Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, we engaged with three graduate students and three undergraduate students to emphasize the importance of enhancing soil health and its role in improving water retention and crop production. We discussed a straightforward method for water storage in soil through the use of keyline tunnels, biochar and cover crops. These practices aim to improve soil health, conserve water, and increase plant yield. The project results were also presented at a non-technical forum titled "Hacia una Nueva Agenda de Investigación y Educación en Agricultura Sostenible, Agroecológica y Orgánica para el Colegio de Ciencias Agrícolas." celebrated on august 21, 2024. The event was attended by approximately 70 participants, including scientists, students, and growers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has created several training opportunities, including a post-doctoral position. Three doctoral students are researching the benefits of conservation tillage practices, soil microbiomes, and water conservation in Puerto Rico's central mountain and northern coastal regions. They are expected to present their dissertations in the second semester of the 2024-25 fiscal year. Additionally, four master's students in agronomy received training, with two of them being funded by the project; both funded students have already completed their master's degrees. Furthermore, four undergraduate students were trained in various techniques to monitor and study soil health issues related to climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have delivered informal presentations and produced a podcast series to share our findings. Our graduate students created three podcasts that explain the rationale behind the project and present some of its baseline findings. These presentations play a crucial role in disseminating information and raising awareness about soil health, conservation practices, agroecosystem resilience, and ecosystem protection. Additionally, we developed a webpage to provide practical information about the project's results. During the one-year period covered by this report, we made two forum presentations that included some of the project findings: one for extension agents and another for agroecological and organic farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The six specific objectives of the project were thoroughly achieved. Although we were unable to properly evaluate the economic benefits due to the small size of the experimental plot, limiting the extrapolation of data, the results for each objective were systematically addressed. The findings confirm that the project successfully met its goals. Briefly, in this study, we investigated improvements in carbon soil storage, soil water retention, and soil quality through the use of a Keyline plow in combination with cover crops. This final report details significant findings regarding the chemical, physical, and biological properties resulting from this combined approach across three soil orders (Oxisols, Mollisols, Ultisols) and three climatic regions (Isabela, Juana Diaz, and Adjuntas) in Puerto Rico. Throughout the study, we evaluated how tillage, cover crops, and biochar affected soil health using seventeen parameters: four biological, eight chemical, and five physical. Our findings indicated that low-impact tillage methods led to changes in organic matter consumption. While these agronomic practices did not significantly increase crop yields, we did observe a notable rise in the recalcitrant soil carbon pool when using Keyline practices combined with cover crops. It took at least three cover crop cycles to see significant improvements in soil health. Additionally, Keyline plow practices were found to substantially enhance soil water storage capacity.
Publications
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Progress 05/15/22 to 05/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences during this reporting period were six graduate students, and four undergraduate students where we talk about the importance of Increasing the soil health and improve the soil health to increase water retention. We talk about a simple method for storage water in the soil by injection in keyline tunnels and the use of cover crops to improve the soil health, water conservation and plant yield. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provides the opportunity for training through the post-doctoral position and collaboration with the chemical engineering department personnel of the University of Puerto Rico. Three doctoral students are working with benefits associated with conservation tillage practices, soil microbiome, and water conservation in the central mountain and north coastal regions of Puerto Rico. Besides, four master's students in agronomy were trained, and the project funded two. Also, we have four sub graduate students trained in different techniques with the project to monitor and study the soil health issues associated with climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have given informal presentations and a podcast. Our graduate students made three podcasts that present the rationale and some baseline findings for the project. These presentations help disseminate the information gathered and make people aware of the importance of soil health, soil conservation practices, agroecosystem resilience, and ecosystem protection. We