are measures of biologically active carbon that are known to respond to management, they differ in their rates of change, the degree to which methods are standardized, and the level of agreement about their functional relevance. The BG indicator is the best developed in terms of shared understanding of its link to soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition, established analytical methods and the existence of a SMAF curve. Soil FDA, which is the most dynamic of the three SQIs considered, is the least developed and has the greatest variability in analysis methods. The POXC indicator, which is defined by an analytical method and produced the most records, is associated with changes in SOM stocks but it is the least dynamic indicator and thus most duplicative of total SOM. The abundance of all SQIs considered was increased by use of soil health promoting practices in more than 80% of the cases and changes in abundance were statistically significant (p < 0.1) in the majority (BG: 63.6%, FDA: 69.7%, and POXC: 63.8%) of the comparisons. Both POXC and FDA were generally more responsive to use of conservation or no-tillage or grass cover than to use of practices increasing organic matter return (cover crops, organic fertilizers or residue return); the reverse was true for BG. Standardization of sample timing and analysis will facilitate development of interpretive frameworks for these SQIs.

Committee members are working together under the leadership of Michelle Wander on a presentation for the SSSA meeting in San Diego “NCERA 59's Reflections on Soil Health and Soil Quality” that is based on content being developed for a jointly authored paper that is in draft form.  The draft title for the paper is ‘Reflections on the Dynamic Field of Soil Quality and Health: Regional Research Committee on Soil Organic Matter Management”.  A subset of members are contributing to a paper led by Carmen Ugarte on “Building Robust Datasets and Databases for Soil Health Assessment”. We hope to expand collaboration with other committee members on studies of plant-soil interactions influencing plant health.

IN:      Work at Purdue University is concentrated on the application of soil health principles to the improvement of water quality.  They are engaged in two large scale field project looking at the interaction of soils and water supply as related to the Great Lakes.  Project 1 is in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and takes place at 14 edge of field (EoF) monitoring sites across the Midwest. Project 2 takes place in the St. Marys watershed in Northeast Indiana. Project 1 focused on creating a robust dataset of soil health at EoF sites and to connect field-scale soil health parameters with the water quality leaving these fields.  We are working across 14 EoF monitoring sites located in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and New York.  Baseline soil sampling took place in 2016 and 2017. Second round sampling was completed in May 2018.   Our study includes nearly all of the SHI endorsed Tier 1 soil health measurements and many of the potential Tier 2 measurements.  We have begun investigating relationships among microbial properties (e.g. soil microbial biomass, diversity, and activity), general soil structure (e.g. bulk density, aggregate structure, water holding capacity, texture, and infiltration rates), soil resources (e.g. organic matter, reactive carbon, C, N, WEP, and Bray P), and exported resources (e.g. water-exported soil, total P, soluble P, total N, and total C). We will use changes in soil biology, biochemical responses, and key soil physical qualities as early predictors of critical changes needed within field systems, and to demonstrate to producers why these are important. Project 2 is concentrated in Indiana and deals with water inputs to Lake Erie. This project is focused on watersheds in Adams County where the impact of management changes on water quality in two critical area watersheds of equal size will be assessed. The project will first focus on current conditions (2 years) and follow the role out (3 years) of management changes on one of the watersheds. 

KY:     Several active projects related to the objectives of NCERA59 have been undergoing at the University of Kentucky. The findings from very relevant projects are summarized below: (i) Fescue for Enhancing Soil Quality: Growing annual ryegrass on fragipan soils as a cover crop or a forage for 5 to 6 years increases soil depth 15 to 18 cm by degrading the top of the fragipan.  This, in turn, increases maize and soybean yield about 10% and soil organic matter. A field that had annual rye grass as a cover crop for 15 consecutive years increased yields by over 30 %.

(ii) Cover Crops and Biological Stratification: The biological activity in all plots was highly stratified with a short distance with depths from 7.5-15 cm increasingly similar to depths > 15 cm. Stratification with cover crops was more pronounce than without, but the influence of legumes was not yet apparent. With time during the season the absolute amount of biological activity decreased without any trend in terms of stratification. Labile C (POxC) was one of the best indicators of short term stratification. (iii) Cover Crops, Manure, and Soil Health: The combination of no-tillage, manure, and cover crops incrementally improved N mineralization rates in a corn-soybean rotation (Collaboration with Kentucky State University). Two full years of a two-year corn/soybean rotation were completed. (iv) Geospatial Analysis of C and N Banding in a Sinkhole: Geospatial analysis revealed that higher but not lower clover seeding rates smoothed the distribution of soil N in a renovated fescue pasture. Year to year C distribution was not the same, but could simply reflect more uniform management of the site. (v)
Potential Nitrogen Benefits from Cover Crops: To demonstrate that when specific cover crops and/or cover crop mixtures are used in specific crop rotations, the results can be a change in crop response to nitrogen fertilizer, we showed that cover crop resulted in lower N availability when no fertilizer N was applied. There was some indication that N nutrition ‘leveled off’ more with the cover crop at a lower fertilizer N rate. (vi) Increasing Endophyte Intensity Alters Soil Properties: After a one-year establishment period the intensity (i.e. number) of endophytes in tall fescue appeared to have significant effects on some measures of extracellular enzyme activity in the rhizosphere. (vii) Crop Diversity Influences Soil Microbial Communities and Soil Health Parameters in Long Term Managed  Agroecosystems: In a 26-year-long rotation study (corn-wheat-double crop soybean) there were apparent seasonal changes in microbial community as distinguished by PFLA Analysis that were linked to the rotation existing at the time. (viii) Cover crop grazing effects on soil quality: Project just initiated. We observed higher potentially mineralizable N but also greater compaction in grazed vs. ungrazed cover crop plots. (ix) Effects of long-term tillage management on corn response to late-season nitrogen application: Project just initiated. We installed in situ N mineralization tubes in a long-term tillage experiment (>40 years) and our results thus far indicate greater rates of N mineralization in the no-till treatment.

MD:    While it is commonly assumed that very little mineral nitrogen is left after a good corn crop, we found in a survey of 29 crop fields in the Mid-Atlantic that an average of more than 250 kg per hectare of mineral nitrogen remained in the upper 2 meters of the soil profile at the end of the crop growth season. The fact that more residual nitrogen was found after soybeans than after corn suggests that much of this nitrogen results from organic matter mineralization. We produced 5 peer-reviewed publication and made 17 oral or poster outreach or scientific presentations. We leveraged approximately $275,000 in grants to study ways to enhance soil organic matter and health.

MI:     New field experiments have been established at multiple research centers across Michigan to promote understanding of SOM dynamics and related issues of soil health. At Montcalm Research Center, we have a new cover crop diversity experiment in a seed-corn potato rotation system. At Saginaw Valley Research and Education Center and the campus Agronomy Research Farm we have established multiple experiments focused on effects of early (V6) interseeding of cover crops into corn. In the cover crop diversity experiment, we have seen dramatic increases in SOM in plots with a 2 species legume-grass mixture compared to no cover crop, single cover crop or a 4 species mix. Additionally, we find very high potential enzyme activity rates between harvest and planting, especially in cover crop mixture plots.

