Progress 02/01/23 to 01/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience: Through our extension and outreach efforts, we reached the target audience through field days, workshops, conferences, and state fairs. The target audience included stakeholders such as farmers, Nebraska State Natural Resource District staff, researchers, students, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In 2023, one Master's student, Maria Jose Oviedo Ventura, graduated from this project. During the study, Maria gained field and lab training, including training in soil sampling in the field.She analyzed the soil samples in the laboratory and conducted a soil column study. She also received training in data analysis and completed her thesis. She presented project-relevant data to six professional conferences and meetings. Post-doctoral research scholar "Swetabh Patel" conducted the research trials and got training on manure spreader calibration and application, lysimeter installation, water sample collection, and data analysis. In addition, he learned the water balance equation to calculate nitrate leaching load in the vadose zone. To gain professional development and present project data, Swetabh Patel also participated in the CSA-ASA-SSSA annual meeting on October 29-Nov 1, 2023, in St Louis, MO. He presented data to 57 participants in the "Nitrogen Loss and Management" Session of the Soil Science Society of America Division. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Session/25511. Two undergraduate research assistants were trained in soil and water sampling, extracting soil samples, and analyzing extracts and water samples for nitrate and ammonium. In addition, they helped in multiple project activities, including lysimeter installation, fertilizer application, data collection, and crop biomass sampling. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project team disseminated the research results to communities by participating in and organizing multiple events. The team reached out to the community by publicizing the event through social media and distributing fliers in the relevant workshops. The project data was presented to the scientific and public community participating in the following field days, workshops, and conferences. Events: Patel, S., Iqbal, J., Schmidt, A.M., Kurtzhals, M., Johnson, L. 2023. Cover Crop and Manure Nitrogen Management Impact on Soil Health and Water Quality. Haskell Agricultural Lab Field Day, August 10, 2023, Concord, NE. Schmidt A., 2023. Manure Management and Water Quality. Manure Land Application Training. Norfolk (Feb 15), Lexington (February 22), Alliance (March 1), West Point (March 7), O'Neill (March 15, Beatrice (March 21), Columbus (March 28), Nebraska. Patel, S., Iqbal, J., Schmidt, A.M., Kurtzhals, M., Johnson, L. 2023. Manure, Mulch, and Cover Crops to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Dryland and Irrigated Corn. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 2023, St. Louis, MO. Oviedo, M. J., Schmidt, A., Iqbal, J., Yoder, A., Maharjan, B. 2023. Evaluation of Nebraska's nutrient utilization capacity for manure application. 2023 DWFI Research Forum. Lincoln, Nebraska. Oviedo, M. J., Schmidt, A., Iqbal, J., Swetabh. P, 2023. Impact of Carbon-rich Soil Amendments on Soil Biological Properties in Cropland with Sandy Clay Loam Soil. ASABE Annual International meeting, July 2023, Omaha, NE. Oviedo, M. J., Schmidt, A., Iqbal, J., Swetabh, Patel. 2023. Evaluation of Soil Properties and Nitrate Leaching Under Soil and Water Conservation BMPs on Irrigated and Dryland Row Crops. Nebraska Society of Professional Soil Scientists-Society for Range Management (NSPSS-SRM) Joint Symposium, April 2023, Lincoln, NE. (Poster) Patel, S., Iqbal, J. 2023. Effect of Manure and Woodchips on Nitrate Leaching in Corn. Water and Integrated Cropping System (WICS) Conference, October 2023, Lincoln, NE. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to apply the treatments in the 3rd year of the experiment and collect soil, water, and plant data from the field trails. Data will be analyzed and presented at field days and professional meetings. The data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) CropWatch extension website. Students will be trained in field sampling and analysis. The final project report will be submitted with a complete data analysis and results.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