prepared a web page to disseminate practical information on the project results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Two agricultural regions with different climatic conditions, located in the municipalities of Adjuntas, and Isabela, are involved in this part of the project. The predominant soil series in Adjuntas, a humid Puerto Rico area, is Alonso clay, a Ultisol. In the humid Isabela region, the predominant soil series is Coto clay. Coto clay is very deep, slowly permeable Oxisol highly susceptible to water erosion. In Adjuntas, data will continue to be collected in the long-term coffee cash crop product to evaluate the soil microbiome and other selected biological indicators. In Isabela, we will initiate a plantain cash crop to evaluate the soil microbiome, the conservation practices' effect on soil water retention, and the effect of amended biochar on soil health.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Methods for Improve conditions to get a resilient social-agroecological system are necessary worldwide to cope with the adverse effects of climate change. For this goal, we improved the carbon soil storage capacity, soil water storage, and soil quality through a Keyline plow and cover crop incorporation system. This report presents significant findings in the chemical, physical and biological properties of combining Keyline plow) with cover crop cycles and biochar in three different order soils (Oxisols, Mollisols, Ultisols) in three different climatic regions (Isabela, Juana Diaz and Adjuntas) in Puerto Rico. During the period covered in this report, we continue to study the tillage, cover crops, and biochar treatments using seventeen soil health parameters (four biological, eight chemicals, and five physicals). The results confirmed a shift in the organic matter consumption strategies for low-impact tillage. The economic evaluation of a commercial eggplant plantation will be presented in the future, as well as the result of a coffee plantation in Adjuntas that evaluates some adapted conservative practices to steep land.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Lamboy, G., J.A. Dumas, J.A. Chong and C. Rivera. 2022. Simple method of coffee-shrub biochar-ozonolysis. J. Agric. Univ. P.R. 106(1):91-107
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Lamboy G. 2022. https://www.uprm.edu/desdelaeea/2022/04/14/practicas-de-labranza-de-bajo-impacto-y-enmiendas-organicas-para-mejorar-la-salud-de-suelo/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Dumas, J.A. 2023. Catedr�tico UPR mejora la salud del suelo agr�cola en tiempos de cambio clim�tico https://www.upr.edu/catedratico-upr-mejora-la-salud-del-suelo-agricola-en-tiempos-de-cambio-climatico/
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Lamboy, G. 2023. Effect of low-impact tillages and selected organic amendments on the soil health of an Oxisol. Master thesis in Soils. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus.
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Progress 05/15/21 to 05/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences are farmers, growers, graduate and undergraduate students, and scientists that work on the land. These people include growers of food, animal feed, conventional farming, and ecological and organic farming. The conservational practices studied include sectors associated with high and moderate rainfall and drought regions. The practices studied are intended to promote water conservation in the soil; thus, farmers can be more resilient to climate change. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project is providing the opportunity for training through the post-doctoral position and collaboration with the chemical engineering department personnel of the University of Puerto Rico. The postdoc researcher will measure and study the chemical and physical properties of the biochar obtained on the experimental study at laboratory and field scales. A doctoral student is working with benefits associated of above mentioned practices in soil microbiota at the central mountain region of Puerto Rico. Besides, three master students in agronomy are being trained. Also, we have five sub graduate students, which are exposed to different techniques to monitor and study the soil health issues associated with climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have given informal presentations that present the rationale and some baseline findings for the project. These presentations help disseminate the information gathered and make people aware of the importance of soil health, soil conservation practices, agroecosystem resilience, and ecosystem protection. During the lapse of this report, we prepared a web page to disseminate practical information on the project results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Three agricultural regions with different climatic conditions, located in the municipalities of Adjuntas, Juana Díaz, and Isabela, are involved in this project. In the humid Isabela region, the predominant soil series is Coto clay. Coto clay is very deep, slowly permeable Oxisol highly susceptible to water erosion. In Adjuntas, a humid Puerto Rico area, the predominant soil series is Alonso clay, a Ultisol. In Juana Díaz, a semi-arid zone, the soil series is Jacana, a Mollisol. We plan to continue the experiment in Isabela to include a commercial crop to evaluate the economic viability of