After two years of interseeding annual ryegrass, crimson clover or a mix of the two cover crops into V6 corn, we have found significant changes in N-cycling dynamics related to existing SOM stocks. At sites with relatively high SOM we find no significant changes with early interseeding, but in low SOM soils, we observed reduced peptidase enzyme activities, as well as nitrification and denitrification rates with cover crops, regardless of species. We also found evidence for N scavenging by annual ryegrass after the first year of cover crop interseeding.

MN:    Our research goal is to manage plant-soil-microbe relationships in managed ecosystems in order to enhance soil fertility and functionality, with the ultimate goal of developing sustainable food production and other managed ecosystems. Some of the major studies and accomplishments are summarized below: (i) High tunnels on research stations and farms provide an environment to evaluate cover crop legumes for their potential to improve the soil health of intensively-managed season extension systems.  We found that Winter legume cover crops increased soil mineral N at 2 and 4 weeks after cover crop termination in two states across the multi-state study (Kansas and Kentucky), but did not affect pools of N that could become available in the future via decomposition (potentially mineralizable N and microbial biomass N).  Microbial biomass C was also not affected. Cover crops were able to replace 26%-32% of nitrogen fertilizer, with no decrease in tomato yield. (ii) Summer cover crops in Minnesota organic farms results from year 1 show that summer cover crops, especially during shorter planting windows as tested in this project (30 or 50 days of growth), may not be immediately sufficient to replace fertilizer N or increase soil organic matter metrics in a significant way. However, cover crops did take up available N that may be prone to leach and negatively impact the environment, compared to plots with no cover crops. (iii) On-farm research with support from EQIP program showed that reduced tillage and cover cropping reduce soil nitrate levels and improve soil structure and earthworm presence. Impacts are also highly variable between soil types and specific farms, suggesting that any metric of soil improvement be specific to site-specific characteristics.

NE:    Overall goal of the research is to quantify microbial community structure and function using newer biochemical (i.e. lipids) and molecular approaches in both natural and agroecosystems.  Ecosystems under study include intensively managed cropping systems, organic agriculture and rangelands. Some of the major findings are: (i) examined the impact of maize stover grazing vs. baling on soil microbial biomass (SMB) and community structure in two short-term studies. In one study where samples were taken in spring, no differences were found, while the second study showed significant losses in SMB with baling, but not grazing. (ii) uncovered a methodology issue important to separating the extracted lipids into neutral and glycolipid classes that arose from the stabilizing agent used in the chloroform solvent. It has significant potential to impact the quantification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biomass in the soil as measured using the biomarker C16:1c11 from the neutral lipid pool. (iii) quantified soil quality using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) on plots planted with several cover crop mixtures and found out no significant changes in soil quality among cover crop treatments in two years, (iv) explored the performance and degradation of a new polylactic acid (PLA)-based biomulch fabric. Conventional vegetable production with peppers was conducted over the summer months, with our biomulch incorporation treatments initiated post fall harvest. Spaded fabric from the field was collected late fall to assess early changes in the biomulch fabric by surface area measurement and PLA analysis was used to measure changes in polymer molecular weight over time. We also installed litterbags containing biomulch fabric squares and soil from each site to better assess biomulch degradation and to measure shifts in soil microbial communities and soil properties over a two-year period.

ND:     Long-term (20 weeks) incubation studies using three soils and seven individual crop residues from a long-term no-till cropping systems study were conducted to evaluate N mineralization rates under controlled conditions. N mineralization by soils alone reflected their textural (fine sandy loam, clay loam, silty clay) and SOM differences (4, 5, 6%).  With the exception of winter pea and forage radish, all other residues (corn, soybean, spring and winter wheat and flax) showed very little N mineralization across the incubation period resulting in net immobilization.  Only winter pea and forage radish showed neutral or net mineralization.  The driving factor in this mineralization study appears to be the C:N ratios of the residue materials.  Another short-term incubation (7-day anaerobic incubations) from an integrated crop-grazing system was conducted across three growing seasons show net N mineralization of 6 to 13 kg N/% SOM across all treatments. Treatments included continuous spring wheat as a control treatment and a 5-year rotation of spring wheat, winter triticale/hairy vetch/cover crop, corn (grazed), field pea/barley, and sunflower.  Soils were sampled to a depth of 15 cm from 3 to seven times across the growing season each year. Mineralization tends to be higher for early season sampling dates than for later season sampling dates.  As the crop-grazing system matures, a reduced need for additional fertilizer N based on soil tests and yield goals has declined likely due to the occurrence of legumes at three points in the rotation.

NV:     We measured soil organic C fractions in an alfalfa field that had been under cultivation for more than five decades and in an adjacent undisturbed shrubland. In addition, we assessed chemical properties and decomposability of organic matter in a buried A horizon located at 1 m depth in the soil profile. Our design allowed us to assess long-term, multi-decadal, impacts of irrigated agriculture. Given the close proximity and geomorphic characteristics, soils were assumed to have been similar prior to conversion to irrigated agriculture. We also tested two methods (loss on ignition and acid dissolution) for measuring organic C (OC) and inorganic C (IC) content as well as their respective C-isotopic composition as a function of the relative amounts of OC vs. IC present in the soil. For our study, we created soils having different ratios of OC/IC by mixing a high pH, carbonate-free soil with powder originating from a ground-up marble tile. This approach allowed us to assess the accuracy of both methods given that both C content and isotopic composition of the soil mixtures were known.

SD:      We investigated the impacts of cover crops and grazing on microbial community structure (MCS) under different cropping systems using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. In this study, cover crop treatments and no cover crop controls with and without grazing were compared.  The results showed that cover crops with grazing (Total biomass, 5854.46 ng g^-1; Actinomycetes biomass, 622.31 ng g^-1) had a higher PLFA content in soil than no cover crops (control). Soil biological activity varied with the treatment and significantly recorded higher PLFAs under cover crops with grazing. This study provides a clear link between cover crops, grazing, soil microbial communities, and soil health. This may pave the way for better management of the soil biodiversity (soil microbiome) to enhance sustainable soil health by incorporating cover crops and grazing in the cropping system.

TN:     1) The role cover crops play in maintaining the health of TN soils is determined. We use an existing field trial that was started in 2013 in a corn-soybean system at the University of Tennessee’s Research and Education Center (REC) in Milan, TN. This experiment includes several single and multi-species cover crop treatments, such as wheat, cereal rye, cereal rye plus hairy vetch, cereal rye plus crimson clover, and the USDA-NRCS recommended soil health mixture (combination of cereal rye, whole oats, purple top turnips, daikon radish, and crimson clover) as well as a no cover control. Several soil properties, including soil moisture content and soil inorganic N, are being influenced by cover crop treatments. No significant differences in total, as well as easily decomposable fractions of organic carbon, were observed across the cover crop treatments. We conducted another field study to evaluate the performance of biochar made from hardwood trees as a soil amendment. We found that some soil properties, e.g., soil ammonium content, decreased significantly with increased rates of biochar application within two months of biochar application. Most other soil properties did not change with biochar application.

