HSA | Soils and Sustainability
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Agronomy
2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
2nd Student Major
Horticulture
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. LP. Handayani; Dr. M. Taylor
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Abstract
Double crop soybeans face a challenge throughout the growing season particularly related to nodulation. By using LAL-Fix which is a rhizobium, it can improve the nodulation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of LAL-fix and five other unknown rhizobium treatments on selected soil properties. The process for putting together the treatments was as follows. The first part of the experiment split the field into 7 sections including treatments (TRT) one through six (including LAL-Fix), the control section, and a field of single crop soybeans to compare with our original double crop field. After the fields have been split up, the process of sampling using a core began by taking three samples from the front, back, and middle of each treatment. Each individual core was hammered 3” into the soil and removed from the soil and brought to the lab for bulk density (BD), porosity, macroporosity, soil water holding capacity (SWHC), soil water field capacity (SWFC). To collect the soil samples for organic matter and soil pH analysis, the process of sampling using a shovel had three replications from the front, back, middle of the field with each replication being duplicated twice. In conclusion the difference between the treatments was not extreme. In bulk density, all treatments were close together with TRT 2 being the highest at 1.689 and the lowest being LAL-Fix at 1.504. In total porosity, all samples were similar in percent with the lowest being TRT 2 at 36% and the highest being LAL-Fix at 43.26%. In soil water holding capacity, all samples held around 22% to 26% except for LAL-Fix which measured at 38.5%. In soil water field capacity, samples experienced similar measurements with TRT 2 being the lowest at 16.9% and LAL-Fix being at 22.7%. In Macroposity, samples were similar with TRT 2 being the lowest at 20.7% and LAL-Fix being the highest at 26.77%. The single crop soybean field measures the highest out of the samples in macroporosity (28%) , porosity (44.3%) , and soil water field capacity (23.7%). In soil pH all samples tested very closely together with the lowest being control with a pH of 5.6 and the highest being TRT 4 with a pH of 6.3. The benefits of this research is that farmers can confidently use rhizobium treatments without fear of any negative impacts on the soil and that there is a clear comparison between soil properties in double crop soybeans with rhizobium treatments and single crop soybeans.
Key Words: Double crop soybean, Kentucky, Nodulation, Rhizobium, Soil properties
Fall Scholars Week 2023 Event
Soils and Sustainability
Soil Properties under Double Crop Soybean Production in Western Kentucky, Pullen farm
Abstract
Double crop soybeans face a challenge throughout the growing season particularly related to nodulation. By using LAL-Fix which is a rhizobium, it can improve the nodulation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of LAL-fix and five other unknown rhizobium treatments on selected soil properties. The process for putting together the treatments was as follows. The first part of the experiment split the field into 7 sections including treatments (TRT) one through six (including LAL-Fix), the control section, and a field of single crop soybeans to compare with our original double crop field. After the fields have been split up, the process of sampling using a core began by taking three samples from the front, back, and middle of each treatment. Each individual core was hammered 3” into the soil and removed from the soil and brought to the lab for bulk density (BD), porosity, macroporosity, soil water holding capacity (SWHC), soil water field capacity (SWFC). To collect the soil samples for organic matter and soil pH analysis, the process of sampling using a shovel had three replications from the front, back, middle of the field with each replication being duplicated twice. In conclusion the difference between the treatments was not extreme. In bulk density, all treatments were close together with TRT 2 being the highest at 1.689 and the lowest being LAL-Fix at 1.504. In total porosity, all samples were similar in percent with the lowest being TRT 2 at 36% and the highest being LAL-Fix at 43.26%. In soil water holding capacity, all samples held around 22% to 26% except for LAL-Fix which measured at 38.5%. In soil water field capacity, samples experienced similar measurements with TRT 2 being the lowest at 16.9% and LAL-Fix being at 22.7%. In Macroposity, samples were similar with TRT 2 being the lowest at 20.7% and LAL-Fix being the highest at 26.77%. The single crop soybean field measures the highest out of the samples in macroporosity (28%) , porosity (44.3%) , and soil water field capacity (23.7%). In soil pH all samples tested very closely together with the lowest being control with a pH of 5.6 and the highest being TRT 4 with a pH of 6.3. The benefits of this research is that farmers can confidently use rhizobium treatments without fear of any negative impacts on the soil and that there is a clear comparison between soil properties in double crop soybeans with rhizobium treatments and single crop soybeans.
Key Words: Double crop soybean, Kentucky, Nodulation, Rhizobium, Soil properties