the practices and the associated benefits to the environment. We will also continue collecting data and samples in Adjuntas to evaluate soil health benefits and prepare recommendations for landowners in the mountainous zone of Puerto Rico. We will continue the process of characterization of the biochar after its charging in terms to obtain the best manner to maximize its benefits during and after application at laboratory and field scale. Bi-monthly soil samples will be collected. For evaluation, we will use chemical, physical, and biological parameters. The parameters include soil acidity, electrical conductivity, soil enzymatic activity (DHA, glucosidase and urease activities), soil organic carbon (SOC), labile OC (LOC), POXC and soil microbial biomass of nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus (MBN, MBC, and MBP), aggregate stability, soil humidity, matric potential, and soil density to evaluate system health and resilience to climatic conditions.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The tropical ecosystem is the most vulnerable to climate change, which was evident in Puerto Rico during the devastating rainfall provoked by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and during the worst drought in decades that occurred in 2015. Improving conditions to get a resilient social-agroecological system is necessary worldwide to cope with the adverse effects of climate change. For this goal, we need to improve carbon soil storage capacity, soil water storage, and soil quality to ensure food security. This report presents significant findings in the chemical, physical and biological properties of combining three tillage (Keyline, Spader, and conventional plow) with cover crop cycles and biochar in three different order soils (Oxisols, Mollisols, Ultisols) in three different climatic regions (Isabela, Juana Diaz and Adjuntas) in Puerto Rico. During the period covered in this report, we studied the tillage, cover crops, and biochar treatments using seventeen soil health parameters (four biological, eight chemicals, and five physicals). We found significant differences in total, active organic carbon and hot water extractable carbon pools depending on tillage and time. The results suggested a shift in the organic matter consumption strategies for the low-impact tillage--the significant increases in Fulvic and Humic acids concentrations in other measures supported this assumption. The other biological, chemical and physical parameters are currently under statistical evaluation. The economic evaluation of a commercial eggplant plantation will be presented in the future. Also, a coffee plantation was implemented in Adjuntas to evaluate the conservative practices above-mentioned on a steepland.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Lamboy, G., J.A. Dumas, J.A. Chong and C. Rivera. 2022. Simple method of coffee-shrub biochar-ozonolysis. J. Agric. Univ. P.R.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Chong J.A. and J.A. Dumas, 2022. Woodchip Pathogen Decontamination with a Beneficial Microbial Mixture. J. Agric. Univ. P.R.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Dumas, J.A., J.A. Chong and C. Rivera. 2021. Characterization of uncharged and charged Coffee Shrubs Biochar with cow manure and effective microorganisms for agronomical uses. J. Agric. Univ. P.R. 105(1):89-97
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Progress 05/15/20 to 05/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences during this reporting period were 9 scientists, to whom we talked about the importance of Increasing the Resilience of Agroecosystems to Climate Change by using biochar and benefits associated with the ecosystem services. Also we talked about a simple method for biochar preparation, oxidation and charging with benefical microorganisms. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project is providing the opportunity for training through the post-doctoral position and collaboration with the chemical engineering department personnel of the University of Puerto Rico. The postdoc researcher will measure and study the chemical and physical properties of the biochar obtained in the experimental study at laboratory and field scales. A doctoral student is working with benefits associated from the above mentioned practices in soil microbiota at the central mountain region of Puerto Rico. Besides, three master students in agronomy are being trained. Also, we have four undergraduate students which are being exposed to different techniques to monitor and study the soil health issues associated with climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have given informal presentations that present the rationale and some baseline findings for the project. These presentations help to disseminate the information gathered and improve the people awareness of the importance of soil health, soil conservation practices, agroecosystem resilience, and ecosystem protection. During the lapse of this report, we gave one seminar related to the project and two presentations, one to the president of the University of Puerto Rico (Dr. Haddock), and the other one to Senator Vargas-Vidot, from the Agriculture and Natural Resources commission. The seminar was for the American Chemical Society chapter of Mayaguez (30 persons, students). The title of the seminar was: "Chemistry in the Soil Health". What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Three