WI:     Whitman lab is in its third year, and have made substantial progress on infrastructure for SOM experiments, including building a 64-jar multiplexed CH₄ and CO₂ stable C isotope gas analyzer. With this instrumentation, we will now conduct fundamental research into SOM interactions in soil and soil microbial community functioning. We have also built a ¹³CO₂ plant growth labeling chamber, in which we have begun producing biomass that we can track through the soil as it decomposes. In addition, we have installed a “charcoalator”, which allows us to produce highly-replicable pyrogenic organic matter under controlled conditions, improving our ability to study its cycling in soils as well as its effect on non-pyrogenic soil organic matter. In addition, we are working on a number of projects studying the effects of fire on SOM and soil microbial communities. We found that a prescribed burn in jack pine barrens in WI did not significantly change soil properties immediately post-fire or soil microbial community composition after three weeks. Ruark lab continues to build a soil health database in Wisconsin in order to assess how management practices affect soil health and soil organic matter. This database also serves to benchmark SOM and soil health regionally.

Peer-reviewed Publications:

CA:

Lu-Jun Li, Xia Zhu-Barker, Rongzhong Ye, Timothy A. Doane, William R. Horwath. 2018. Soil microbial biomass size and soil carbon influence the priming effect from carbon inputs depending on nitrogen availability. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 119: 41-49.

Wolf, Kristina M., Emma E. Torbert, Dennis Bryant, Martin Burger, R. Ford Denison, Israel Herrera, Jan Hopmans, Will Horwath, Stephen Kaffka, Angela Y. Y. Kong, R. F. Norris, Johan Six, Thomas P. Tomich, Kate M. Scow. 2018. The century experiment: the first twenty years of UC Davis' Mediterranean agroecological experiment. Ecology. 99:503-503.

Wade, Jordon, Hannah Waterhouse, Leslie M Roche, William R Horwath. 2018. Structural equation modeling reveals iron (hydr) oxides as a strong mediator of N mineralization in California agricultural soils. Geoderma, 315: 120-129.

Salamanca-Jimenez, Alveiro, Timothy A Doane, William R Horwath. "Coffee response to nitrogen and soil water content during the early growth stage" Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 180(5): 614-623.

Verhoeven, Elizabeth, Engil Pereira, Charlotte Decock, Gina Garland, Taryn Kennedy, Emma Suddick, William R. Horwath, Johan Six. 2017. N₂O emissions from California farmlands: A review. 2017. California Agriculture. 71: 148-159.      

Ye, Rongzhong and William R Horwath. 2017. Influence of rice straw on priming of soil C for dissolved organic C and CH₄ production. Plant and Soil. 417: 231-241.

Wade, J., S. W. Culman, T. T. Hurisso, R. O. Miller, L. Baker, W. R. Horwath. 2108. Sources of Variability that Compromise Mineralizable Carbon as a Soil Health Indicator. Soil Science Society of America Journal. doi:10.2136/sssaj2017.03.0105

Hartman, W. H., R. Ye, W. R. Horwath, S. G. Tringe. 2017. A genomic perspective on stoichiometric regulation of soil carbon cycling. The ISME Journal. doi:10.1038/ismej.2017.115.

Zhu-Barker, X., S. K Bailey, M. Burger, W. R Horwath. 2017. Greenhouse gas emissions from green waste composting windrow. Journal Waste Management. 59: 70-79.

Horwath, W. R 2017. The Role of the Soil Microbial Biomass in Cycling Nutrients. In: Microbial Biomass: A Paradigm Shift in Terrestrial Biogeochemistry. Ed. K. R. Tate. World Scientific. Pp. 41-66.

Burger, Martin, Matthew R Dumlao, Juan Wang, Barzin A Moradi, William R Horwath, Wendy K Silk. 2017. Cover Crop Development Related to Nitrate Uptake and Cumulative Temperature. Crop Science doi:10.2135/cropsci2016.09.0741.

IL:

Kwon, H-Y., Ugarte^, C.M., Ogle, S.M., Williams, S.A., and M. M. Wander^.  2017. Use of inverse modeling to evaluate CENTURY-predictions for soil carbon sequestration in US row crop systems. PlosOne. 12(3): e0173729.

Wolz, K., DeLucia, E., Branham, B. Eddy, W., Revord, R., Wander, M., Yang, W., and S. Lovell, S. 2017. Production agroforestry: a transformative solution for temperate agriculture. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13986

Dorak, S.J., Green, M.L., Wander, M. M., Ruiz, M.O., Buhnerkempe, M.G.,  Tian, T.,  Novakofski J.E., and  N. E. Mateus-Pinilla. 2017. Clay content and pH: soil characteristic associations with the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in northern Illinois. Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 18062.

Qin, Z., Canter, C. E., Dunn, J. B., Mueller, S., Kwon, H., Han, J., Wander, M. M. and M. Wang, M. 2018. Land management change greatly impacts biofuels’ greenhouse gas emissions. GCB Bioenergy. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12500.

Bakker, E. Hubert, F., Wander, M. M., and B. Lanson.  2018. Soil development under continuous agriculture at the Morrow Plots experimental fields from X-ray diffraction profile modelling. Soil Syst.  2(3), 46

Ugarte, C.M., Kwon, H-Y., and M. M. Wander. 2018. Conservation management and ecosystem services in Midwest agricultural systems.  J. Soil Water Cons. 73(4): 422-433.

Xia, Y., Ugarte C.U., Guan, K. Pentrak, M. and M. M. Wander. 2018. Developing near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy analysis methods for rapid assessment of soil quality in Illinois.  Soil Science Society of America. In press.

IN:

S Yang, Z Xu, R Wang, Y Zhang, F Yao, Y Zhang, RF Turco, Y Jiang. 2017. Variations in soil microbial community composition and enzymatic activities in response to increased N deposition and precipitation in Inner Mongolian grassland. Applied Soil Ecology 119, 275-285

TD Berry, TR Filley, AP Clavijo, M Bischoff Gray, R Turco. 2017. Degradation and Microbial Uptake of C60 Fullerols in Contrasting Agricultural Soils. Environmental Science & Technology 51 (3), 1387-1394

QD Law, JM Trappe, Y Jiang, RF Turco, AJ Patton. 2017. Turfgrass selection and grass clippings management influence soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. Agronomy Journal 109 (4), 1719-1725

MD:

Rahmani, A., and R. Weil. 2018. Rocks, radishes, and restoration: On the relationships between clean water and healthy soil. In A. Toland, Noller, J., Wessolek, G, ed. Field to palette – the soil art dialogues. CRC Press (Taylor and Francis), Boca Raton. 703 p.  

Wang, F., R.R. Weil, and X. Nan. 2017. Total and permanganate-oxidizable organic carbon in the corn rooting zone of US coastal plain soils as affected by forage radish cover crops and N fertilizer. Soil and Tillage Research 165:247-257.

