Introduction to Soils.

1. Introduction to Soils.

2. What is soil? A natural body of broken down and weathered mineral and organic matter capable of growing plants.

3. Five factors of soil formation.

4. Five factors of soil formation. • Parent material – source of minerals.

5. Five factors of soil formation. • Parent material – source of minerals. • Topography – landscape position.

6. Five factors of soil formation. • Parent material – source of minerals. • Topography – landscape position. • Climate – mostly moisture, temperature.

7. Five factors of soil formation. • Parent material – source of minerals. • Topography – landscape position. • Climate – mostly moisture, temperature. • Organisms – mostly plants, type of plants.

8. Five factors of soil formation. • Parent material – source of minerals. • Topography – landscape position. • Climate – mostly moisture, temperature. • Organisms – mostly plants, type of plants. • Time!

9. As soils form over time, distinct layers, or soil horizons form.

10. Major soil horizons. (Soils may or may not have all of these horizons!) O – organic debris on surface. A – the topsoil. E – ‘eluviated’, leached/bleached. B – weathered, structured subsoil. C – unweathered, unstructured subsoil. R – bedrock.

11. Effect of natural vegetation on soil development with time and the horizons that develop.

12. Prairie soil.

13. Forest soil.

14. Some examples of soil parent materials.

15. Alluvium Rich alluvial soil deposits.

16. Loess Wind-blown, silt-sized deposits.

17. Marine deposits.

18. Residium Weathered bedrock.

19. The study of soils can be fun and exciting! Can’t you tell by these fine soil scientists in training?

20. FERTILIZER FACTS AND FIGURES

21. 13 – 13 - 13 % N % P expressed as P2O5 % K expressed as K2O How much is there? Multiply by %/100. How much is needed? Divide by %/100.

22. Example How much N, P and K are in a 50 lb bag of 10-20-20 fertilizer?

23. Example How much N, P and K are in a 50 lb bag of 10-20-20 fertilizer? N: 50 lbs X 0.10 = 5 lbs

24. Example How much N, P and K are in a 50 lb bag of 10-20-20 fertilizer? N: 50 lbs X 0.10 = 5 lbs P: 50 lbs X 0.20 = 10 lbs

25. Example How much N, P and K are in a 50 lb bag of 10-20-20 fertilizer? N: 50 lbs X 0.10 = 5 lbs P: 50 lbs X 0.20 = 10 lbs K: 50 lbs X 0.20 = 10 lbs

26. Example 2 How many lbs of 34-0-0, 0-48-0 and 0-0-60 are needed to get 90-45-60 lbs/acre N-P-K?

27. Example 2 How many lbs of 34-0-0, 0-48-0 and 0-0-60 are needed to get 90-45-60 lbs/acre N-P-K? N: 90 / 0.34 = 265 lbs / acre

28. Example 2 How many lbs of 34-0-0, 0-48-0 and 0-0-60 are needed to get 90-45-60 lbs/acre N-P-K? N: 90 / 0.34 = 265 lbs / acre P: 45 / 0.48 = 94 lbs / acre

29. Example 2 How many lbs of 34-0-0, 0-48-0 and 0-0-60 are needed to get 90-45-60 lbs/acre N-P-K? N: 90 / 0.34 = 265 lbs / acre P: 45 / 0.48 = 94 lbs / acre K: 60 / 0.60 = 100 lbs / acre

30. The difference between fertilizer grade and fertilizer ratio is: EXAMPLE GRADE: 6 – 12 - 24 RATIO: 1 – 2 - 4

31. Soil Tillage and Management

32. soil tilth – relative term describing the workability of the soil for seedbed preparation.

33. General tillage systems: • Conventional – primary + secondary + seedbed preparation. 2. Conservation tillage – leaves 30% surface residue. 3. No-till – planting into stubble or residue.

34. CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE PLOW DISK PLANT PREP

35. Conservation-Tillage

36. No-Till

37. Examples of planting patterns.

38. Up and Down Hill Planting (Notice the accelerated soil erosion!)

39. Planting on the Contour

40. Contour Strip Cropping

41. Raised Bed Planting

42. Fallow Farming Used in semi-arid regions with unirrigated crops to conserve moisture. Field is only planted every other year to allow for soil moisture storage.