agricultural regions with different climatic conditions, located in the municipalities of Adjuntas, Juana Díaz, and Isabela, are involved in this project. In the humid Isabela region, the predominant soil series is Coto clay. Coto clay is a very deep, slowly permeable Oxisol highly susceptible to water erosion. In Adjuntas, a very humid area in Puerto Rico, the predominant soil series is Alonso clay, an Ultisol. In Juana Díaz, a semi-arid zone, the soil series is Jacaguas, a Mollisol. We are collecting experimental data of the chemical, physical, and biological data after Keyline, Spader and convetional treatments, and we are also collecting data after biochar application and the establishment of a commercial crop in Juana Diaz. We are also preparing the land in Adjuntas, to be ready to begin the crop production for the next reporting period. We will continue the process of characterization of the biochar after its charging in order to obtain the best manner to maximize its benefits during and after application at laboratory and field scale. Bi-monthly soil samples will be collected. For evaluation, we will use chemical, physical, and biological parameters. The parameters include soil acidity, electrical conductivity, soil enzymatic activity (DHA, glucosidase and urease activities)1, soil organic carbon (SOC), labile OC (LOC), and soil microbial biomass of nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus (MBN, MBC, and MBP), aggregate stability, soil humidity, matric potential, and soil density to evaluate system health and resilience to climatic conditions. Regarding the economic study, we plan to keep collecting information about costs of production and revenues. All the information will be entered and tabulated weekly. We will make a preliminary assessment of the data after three harvests.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Soil erosion, exacerbated by climate change, is one of the primary concerns of this century. The loss of the fertile soil top layer has decreased the soil capacity of carbon storage and water retention capacity, impoverishing the chemical, physical, and biological soil quality. Soil loss has detrimental effects on food security. There is a need to improve carbon soil storage capacity and soil quality to assure food security. In agriculture, tons of the produced biomass and the applied nutrients are lost when the biomass is removed from the fields and inappropriately processed. For example, in the coffee industry, where coffee trees need pruning and stumping to maintain productivity, ideally the removed biomass should be transformed, charred, and kept on the production fields where its carbon can have a positive effect on soil health and production. However, this ideal situation rarely occurs because of the lack of appropriate technology to prepare and incorporate coffee shrub biomass. During the period covered in this report we designed a simple method to prepare, oxidize, and charge with manure slurry and effective microorganism the biochar surface and macropores. In one study charred coffee shrubs (CSB) were anaerobically fermented with a mixture of cow manure and effective microorganisms (EM) to activate them with active biological organics. In a second study the biochar surface was ozone treated improving its agronomic properties. After the exposure of CSB to ozone, the FTIR-ATR spectra showed that the bands increased in intensity in the range of 3331 to 3441 cm-1 (O-H band) and 1585 cm-1 (carbonyl functional group band). Besides, we observed a decrease in pH and an increase in specific conductance and soluble organic carbon content. Also, we observed an increase in E4/E6 ratio suggesting that the saturated products from the ozonolysis process increase with time due to the breakdown of the labile organic carbon and the formation of the functional groups of soluble acidic oxygen bonds through the breakdown of the double bonds of carbon. In a third study the ozone treated biochar was charged with EM improving their effect over soil microbiota. These findings denote the importance of the treatment of biochar before agronomical application to normalize and increase the agronomic benefits associated with its use. We applied oxidized and charged with EM biochar in two areas in Puerto Rico with radically different climatic conditions (Isabela-northern area of PR and Juana Diaz-southern area of PR) and we are now conducting studies on its effect on the soil health, and water retention capacity under three land management systems. Also, in Juana Diaz we have conducted a study to evaluate the effects of the land management practices (Keyline, Spader, and Conventional tillage, with and without charged biochar amendments) in the health and productivity of a commercial eggplant plantation. In Adjuntas, we prepared the soil with tillage and cover crops before the planting of a new coffee area to study the effect of spader, cover crops, and biochar in coffee growth and yield.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Dumas, J.A., Chong, J.A. and River-Goyco C. 2021. Characterization of Charged Coffee Shrub Wood Biochar with Cow Manure and Effective Microorganisms for Agricultural Use. J. Agric. Univ. PR.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lamboy, G. Dumas, J.A., Chong, J.A. and Rivera-Goyco, C. 2021. Simple Method of Coffee-Shrub Biochar Ozonolysis. J. Agric. Univ. PR.