Chen, G., L. Kolb, M. Cavigelli, R. Weil, C. Hooks. 2018. Can conservation tillage reduce N₂O emissions on cropland transitioning to organic vegetable production? Science of the Total Environment. 

Wang, F., and R.R. Weil. 2018. The form and vertical distribution of soil nitrogen as affected by forage radish cover crop and residual side-dressed N fertilizer. Soil Science 183:22-33.

Wang, Fang, Ray R. Weil, Lei Han, Mingxin Zhang, Zhaojun Sun and Xiongxiong Nan. 2019. Subsequent nitrogen utilization and soil water distribution as affected by forage radish cover crop and nitrogen fertilizer in a corn silage production system. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science.

MI:

Bowsher, A.W., Evans, S., Tiemann, L.K. and Friesen, M.L., 2018. Effects of soil nitrogen availability on rhizodeposition in plants: a review. Plant and Soil, 423(1-2), pp.59-85.

Jilling, A., Keiluweit, M., Contosta, A.R., Frey, S., Schimel, J., Schnecker, J., Smith, R.G., Tiemann, L. and Grandy, A.S., 2018. Minerals in the rhizosphere: overlooked mediators of soil nitrogen availability to plants and microbes. Biogeochemistry, 139(2), pp.103-122.

Ouyang, Y., Evans, S. A., Friesen, M. L. & Tiemann, L. K. (in press). Effect of nitrogen fertilization on the abundance of nitrogen cycling genes in agricultural soils: A meta-analysis of field studies. Soil Biology and Biochemistry

MN:

Ginakes, P. Grossman, J., Sooksa-nguan, T., Dobbratz, M., Baker, J. 2018. Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics under zone tillage of varying intensities in a kura clover living mulch system. Soil and Tillage Research, In Press.

Liebman, A., Grossman, J., Brown, M., Wells, M.S., Reberg-Horton, S.C. Shi, W. 2018. Legume Cover Crops and Tillage Impact Nitrogen Dynamics in Organic Corn Production. Agronomy Journal, 110(2), In press.

Raskin, D., Wells, M. S., Grossman, J. M., Coulter, J. A., & Sheaffer, C. C. 2017. Yield and economic potential of spring-planted, pea-barley forage in short-season corn double-crop systems. Agronomy Journal, 109(6), 2486–2498.

NE:

Jeske, E.S., H. Tian, K. Hanford, D.T. Walters, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Long-term nitrogen fertilization reduces extraradical biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizae in a maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 255:111-118.

Ruis, S., H. Blanco, C. Burr, B. Olson, M. Reiman, D. Rudnick, R. Drijber, T. Shaver. 2017. Corn residue baling and grazing impacts on soil carbon stocks and other properties on a Haplustoll. Soil Science Society of America Journal 82:202-213

Cadenas, M., L.M. Durso, D.N. Miller, H. Waldrip, B.L. Castleberry, R.A. Drijber, and C. Wortman.  2018.  Tetracycline and Sulfonamide Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Soils from Nebraska Organic Farming Operations.  Accepted by Frontiers Microbiology special topic “Surveying Antimicrobial Resistance: The New complexity of the Problem” in Frontiers in Microbiology, section Antimicrobials, Resistance and Chemotherapy.

Akinrinlola, R.J., G.Y. Yuen, R.A. Drijber, A.O. Adesemoye. 2018. Evaluation of bacillus strains for plant growth promotion and predictability of efficacy by in vitro physiological traits. Accepted by International Journal of Microbiology

ND:

Kaur, J., L. J. Cihacek, and A. Chatterjee. 2018.  Estimation of nitrogen and sulfur mineralization in soils amended with crop residues contributing to nitrogen and sulfur nutrition of crops in the North Central U. S.  Comm. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. (https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.1499761)

NE:

Trimble, B., Calderon, F., Poulson, S.R., Verburg, P.S.J. 2018. Conversion of a Semi-arid Nevada soil to irrigated agriculture preferentially removes labile carbon. Soil Systems. 2(3), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030038

Ketchian, E., Trimble, B., Poulson, S.R., Verburg, P.S.J. 2018. Direct determination of quantity and isotopic composition of soil C in arid soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 82, 231-234.

SD:

Alhameid A., Ibrahim M., Kumar S., Sexton P., Schumacher T. (2017) Soil Organic Carbon Changes Impacted by Crop Rotational Diversity under No-Till Farming in South Dakota, USA. Soil Science Society of America Journal 81:868-877.

TN:

Wegner, B., Subedi, K., Singh, S., Lai, L., Abagandua, G., Kumar, S., Osborne, S., Lehman, M., and Jagadamma, S. 2018. Response of Soil Surface Greenhouse Gas Fluxes to Crop Residue Removal and Cover Crops Under a Corn-Soybean Rotation. Journal of Environmental Quality. doi: 10.2134/jeq2018.03.0093

Anapalli, S., Reddy, K., and Jagadamma, S. 2018. Conservation Tillage Impacts and Adaptations in Irrigated Corn in a Humid Climate. Agronomy Journal. doi: 10.2134/agronj2018.03.0195

Chu, M., Jagadamma, S., Walker, F. R., Eash, N. S., and Buschermohle, M. J. 2017. Effect of Multispecies Cover Crop Mixture on Soil Properties and Crop Yield. Agricultural and Environmental Letters 2, 170030

USDA-ARS (Iowa):

Linh, T.B., Guong, V.T., Tran, V.T.T., Khoa,,L.V., Olk, D.C., and Cornelis, W.M. 2017. Effects of crop rotation on properties of a Vietnam clay soil under rice-based cropping systems in small-scale farmers’ fields. Soil Res. 55:162-171.

Li Z., Zhao, B., Olk, D.C., Jia, Z., Mao, J., Cai, Y., and Zhang, J. 2018. Contributions of residue-C and –N to plant growth and soil organic matter pools under planted and unplanted conditions. Soil Biol. Biochem. 120:91-104.

Olk D.C., Dinnes, D.L., Scoresby, J.R., Callaway, C.R., and Darlington, J.W. 2018. Humic products in agriculture: Potential benefits and research challenges. J. Soils Sed. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-1916-4.

Zhang, Y.-L., Yao, S.-H., Cao, X.-Y., Schmidt-Rohr, K., Olk, D.C.  Mao, J.-D., and Zhang. B. 2018. Structural evidence for soil organic matter turnover following glucose addition and microbial controls over soil carbon change at different horizons of a Mollisol. Soil Biol. Biochem. 119:63-73. 2018.

Zhang, Y.-L., Li, L.-J., Yao, S.-H., Mao, J.-D., Schmidt-Rohr, K., Olk, D.C., Cao, X.-Y., Cui, J.-F., and Zhang, B. 2018. Changes in composition of soil organic matter with length of cropping time in subsoils of a Phaeozem and Chernozem. Eur. J. Soil Sci (In Press)

Cordova, S.C., Olk, D.C., Dietzel, R., Mueller, K., Six, J. Archontouilis, S., and Castellano, M.J. 2018. Plant litter quality affects the accumulation rate, composition, and stability of mineral-associated soil organic matter. Soil Biol. Biochem.125:115-124.