There is an urgent and critical need to evaluate and motivate the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) that can reduce nitrogen losses to groundwater in Nebraska and beyond. To demonstrate the impact of best management practices to reduce nitrogen losses to groundwater, we demonstrated the complementary use of manure and commercial fertilizers, carbon soil amendments, and cover crops through two research demonstration trials. We collected that data during one growing season. The preliminary data has suggested that the integrated use of manure with inorganic fertilizer significantly decreased nitrate leaching without impacting corn yield. This demonstration will motivate the adoption of BMPs among Nebraska farmers and stakeholders and help us quantify the impacts of our integrated research, demonstration, and engagement efforts on changes in knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors among crop farmers and their advisors. Research Objective 1: During 2023, two separate replicated field experiments were continued in Concord, NE, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen management, soil carbon amendment, and cover crop on corn productivity and soil nitrate leaching under rainfed and irrigated conditions. During mid-May, manure and woodchips were surface applied to the respective treatments, and two suction cup lysimeters were installed in every plot. During the growing season, weekly water samples at 4 feet depth through lysimeters were collected and analyzed in the laboratory to determine the nitrate leaching. Corn was harvested with a four-row combine, and rye cover crop was drilled after the corn harvest. A few preliminary results from the data analysis are given below. Manure had a similar yield as inorganic fertilizer in both years. Mulch with manure decreased yield in both years, while mulch, when used with inorganic fertilizer, decreased yield in 2023. In both years, mulch, when used with manure or inorganic fertilizer, did not help reduce the sub-seasonal pore water nitrate concentration or total seasonal nitrate load. The integrated use of manure with inorganic fertilizer helped reduce the sub-seasonal pore water nitrate concentration compared to inorganic fertilizer treatment only, especially during the early and late vegetative stages of corn growth. Compared to inorganic fertilizer alone, integrated use of manure with inorganic fertilizer helped significantly reduce the total seasonal nitrate load in 2022 and had a similar trend in 2023. We are further analyzing the results and writing two articles that will be submitted for journal publications in 2024. Research Objective 2: During the 2023 growing season, crop, soil, and water samples were collected to 1) determine nitrogen uptake, soil properties, and nitrate leaching and 2) estimate the nitrogen use efficiency and environmental impact of best nutrient management practices. The data analysis is in progress. Extension Objective 1: To motivate the adoption of best nutrient management practices, we conducted two field trials and presented research findings at conferences and manure land application trainings across seven Nebraska locations. The field day was conducted at Haskell Ag Lab Research Center to demonstrate the impact of best nutrient management practices on reducing nitrate leaching and improving soil properties and crop yield. At the field day, the farmers and crop advisors observed the demonstration plots and discussed the impact of best nutrient management practices on improving water quality. A team member (Amy Schmidt) presented relevant data at seven locations for Manure Land Application Training. Then, the farmers' perceptions about implementing the best nutrient management practices on their farms were assessed. Extension Objective 2: Farmers indicated they learned about the best nutrient management practices during the Manure Land Application Training. They were asked how their knowledge gained changed on "utilization of manure as fertilizer". The response indicated that 91% of participants believed this program improved their knowledge about nitrogen movement in the soil, while 92% believed this training would reduce fertilizer expenses, and 98% believed it would help them comply with environmental regulations. During Haskell Ag Lab field day on August 10, 2023, approximately 26 farmers visited the demonstration plots and received printed material on the topic "Cover Crop and Manure Nitrogen Management Impact on Soil Health and Water Quality." The group also discussed the integrated use of manure, commercial fertilizer, cover crops, and wood chips and their impact on nutrient management and water quality.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Patel, S., Iqbal, J., Schmidt, A.M., Kurtzhals, M., Johnson, L. 2023. Manure, Mulch, and Cover Crops to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Dryland and Irrigated Corn. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 2023, St. Louis, MO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Oviedo, M. J., Schmidt, A., Iqbal, J., Swetabh. P, 2023. Impact of Carbon-rich Soil Amendments on Soil Biological Properties in Cropland with Sandy Clay Loam Soil. ASABE Annual International meeting, July 2023, Omaha, NE.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Oviedo, M. J., Schmidt, A., Iqbal, J., Swetabh, Patel. 2023. Evaluation of Soil Properties and Nitrate Leaching Under Soil and Water Conservation BMPs on Irrigated and Dryland Row Crops. Nebraska Society of Professional Soil Scientists-Society for Range Management (NSPSS-SRM) Joint Symposium, April 2023, Lincoln, NE.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Patel, S., Iqbal, J. 2023. Effect of Manure and Woodchips on Nitrate Leaching in Corn. Water and Integrated Cropping System (WICS) Conference, October 2023, Lincoln, NE.