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Progress 05/15/19 to 05/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences during this reporting period were 190 scientists and growers, to whom we talked about the importance of Increasing the Resilience of Agroecosystems to Climate Change by using biochar and benefits associated with the ecosystem services. The workshops were for the Coffee Enterprise and the Agronomists' College at Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project is providing the opportunity for training through the post-doctoral position and collaboration with the chemical engineering department personnel of the University of Puerto Rico. The postdoc researcher will measure and study the chemical and physical properties of the biochar obtained on the experimental study at laboratory and field scales. Besides, two graduate students, one in the economic study area and the other in the area of soil physics, will be trained. Also, we have two sub graduate students, which are exposed to different techniques to monitor and study the soil health issues associated with climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have given informal presentations that present the rationale and some baseline findings for the project. These presentations help to disseminate the information gathered and improve the number of people aware of the importance of soil health, soil conservation practices, agroecosystem resilience, and ecosystem protection. During the lapse of this report, we gave three seminars related to the project. Two of them counted as continuing education for the College of Agronomists of Puerto Rico (80 agronomists). The other seminar was for the Annual Coffee enterprise (110 persons, agronomists, growers, and students). The titles of workshops for the College of Agronomists were: "Increasing the Agroecosystem Resilience through the use of Biochar" and "Biochar preparation at the field scale." The title of the workshop for the Annual Coffee Enterprise was: "Increasing the Resilience of Agroecosystems to Climate Change by Combining Soil Conservation and Rainwater Harvesting Practices." What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Three agricultural regions with different climatic conditions, located in the municipalities of Adjuntas, Juana Díaz, and Isabela, are involved in this project. In the humid Isabela region, the predominant soil series is Coto clay. Coto clay is very deep, slowly permeable Oxisol highly susceptible to water erosion. In Adjuntas, a very humid area in Puerto Rico, the predominant soil series is Humatas clay, a Ultisol. In Juana Díaz, a semi-arid zone, the soil series is Fraternidad, a Mollisol. We are collecting baseline chemical, physical, and biological data before treatment, and we also are preparing the land to be ready to begin the crop production for the next report period. We will continue the process of characterization of the biochar before and after its charging at the field scale. The carbon will be nutrient-loaded with fermented animal manures. We will evaluate the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the biochar mixed with soil. The charged-biochar will be incorporated into the ground by a site-specific method due to limitations of biochar availability and the associated cost that could make an easier adoption of this technology by the growers. We already begin with treatments land preparation for Keyline furrow (KF), KF with shallow CC, KF with shallow and pivoting CC, KF with pivoting CC, and non-conservation practices. Bi-monthly soil samples will be collected after treatments establish. For evaluation, we will use chemical, physical, and biological parameters. The parameters include soil acidity, electrical conductivity, soil enzymatic activity (DHA, glucosidase and urease activities)1, soil organic carbon (SOC), labile OC (LOC), and soil microbial biomass of nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus (MBN, MBC, and MBP), PLFA, aggregate stability, soil humidity, matric potential, and soil density to evaluate system health and resilience to climatic conditions. About the economic study, we plan to keep collecting information about the costs of production and revenues. All the information will be entered and tabulated weekly. We will make a preliminary assessment of the data after three harvests.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The energy cycle in the environment has been affected mostly by climate change, thus affecting agroecosystem resilience and productivity. The alteration of the carbon cycle has affected soil health and food security around the world. This project seeks the use of different conservative practices to improve soil health. Among the ecological sound practice, we would use nutrient charged biochar, keyline plow, and timely use of cover crops. Biochar, a pyrolysis product of a thermochemical process, was obtained from available wood biomass by the use of a Kiln (Video http://alturl.com/awbkr) and is a stable carbon form, which intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We evaluate the biochar quality by CEC, AEC, and electron charge property. The CEC and AEC of the non-treated biochar