Poffenbarger, H.J. Sawyer, J.E., Barker, D., Olk, D.C., Six. J., and Castellano, M.J. 2018. Legacy effects of long-term nitrogen fertilizer application on the fate of nitrogen fertilizer inputs in continuous maize. Agric., Ecosyst. & Envir. 265:544-555.

Olk, D.C., Bloom, P.R., Perdue, E.M., Chen, Y., McKnight, D.M., De Nobili, M., Farenhorst, A., Wells, M.J.M., Senesi, N., Weber, J., Schmitt-Koplin, P., Hertkorn, N., and Harir, M. Environmental and agricultural relevance of organic matter fractions extracted by alkali from soils and natural waters.  J. Environ. Qual. Invited manuscript (in press).

WI:

Whitman, T., Neurath, R., Perera, A., Chu‐Jacoby, I., Ning, D., Zhou, J., Nico, P., Pett‐Ridge, J., and Firestone, M. (2018) Microbial community assembly differs across minerals in a rhizosphere microcosm. Environmental Microbiology, doi: 10.1111/1462‐2920.14366

DeCiucies, S., Whitman, T., Woolf, D., Enders, A., and Lehmann, J. (2018) Priming mechanisms with additions of pyrogenic organic matter to soil. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 238, 329-342.

Braus, M., Graham, L., and Whitman, T. (2017) Spatiotemporal dynamics of the bacterial microbiota on lacustrine Cladophora glomerata (Chlorophyta). Journal of Phycology, 63, 1255-1262.

Activities (Outreach and Presentations):

CA:

Horwath, W. R. 2017. Soil Carbon Sequestration and Redefining Soil Health. Soil Science Society Annual Meeting, October 22-25, Tampa, FL.

Horwath, W. R. 2018. How much can soil organic matter realistically be increased with cropping management in California? California Plant and Soil Conference, February 7^th, Fresno, CA.

IL:

Wander, M. M.  2017. Assessing and Accessing Progress in Soil Health. Land Connection Conference. Beyond Production, Growing the Organic Grain Industry Feb 17, 2017.

Wander, M. M.  2017. Increase Soil Organic Matter to Increase Row-Crop Resiliency: The Living Soil’ as part of the Extension Crop Management Conference Winter Series 2017.  Presented in Mt Vernon, Jan 18, Springfield, Jan 25, Champaign, Feb 1. and Malta Feb 15. Audience 100-150.

Wander, M. M. 2017. Soil Health: From an Organic to an ISO Standard.  Keynote speaker, Scientific Challenges to Operationalizing Payments for Agro-Ecosystem Services (PAgES) meeting convened in Indianapolis, Indiana November 14-15.

Hunter, D., and Wander, M.M. 2017. Applying Functional Niche Framework to Agroecosystems. Annual ASA/SSSA/CSA Meeting, Tampa, FL, October 2017.

Xia, Y., Kwon, H. and M. Wander, 2017. Use of Rapid Assessment of U.S. Soil Carbon Dataset to Calibrate a Surrogate Century Model. Annual ASA/SSSA/CSA Meeting, Tampa, FL, October 2017.

Wander, M. M. 2017. Organic Agriculture's Ongoing Contribution to Soil Health and the economy. Annual ASA/SSSA/CSA Meeting, Tampa, FL, October 2017.

Wander, M. M. 2018. Soil Organic Matter as a Proxy for Soil Health; Indicators and Standards, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, UNL.  Feb. 16.

Wander, M. M. 2018. The Holey Trinity (Tillage, Fertility and Rotation) and Soil Health on Your Farm, Organic Grain Conference, Land Connection.  Champaign, IL.

KY:

Murdock, L. 2017. Fragipan-Ryegrass Cover Crop. Corn, Soybean, and Tobacco Field Day Talk, Princeton, KY.

Coyne, K.S. 2017. Soil Health and How to Measure It. Corn, Soybean, and Tobacco Field Day Talk, Princeton, KY.  
Gibbs, L. T. Keene, and M.S. Coyne. 2017. Cover Crops and Hemp: A Microbial Perspective. UK Hemp Field Day, Lexington KY 09/09/2017.

Coyne, M.S. 2018. CIG Project – Part II. Field Day – Soil Health Assessment: Use of Manure & Cover Crop in Small-Scale Farming.” Madison Co. KY.

Coyne, M.S. 2017. CIG Project - Field Day - Manure & Cover Crops in Small Scale Farming. Logan Co. KY.

Grove, J. 2017. The Impact of Cover Crops on N Rate For Corn. Corn, Soybean, and Tobacco Field Day Talk, Princeton, KY.

Gibbs, L., M.S. Coyne, and J. Grove. 2017. Potential Nitrogen Benefits from Cover Crops. Kentucky No-Till and Cover Crop Soil Health Forum, Princeton KY, 03/23/2017 

MD:

Weil, R. 2017. Digging deeper into cover crop benefits. National No Till Conference - Quarter Century of No Till Learning. St. Louis, MO.

Weil, R. 2017. Soil Carbon: Major Player in Maryland’s Greenhouse Gas Balance. Maryland Commission on Climate Change Mitigation Work Group, Baltimore, MD.

Weil, Ray and Sarah Hirsh. 2017. Organized and spoke at field day on “Getting the most from your cover crops”, Central Maryland Research & Educ. Center. 1 November 2017.

Weil, Ray. 2017. Building Soil Organic Matter: What, Why, How? Soil Health Track in National Cover Crops Conference, Indianapolis, IN. Dec 8-9, 2017.

Weil, R. 2017. Digging deeper into cover crop benefits. National No Till Conference - Quarter Century of NoTill Learning. St. Louis, MO.

Weil, Ray. 2018. Soil Fertility 101: Interactions between Soils, Crops and Nutrients. Keynote address for Nutrient-Smart Conference. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) and the Ontario Agriculture College (OAC) of the University of Guelph. Guelph, ON, Canada. 19 January 2018.

Weil, Ray. 2018. Managing Soil Organic Matter- Key to Soil Health and Productivity. Farm-Smart Conference. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) and the Ontario Agriculture College (OAC) of the University of Guelph. Guelph, ON, Canada. 20 January 2018.

Weil, R. 2018. Keynote address: Roots run deep in cover crop science. Midwest Cover Crops Council Annual Meeting. Fargo, ND. 13 March 2018.

Weil, R. 2018. Soil Health in Responsible Farming. Bayer Forward Farm Field Day at Harborview Farms, Rock Hall, Md. 19 April 2018.

Weil, R. 2018. Getting the Most from Cover Crops. Bayer Forward Farm Field Day at Harborview Farms, Rock Hall, Md.  16 May 2018. 

Weil, R. S. Hirsh and N. Sedghi. 2018. Plant early, kill late-getting the most from your cover crops. Oral presentation and poster at Commodity Classic. Queenstown, Md. 26 July 2018.