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Progress 02/01/22 to 01/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience: Through our extension and outreach efforts, we reached to target audience through field days, workshops, conferences, and state fairs. The target audience included stakeholders consisting of farmers, Nebraska state natural resource district staff, researchers, students, and the general public. Efforts: During the 2022 Bazile Groundwater Management Workshop on March 16, 2022, 49 people participated. Among these were 2.08% farmers, 6.25% crop consultants, and 9.1.67% farmers. During Haskell Ag Lab field day on August 3, 2022, approximately 30 farmers visited the demonstration plots. At Husker Harvest Days on September 13, 2022, 79 people consisting of farmers and other stakeholders participated. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?MS student "Maria Jose Oviedo Ventura" gained field and lab training. In the field, she got training in soil sampling. She analyzed the soil samples in the laboratory and conducted a soil column study. She got training on the data analysis and is currently working on the data. She presented project-relevant data to 6 professional conferences and meetings. Post-doctoral research scholar "Swetabh Patel" conducted the research trials and got training on manure spreader calibration and application, lysimeter installation, water sample collection, and data analysis. He is currently analyzing the data. To gain professional development, Swetabh Patel also participated in CSA-ASA-SSSA annual meeting on Nov 6-9 in Baltimore, MD. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project team reached out to the community by publicizing the event through social media and distributing fliers in relevant workshops. The relevant project data was presented to the community participating in the following field days and workshops. Haskell Agricultural Laboratory Field Day, August 3, 2022. Thirty farmers participated in the field research demonstration and discussed adopting the best nutrient management practices. Bazile Groundwater Management Area Field Day, March 16, 2023. Forty-nine people participated. Husker Harvest Days on September 13, 2022. Seventy-nine people consisting of farmers and other stakeholders participated. We will share the project results with the community in the future through printed materials and online articles. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to apply the treatments in the 2nd and 3rd years of the experiment and collect soil, water, and plant data from the field trails. Data will be analyzed, published, and presented at field days, and stakeholders, and professional meetings. Students will be trained in field sampling and analysis.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
There is an urgent and critical need to evaluate and motivate the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) that can reduce nitrogen losses to groundwater in Nebraska and beyond. To demonstrate the impact of best management practices to reduce nitrogen losses to groundwater, we demonstrated the complementary use of manure and commercial fertilizers, carbon soil amendments, and cover crops through two research demonstration trials. We collected that data during one growing season. The data analysis is in progress. This demonstration will motivate the adoption of BMPs among Nebraska farmers and stakeholders; and help us quantify the impacts of our integrated research, demonstration, and engagement efforts on changes in knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors among crop farmers and their advisors. Research Objective 1: During 2022, two separate replicated field experiments were initiated in Concord, NE, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen management, soil carbon amendment, and cover crop on corn productivity and soil nitrate leaching under rainfed and irrigated conditions. During mid-May, manure and woodchips were surface applied to the respective treatments, and two suction cup lysimeters were installed in every plot. During the growing season, weekly water samples at 4 feet depth through lysimeters were collected and analyzed in the laboratory to determine the nitrate leaching. Corn was harvested with a four row combine and rye cover crop was drilled after corn harvest. The data analysis is in progress. Research Objective 2: During the 2022 growing season, the crop, soil, and water samples were collected to 1) determine nitrogen uptake, soil properties, and nitrate leaching, and 2) estimate nitrogen use efficiency and environmental impact of best nutrient management practices. The data analysis is in progress. Extension Objective 1: To motivate the adoption of best nutrient management practices, we conducted a field trial and a workshop in coordination with the natural resource districts in the area. The field day was conducted at Haskell Ag Lab Research Center to demonstrate the impact of best nutrient management practices on reducing nitrate leaching and improving soil properties and crop yield. At the field day, the farmers and crop advisors observed the demonstration plot and discussed the impact of best nutrient management practices on improving water quality. Two team members (Javed Iqbal and Leslie Johnson) presented relevant data at the Bazile Groundwater Management Area Workshop. They assessed farmers' perceptions about implementing the best nutrient management practices on their farms. Extension Objective 2: Farmers indicated they learned about the best nutrient management practices while participating in the Bazile Groundwater Management Area Workshop. They were asked how their knowledge gained changed on "utilization of manure as fertilizer". The response indicated that 48% of attendees had major & significant improvement in knowledge. Next, attendees were asked how their knowledge gained changed on "determining the amount of nutrients applied with manure application". The response indicated that 50% of attendees had major & significant improvement in knowledge. During Haskell Ag Lab field day on August 3, 2022, approximately 30 farmers visited the demonstration plots. They discussed the integrated use of manure, commercial fertilizer, cover crop, and wood chips and their impact on nutrient management and water quality. More assessments are planned in future workshops.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/dwfi/documents/events/2022-research-forum/2022-research-forum-abstracts.pdf
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