were very low (2 and 0.6 cmolc/kg), and the total nitrogen content was 1.31%. From these samples, the average soluble organic carbon was 6080 ug/g. FTIR was used to evaluate the chemical characteristics of the Kiln biochar. Wood biochar had a pH of 9.50 with an electric conductivity of 3 mS/cm and ninety-degree surface tension of 72.07 mN m-1. The data mentioned above are of great importance to have a better understanding of what will happen at the field scale. The FTIR spectra have a lack of functional groups in the biochar prepared using the Kiln. We submitted biochar samples to ozonation for 2, 4, 10, and 12 hours. After four hours, the ozonized biochar show a significant increase in signals of functional groups, such as hydroxy (3,400 cm-1), carbonyl or aromatic (1680 cm-1) signals, and carbon-oxygen (1015 cm-1) stretch bands. The average SOC and LOC at Juana Díaz, Adjuntas and Corozal were 8.5 mg/g and 170 µg/g, 11.3 mg/g and 151 µg/g, and 17.6 mg/g and 498 µg/g, respectively. Besides, average MBC and MBP at Juana Díaz, Adjuntas, and Corozal were 28 and 3, 46 and 37, and 86 and 0.2 µg/g, respectively. These data are indicators of the differences in soil order and climatic conditions among the sites under study and remark the importance of the baseline works, and SOM characterization. In general, Adjuntas' soil samples, from a highly humid tropical area, have very complex SOM spectra, relative to the soils from Juana Diaz and Corozal. The soil from Juana Diaz has a shifting of the assigned bands to lower wavenumber in comparison to the other areas indicating lower energy requirements for vibrational mode and suggesting a lower soil's residence time. We calibrate the Matric potential sensors on the selected soils for the study. On the field, the experimental plots have been prepared in the driest and highest humid areas. Both areas were Spader plowed area ready for the first Keyline plow (video https://www.facebook.com/joaquin.chong.7/videos/pcb.10156285290530213/10156285289645213/?type=3&theater) and began soil health improvement process, which must reduce at the end the water use requirement for crop production of economic importance. The research and solutions herein proposed, applicable to a multi-state audience, should serve to mitigate the effects of climate change on the agricultural and food security issues of our country. During this reporting period, we have collected the baseline data on soil health status at the three locations, set up the PLFA methodology, and significant cleanup clay on each site from soil organic matter to perform soil organic matter characterization by FTIR.
Publications
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Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences reached during this reporting period were the National Program Leaders meeting at Washington DC; Twenty sub graduate students in a seminar where we discussed the importance of Increasing the Resilience of Agroecosystems to Climate Change, and benefits associated with the ecosystem services; NRCS meeting at Lares, Puerto Rico. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project is providing the opportunity for training through a post-doctoral position and collaboration with the chemical engineering department personnel of the University of Puerto Rico. The post doc researcher will measure and study the chemical and physical properties of the biochar obtained on an experimental study at laboratory and field scales. In addition, two graduate students, one in the economic area and the other in the area soil physics will be trained. Also, two sub graduate students will be trained and exposed to different techniques to monitor and study the soil health issues associate to the climate change. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have given informal presentations that present the rationale and some baseline information for the project. These presentations help to disseminate the information gathered and improve the people awareness of the importance soil health, soil conservation practices agroecosystem resilience and ecosystem protection. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our study is conducted at three agricultural regions with different climatic conditions, located in the municipalities of Adjuntas, Juana Díaz, and Corozal. In the humid Corozal region the predominant soil series is Corozal clay, a very deep, slowly permeable Ultisol highly susceptible to water erosion. In Adjuntas, a very humid area in Puerto Rico, the predominant soil series is Humatas clay, an Ultisol. In Juana Díaz, a semi-arid zone, the soil series is Fraternidad, a Mollisol. Baseline chemical, physical and biological data have been collected prior to treatment during the first year of the study. Also, biochar has been prepared by using an open burn deep cone kiln prepared in Adjuntas AES. Biochar characterization and charging during the compost process will be do during the next reporting period. The carbon will be nutrient loaded with fermented animal manures. Also, the charged-biochar will be characterized for chemical, physical and biological standpoint. The charged-biochar will be incorporated into the soil by the use of spader