Hirsh, S. and R. Weil. 2017. Using Cover Crops to Capture and Recycle Deep Soil N: On-Farm Experiments. Soil Science Society of America International Meetings, Tampa, Florida. 23 October.

Hirsh, S. and R. Weil. 2017. How Much Nitrogen Is Left in the Soil Profile after Summer Annual Crops? A Deep N Survey on Mid-Atlantic Farms. Poster Number 1251. Soil Science Society of America International Meetings, Tampa, Florida. 23 October.

Hirsh, S. and R. Weil. 2017. Tracking Deep Soil Nitrogen in Cover Crop Systems: A N-15 Isotope Study. Soil Science Society of America International Meetings, Tampa, Florida.  23 October 2017.

Juma, Stan and R. Weil. 2017. Effects of Maize-Forage Legumes Intercropping on ACTIVE Carbon Dynamics and Maize YIELD in Southern Malawi.  American Society of Agronomy International Meetings, Tampa, Florida. 23 October.

Weil, Ray. 2017. The “Birch Effect” – Understanding Soil Organic Matter Mineralization in Dry Regions. Soil Science Society of America International Meetings, Tampa, Florida. 23 October.

MI:

Tiemann, L. K. Biological Systems: Current Issues in Soil Biology. Michigan Agri-business Association winter conference, January 10, 2018.

Smercina, D., Tiemann, L. K., Evans, S. E. and M. L. Free-living Nitrogen-Fixation Rates Driven by Nitrogen-Fixer Diversity Over Nitrogen Availability. Goldschmidt Conference, Boston, MA, August 13-17, 2018.

Tiemann, L. K., Smercina, D., Evans, S. E. and M. L. Free-living N-fixation: Optimizing 15N methods and reassessing importance in soils. Goldschmidt Conference, Boston, MA, August 13-17, 2018.

Curtright, A. J., Renner, K., Sprague, C. and L. K. Tiemann. Improving Soil Health and Nitrogen Use Efficiency through Early Inter-seeded Cover Crops. Soil Health Institute Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM, August 1-3, 2018.

Brooker, A., Tiemann, L. K., Renner, K., and C. Sprague. Early Interseeding of Cover Crops in Corn Alters Subsequent Year's Nitrogen Dynamics. America Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, November 4-7, Baltimore, MD.

MN:

Gutknecht, J. 2017. Soil health as a win-win for sustainable management and adaption to changing weather. Feburary 14^th. Invited webinar, University of Minnesota Extension annual “Local Foods College” webinar series.

Grossman, J. 2017. Agroecologia y abonos verdes para suelos sustentables. XVI Encuentro Nacional de Estudiantes de Ingeniería Sanitaria, Ambiental y Áreas afines – ENEISA, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia, November 8.

Grossman, J. 2017. Biología del Suelo para una Agricultura Sustentable y Saludable. Semanario Departmento de Biologia, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia, October 30.

Grossman, J. 2017. Biología del Suelo para una Agricultura Sustentable y Saludable. XIV Semana de Ingeniería, October 19.

Grossman, J. 2017. Managing Cover Crop Legumes for Improved Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling. March 8. University of Wisconsin Women in Science seminar series.

Grossman, J. Ginakes, P. and Dobbratz, M. 2017. Zone tillage for Organic Vegetables. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Association Annual Conference, Hershey, PA, Jan 30 - Feb 1.

Grossman, J. and Perkus, L. 2017. Overcoming Tunnel Vision - Using Cover Crops in High Tunnels. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Association Annual Conference, Hershey, PA, Jan 30 – Feb 1.

Perkus, L., Pfeiffer, A., and Grossman, J. 2017. Soil management & cover crops in high tunnel production, Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association annual conference, St Cloud, MN, January 19.

Gutknecht, J. 2017. Is your farm ready for the next storm? Soil health as a win-win for sustainability and resiliency to climate change. Oral presentation, Soil Ecological Society, Fort Collins, CO, June 5-9.

Perkus, L., Grossman, J., Rogers, M., and Poppe, S. 2017. Legume cover crop management in high tunnels for soil health and fertility, ASA/CSSA/SSSA annual meeting, Tampa, FL, October 25-27, Tampa, Florida.

Thurston, C., Perkus, E.A., Watkins, E., Heineck, G., Grossman, J.  2017. Freezing tolerance of two legume cover crops for upper midwest high tunnel conditions. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, October 23-25, Tampa, Florida.

Perrone, S., Liebman, A., Sooksa-nguan, T., Gutknecht, J., Grossman, J. 2017. Nitrogen contributions from winter annual cover crops in the Upper Midwest. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, Oct 23-25, Tampa, FL.

Liebman, A., S. Perrone, T. Sooksa-Nguan, J. Grossman. 2017. Linked Crop Production and Soil Organic Matter Impacts of Winter Annual Legumes in Upper Midwest Organic Agroecosystems, Agronomy Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Health for Agroecosystems session, October 23-25, Tampa, FL.

Grossman, J., Liebman, A., Perrone, S., Sooksa-nguan, J. 2017. Nitrogen dynamics of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) legume cover crops in organically-managed agroecosystems in the northern United States. Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology, (SOCLA), Brasilia, Brazil. Sept 10-15.

Perkus, L., Grossman, J., Rogers, M., and Poppe, S. 2017. Managing Cover Crops in High Tunnels for Fertility and Soil Health, CIG Showcase – SWAC annual meeting, Madison, WI, July 31.

Perkus, L., Grossman, J., Rogers, M., and Poppe, S.2017. Overcoming tunnel vision: Incorporating cover crops into high tunnel rotations to improve soil health, MOSES Organic Farming Conference, La Crosse, WI, February 25-27.

Perkus, L. Grossman, J., Rogers, M., Poppe, S. 2017. Overcoming tunnel vision: Incorporating cover crops into high tunnel rotations to improve soil health. Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) Conference, Jan 25-28.

Perrone, S. Grossman, J., Liebman, A., Pfeiffer, A., Sooksa-nguan, T.  2017. Nitrogen contributions from winter annual cover crops in the upper Midwest. Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) Conference, Jan 25-28.

NE:

Stengel, A., J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Big Data, Micro-organisms: the maize-associated microbiome. UNL Complex Biosystems Seminar, February 9, 2017, Lincoln, NE.

Stengel, A., J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. The Maize-Associated Soil Microbiome: a meta-analysis. EPSCoR Genome to Phenome Symposium, April 6-7, Lincoln, NE.

Stengel, A., J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Microbiomes Beneath Our Feet: soil microbes at a long-term field site. UNL Gut Group Meeting, September 8, Lincoln, NE.

Stengel, A., S. Ramirez II, J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Microbe Detectives – Who is Who in the Soil? UNL-EPSCoR, Sunday with a Scientist: Outreach at Morrill Hall, September 17.

Stengel, A., J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. The Maize-Associated Soil Microbiome: a meta-analysis. EPSCoR Grant Review, September 18, Lincoln, NE.