machine. The treatments would be Keyline furrow (KF), KF with shallow CC, KF with shallow and pivoting CC, KF with pivoting CC, and non-conservation practices. Bi-monthly soil samples, once treatments have been established will be collected. We will use chemical, physical and biological parameters, which include soil acidity, electrical conductivity, soil enzymatic activity (DHA, glucosidase and urease activities)1, soil organic carbon (SOC), labile OC (LOC), and soil microbial biomass of nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus (MBN, MBC and MBP), PLFA, aggregate stability, soil humidity, matric potential and soil density to evaluate system health and resilience to climatic conditions. With regard to the economic study, we plan to keep collecting information about costs of production and revenues. All the information will be entered and tabulated in a weekly basis. A preliminary assessment of the data will be conducted after three harvests.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Climate change has substantial effects on the energy flow of the agroecosystems through rainy seasons and dry seasons, which impair agricultural productivity and reduce food security. To understand the improvementon soil quality and the effect of agricultural practices is necessary to establish the biological, chemical and physical baseline soil status. The soil baseline biological status was evaluated by using the activities of dehydrogenase (DHA), urease, and glucosidase. To make a characterization of soil quality we evaluated SOC, LOC, MBC, MBN, MBP soil acidity, and conductivity. The average DHA activities were 4.3, 4.8, 6.1 in Corozal, Adjuntas and Juana Díaz, respectively. The DHA data variability among the soil series indicates the importance of considering these parameters before further data interpretation. The average SOC and LOC at Juana Díaz, Adjuntas and Corozal were 8.5 mg/g and 170 µg/g, 11.3 mg/g and 151 µg/g, and 17.6 mg/g and 498 µg/g, respectively. Average MBC and MBP at Juana Díaz, Adjuntas and Corozal were 28 and 3, 46 and 37, and 86 and 0.2 µg/g, respectively. Thedata highlightsthe differences in soil order and climatic conditions among the sites under study and remark on the importance of the baseline status, and SOM characterization. For the SOMcharacterization, FTIR- ATR analyses were conducted on samples collected before soil conservation technology (SCT) implementation by the spectral subtraction technique. Absorption bands were assigned to main functional groups such as the carboxylate, aromatic and amine moieties. The spectra will allow having the baseline data ofSOM chemical properties after treatments. In general, Adjuntas' soil samples, from a highly humid tropical area, have very complex SOM spectra, relative to the soils from Juana Diaz and Corozal. The soil from Juana Diaz has a shifting of the assigned bands to lower wavenumber in comparison to the other areas indicating lower energy requirements for vibrational mode and suggesting a lower soil's residence time. Wood biochar was prepared at laboratory scale, with a yield of 20%. The pH of the biochar was 7.06 with an electric conductivity of 377 µS/cm and a ninety-degree surface tension of 72.07 mN m-1. The results mentioned above are indicators of the low hydrophobic characteristics of the biochar, which should have a high potential to improve the soil quality. The data mentioned above are of great importance to have a better understanding of what will happen at the field scale. At the field scale, a biochar base was constructed with 1/8" steel angled at 64.5° to process on-field wood to carbon. The carbon was shred with a wood chipperand will be nutrient loaded with fermented animal manures. (Video http://alturl.com/awbkr). Additionally, a questionnaire was developed to account for all costs associated of the project at farm level. The questionnaire has five sections. Section one is devoted to collect data about material costs. Section two is designed to collect information about cost of labor. Section three is devoted to gather data about cost of machineries (i.e., technology). Section four collects information about other costs, and section five collects information about revenues. This information will be used to determine the economic viability and return of the practices. This information is needed to inform farmers about the economic aspects of using of the SCT developed in this project. This questionnaire will be only distributed to collaborators of this project working on the experiment station of Corozal and Juana Diaz. One of the graduate students funded with this project is traveling to collect the data. The student enters the data to a spreadsheet for future data analysis. The research and solutions herein proposed, applicable to a multi-state audience, should serve to mitigate the effects of climate change on the agricultural and food security issues of our country. During this reporting period we have collected the baseline data on soil health status atthree locations, set up the PLFA methodology, and cleanup clay on soil samplesto perform soil organic matter characterization by FTIR.
Publications
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