Stengel, A., J. R. Herr, S. Ramirez II, E. S. Jeske, S. Everhart, V. Jin, R. A. Drijber.  2017. Nitrogen and Crop Rotation as Drivers of the Maize-Associated Soil Microbiome. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, Tampa FL.

Stengel, A., J.R. Herr, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Soil Microbial Diversity Across Maize Agroecosystems. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, Tampa FL.

Stengel, A., J. R. Herr, S. Ramirez II, E. S. Jeske, S. Everhart, V. Jin, R. A. Drijber. 2017.  Nitrogen and Crop Roation as Drivers of the Maize-Associated Soil Microbiome. Argonne Soil Metagenomics Meeting, November 1, Lemont, IL.

Alserae, H., V. L. Jin, H. Blanco-Canqui, M. R. Schmer, R. A. Drijber. 2017. Conservation Tillage Impacts Soil Microbial Community Structure and Function in a Long-Term Maize-Soybean Cropping System. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, Tampa FL.

Ramirez II, S., R.A. Drijber, J.L. Lindquist, V.L. Jin, H. Blanco-Canqui, E.S. Jeske. 2017. The impact of organic crop rotations and ecological weed management strategies on soil quality. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, Tampa FL.

Rakkar, M.K., H. Blanco-Canqui, R.J. Rasby, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Impact of residue grazing and baling on soil gas fluxes and microbial biomass in irrigated corn.  ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, Tampa FL

Ramirez II, S., R.A. Drijber, V.L. Jin, H. Blanco-Canqui, E.S. Jeske. 2017. The impact of increasing diversity of crop rotations on soil microbial communities under variable rates of nitrogen fertilization. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, October 24, 2017, Tampa FL.

Drijber, R.A. 2017. Microbial ecology of maize agroecosystems. Naiman Desertification Research Station, September 9, Tongliao, China.

Drijber, R.A. 2017. Microbial ecology of maize agroecosystems. Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, September 14, Lanzhou, China.

Ramirez II, S. V.L. Jin, E.S. Jeske, H. Blanco-Canqui, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Crop rotation alters maize rhizosphere community structure. NC1195. March 7, Kansas City, KS.

Ramirez II, S. V.L. Jin, E.S. Jeske, H. Blanco-Canqui, R.A. Drijber. 2017. Crop rotation alters maize rhizosphere community structure. NCERA59. June 21, Madison, WI.

Drijber, R.A. 2017. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi and their role in modern agriculture. North Central Soil Fertility Conference, November 16, 2017, Des Moines, IA.

ND:

Cihacek, L. J., E. Lovering, C. Race, and J. Ransom.  2017.  Mineral nitrogen availability from ethanol distiller’s by-products.  2017 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings.  Tampa, FL.

Cihacek, L. J., J. M. Teboh, J. Ransom, P. J. Flores, and S Zilhai-Sebess.  2017.  Plant available phosphorus from distiller’s by-products.  2017 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings.  Tampa, FL.

De, M., M. Lawerinko, R. Baldwin-Kordick, S. Hall, L. J. Cihacek, and M. D. McDaniel.  2017.  Impacts of Conservation Reserve Program on soil health. 2017 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings.  Tampa, FL.

Kaur, J., L. Cihacek, and A. Chatterjee.  2017.  Estimation of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) mineralization in soils amended with crop residues. 2017 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings.  Tampa, FL.

Cihacek, L. J.  2017.  Benefits of integrated crop-livestock systems on soil health. 2017 ND Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Workshop.  Bismarck, ND.

Cihacek, L.  2018.  N mineralization in differing cropping and grazing systems.  ND Ag Experiment Station Spring Workshop.  Fargo, ND.

Cihacek, L.  2018.  Soil erosion, soil productivity and soil health.  Cover Crops for Soil Health Workshop.  Langdon, ND.

Cihacek, L. J., D. L. Landblom, and S. Senturklu.  2018.  A place for cover crops in and integrated crop-grazing system.  2018 Midwest Cover Crops Council Workshop. Fargo, ND.

Cihacek, L., S. Senturklu, and D. Landblom. 2018. Enhancing soil sustainability and soil health in and integrated crop-grazing system.  73^rd SWCS International Annual Conference.  Albuquerque, NM.

Alghamdi, R. and L. Cihacek.  2018. Nitrogen mineralization from selected no-till crop residues. .  73^rd SWCS International Annual Conference.  Albuquerque, NM.

NV:

Verburg, P.S.J., Ketchian, E., Trimble, B.R., and S.R. Poulson. 2016. Assessment of two methods for determination of quantity and isotopic composition of soil C in arid soils. Annual Meeting Soil Science Society of America, Academic, Phoenix AZ.

Trimble, B.R., Verburg, P.S.J., and S.R. Poulson. 2016. Effects of Land Use Change on the Organic C Fractions in a Semi-Arid Soil. Annual Meeting Soil Science Society of America, Phoenix, AZ.

SD

Singh J., and S. Kumar. 2017 Impacts of Diverse Crop Rotations and Cover Crops under different tillage systems on Soil Health in South Dakota, US. Poster Presentation at the MANAGING GLOBAL RESOURCES FOR A SECURE FUTURE CSA/ASSA Annual Meeting | October 22-25 | Tampa, FL

Alhameid A., J. Singh, E. Ozlu and S. Kumar. 2017. SOC Changes and Other Soil Properties as Impacted by Crop Rotational Diversity under No-Till Farming in NGP. Oral Presentation at the 72^nd Soil Water Conservation Society; International Annual Conference, Wisconsin-Madison July 30 – August 02, 2017.

TN:

Jagadamma, S., M. Chu, F. R. Walker, M. J. Buschermohle, and L. A. Duncan.  2017.  Multi-species cover crop mixture improved soil properties and crop yield.  ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. Oct 22-25. Tampa, FL.

Ottinger, S. L.*, and S. Jagadamma.  2017.  Effects of genetically modified switchgrass cultivation on soil carbon dynamics.  8th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium

Jagadamma, S. 2018. Soil organic matter sequestration and cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. USDA Grazing lands Research Center, El Reno, OK. February 12 (invited).

Jagadamma, S and Manuel Sabbagh. 2018. Cover crop mixtures and soil properties. Biannual no-till field day, Milan, Tennessee. July 26.

Singh, S., and Jagadamma, S. 2018. Long-term effect of tillage intensities on soil carbon dynamics under soybean production systems of west Tennessee. American Society of Agronomy’s Southern Branch Meeting. February 4-6. Jacksonville, FL.

Li, X., Jagadamma, S., and Walker, F. 2018. Soil and crop responses to biochar amendment for the forage systems of middle Tennessee. American Society of Agronomy’s Southern Branch Meeting. February 4-6. Jacksonville, FL.

Singh, S., Yan, S., Jagadamma, S., Sorochan, J., Stier, J., and Zhuang, J. 2018. Comparative evaluation of turfgrass and row crop management on soil carbon dynamics and nutrient availability. American Society of Agronomy’s Southern Branch Meeting. February 4-6. Jacksonville, FL.

Sabbagh, M., Jagadamma, S., and Walker, F. 2018. Cover crops to mitigate water quality impairment in the Mississippi River. 27th Tennessee Water Resources Symposium, April 11-13, Burns, TN.

USDA-ARS (Iowa):

Improved soil physical properties with long-term application of humic product in corn-soybean rotations, and co-led a session on humic products at the annual meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, Tampa, FL. October, 2017.

Advancing nutrient use efficiency with humic fertilizer technologies at the “4R Nutrient Stewardship Summit”, The Fertilizer Institute. Des Moines, IA.  June, 2018.

WI:

Whitman, T. 2018. Fire effects on soil microbes: burn severity in the boreal forest. North American Forest Soil Conference, Quebec City, QC, June 2018

Whitman, T. 2018. The role of microbes in the soil. Madison Microbiome Meeting, Madison, WI, April 2018

Whitman, T. 2018. The soil microbiome from a soil biologist’s perspective. Turfgrass Phytobiome Researchers Meeting, UW-Madison, April 2018

Whitman, T. 2018. Fire effects on soil microbes: burn severity in the boreal forest. Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, February 2018

Whitman, T. 2018. Pyrogenic Organic Matter Effects on Soil Carbon Stocks and Soil Microbial Communities - from Biochar to Fires. Climate, People and the Environment Program seminar series, UW-Madison, February 2018

Whitman, T. 2017. Fire effects on soil microbes: burn severity in the boreal forest. qBio seminar, UW-Madison, November 2017

Whitman, T.  2017.  Fire effects on soil microbial communities. Kenneth B. Raper Symposium, Dept. of Bacteriology, UW-Madison, September 2017  

Whitman, T.  2017.  Microbial response to organic matter additions to soils:  What do we know and why do we care?  North American Manure Expo, Madison, WI, August 2017

Whitman, T.  2017.  Soil microbial communities – Fire effects and mineral colonization. Computational Biology, Ecology and Evolution, UW-Madison, May 2017

Richardson, G, M.D. Ruark, et al. 2017. The effect of agricultural management practices on labile soil carbon and nitrogen in Wisconsin. 2017 North Central Extension and Industry Soil Fertility Conference, Des Moines, IA.

Diederich, K.M., M.D. Ruark, et al. 2017. Increasing labile carbon and nitrogen pools in agricultural soils requires a change in system, rather than practice. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Conference, Tampa, FL.

Khrishnan, K., M.D. Ruark et al. 2017. Short-term benefits of cover crop on labile carbon and nitrogen pools. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Conference, Tampa, FL.

Diederich, K.M., M.D. Ruark, et al. 2017. Short-term benefits of cover crops on labile carbon and nitrogen pools in soil. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Conference, Tampa, FL.

Richardson, G., M.D. Ruark et al. 2017. The effect of agricultural management practices on labile soil carbon and nitrogen in Wisconsin. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Conference, Tampa, FL.

Ruark, M.D. 2018. Do cover crops improve soil health? Presentation at 2017 Arlington Agronomy/Soils Field Day (~250 attendees)

Ruark, M.D. 2018. Cover crops and soil health. Presentation at the 2018 Wisconsin Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Conference.

Ruark, M.D. 2018. Reviewing the benefits of soil biological additives. Presentation at the 2018 Wisconsin Corn-Soy Expo.

Ruark, M.D. 2018. Cover crops and soil health. Webinar, UW-Extension Cover Crops Team.)

Ruark, M.D. 2018. Cropping systems and soil health. 2018 GrazingWorks Conference.

Reports:

Dunn, J.B., Qin, Z., Mueller, S. Kwon, H-K., Wander, M. M. and M. Wang. 2017. Carbon Calculator for Land Use Change from Biofuels Production (CCLUB): Users’ Manual and Technical Documentation.  Argonne National Lab. ANL/ESD/12-5.

Xia, X., Kwon^, H-Y., and M. Wander. 2017. Adding US Domestic N2O Emission Factors to the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model.  Final Report for ARGONNE National Lab.

Xia, X. and M. Wander. 2018.  Review of Novel Soil Indicators and Environmental Impacts of Soil Health Promoting Management Practices. Soil Health Institute.

Funding:

CA:

The assessment of certified organic fertilizers to supply nitrogen to crops. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Fertilizer Research and Education Program. 01-Jan-17 - 31-Dec-19, $210,290.00.

IL:

Wander, M. and Y. Xia (Grant manager for Grad Student PI). 2017. Soil Health Partnership. Review Novel Soil Indicators and Environmental Impacts of Soil Health Promoting Management Practices. $8000. *Synergistic with group efforts- ideas contributing to joint manuscript.

Ugarte, C.U et al. Science of Soil Health Methods Comparison, $299,980, NRCS. 2019-2020. This will have data ties to parallel grants between NRCS and other committee members in several other states.

KY:

One-year funding obtained from the small grains commodity board to investigate the long term soil health benefits to having wheat in Kentucky farmers’ crop rotation.

MD:

Grant on “Innovative Practices to Enhance Soil Quality for Vacant Urban Lot Afforestation” from The Tree Fund. $99, 931. 10/16/2016 - 01/15/2020.

Grant on “Raising the Bar: A Comprehensive Approach to Nutrient Management on Farms” from Shore Rivers Association. $249,273. 07/01/2017-06/30/2020.

Grant on Planting Green - Getting More Payback from Cover Crops from Maryland Soybean Growers Assoc. $24,452. From 04/10/2017 - 03/31/2018.

NE:

Cahoon, E. (PI) et al., Project ID 41161. “RII Track-1: Center for Root and Rhizobiome Innovation (CRRI)”. NSF EPSCoR, Awarded. $1,924,313.

Drijber, R. (PI), Project ID 29247, "Soil Microbial Community Structure and Function in High Production Corn-Soybean Systems", Dept of Agriculture-ARS, Federal, Research, Awarded. 08/01/2014-07-31/2019. $100,000.

Drijber, R. (PI), Lindquist, J., Blanco-Canqui, H. Project ID 29381. "Cover Crop Strategies to Build Soil Organic Matter, Thereby Enhancing Soil Biology, Water Retention and Weed Control in Organic Cropping Systems of the Western Corn Belt", Ceres Trust, Associations/Foundations, Research, Awarded. $180,000.

Wortman, S. and Drijber, R. (PI’s). Project ID 42720, “Leveraging Management to Speed Degradation of Bio-based Mulches in Soil”. USDA-NIFA-ICGP. Awarded 09/01/2016 - 08/31/2019. $491,718.

TN:

Jagadamma, S. 2018. Establishing Cover Crops for Sustainable Soybean Production. Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board. $17,500. 01/01/18 to 12/31/2018 (PI)

Oakes, R., Jagadamma, S., and Rius, Agustin. 2018. Demonstrating the Soil Health Benefits of the White Clover Living Mulch Production System among Different Soil Classes and Geographical Landscapes. NRCS-CIG grant (Sub-award from the University of Georgia). 09/01/2018 to 08/31/2021. $85,000 to Jagadamma.