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The Basics of Soil Organic Carbon – What Should You Know About It? 

There is no denying that organic matter is a source and store of plant nutrients. It binds the soil aggregates, making them highly resistant to erosion. Also, it offers energy to the soil organisms, increasing the activity and ability to cycle nutrients while competing with pests and pathogens. The microbial activity increases biomass production by providing nutrients and improving water infiltration, drainage, and soil retention for the growing plants. Soil organic carbon in the USA is a mix of organic compounds that changes with different stages of decomposition in complex interactions with soil biota, nutrient cycles, and water. It is continually evolving and leaving the soil.  

How Does Organic Carbon Get into the Soil? 

Plant photosynthesis converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into plant sugars, feeding shoots and roots. When the plants grow, the roots and additional fungi and other microorganisms develop soil organic carbon. The carbon in the root exudates and offers a valuable food supply to the soil. The biota, bacteria, fungi, and larger biota grow and reproduce, consuming a lot of organic carbon and transforming it into other forms known as humus.  

Soil biota activity concentrates and recycles the nutrients. More than half of the organic carbon inputs are broken down by the microbes and returned to the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide. Some remaining organic carbon stays within the soil as the stable organic-mineral complexes. The carbon input also stops if a plant's production slows down or stops. The soil biota consumes the stored soil carbon sources to satisfy their energy needs; therefore, the soil organic carbon declines.  

How Much of the Organic Carbon Inputs Stay within the Soil? 

The primary factors affecting the soil's overall amount of organic carbon are the soil type, climate, management, and soil biota. All soils have a specific capacity to store organic carbon. However, sandy soils have a lesser capability than clayey soils. Clay particles and aggregates can shield organic matter from microbes' breakdown, slowing the loss of organic carbon through decomposition.  

The soil's capability to store organic carbon based on the clay content is rarely achieved because climate and management practices influence the organic carbon supply in the soil. In dryland agriculture, rainfall has the highest influence on plant production, which helps add organic carbon to the soil. Soils in areas of high rainfall tend to have higher organic carbon storage than those in lower rainfall regions. 

Soil management also plays a crucial role in determining how much of the USA's soil organic carbon will stay in the soil because it influences the type and amount of organic matter produced. Crop selection, provision of nutrients and soil amendments, tillage practices, residue management, and pest management also influence the soil's organic content. Losses of organic carbon occur from topsoil erosion and removal of plant and animal products.  

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Why Is Precision Agriculture in USA So Important for Farmers? 

Producing food sustainably for the ever-increasing population is one of our time's most significant single challenges. This challenge has been compounded in the recent years by plateauing profits and production and severe environmental concerns posed by traditional methodologies. Precision agriculture in the USA can improve yield and profits by using fewer resources while making agriculture more sustainable and less polluting. Any farmer can adopt this data and technology-based approach. 

What Is Precision Farming? 

Precision farming is a farming management system that is based on the fact that a field usually has heterogeneous zones. Precision farming technologies make it possible to identify these zones and manage the variability of a heterogeneous field. This permits farmers to use seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides more efficiently and increase yield. Intuition and luck are increasingly less important in modern farming. Instead, technology is there to let farmers make data-driven decisions. Using resources more rationally also helps protect the environment. 

The Potential of Precision Farming:  

The history of precision farming can be traced back to the 1980s. Dr. Pierre Robert, "the father of precision agriculture," conducted his early research in this field and introduced numerous concepts such as variable rate fertilizers.  Since then, precision farming has grown massively with the adoption of the latest technology. Precision agriculture now includes: 

sophisticated data management 

high-precision sensors 

efficient planting and irrigation systems 

automated land management 

The advances of precision agriculture spread benefits beyond farming, ranging from increased crop yield to more efficient water use, healthier livestock, and reduced environmental footprint. 

Data Management in Precision Agriculture:

With the increasing availability of information, machine learning has become an integral part of managing, interpreting, and analyzing data. Frequently, precision agriculture can yield creative, actionable insights that wouldn't have been considered otherwise. 

Furthermore, decision support systems utilize data collection and machine learning to generate informed decisions for farmers' crops and ranchers' livestock. Machine learning can take historical data (the more detailed, the better) to create its own creative solutions to problems and suggest them to producers. 

Variable Rate Technology (VRT):

Variable rate technology (VRT) is a system that allows farmers to apply fertilizers, seeds, water, pesticides, and other chemicals at various rates, often based on real-time data. When implemented following sustainable practices, implementing VRT in grazing systems can improve pasture quality and enhance animal nutrition. 

Variable rate application can be implemented for improving crop yields in precision agriculture and feeding systems in precision livestock farming. VRT generally helps optimize land production while reducing input and labor costs. 

With more sophisticated inputs and automated applications, VRT enables farmers and ranchers to maximize efficiency, improve yields, and easily promote sustainability.    

Benefits and Challenges of Precision Planting:

As you can assume, precision planting has numerous advantages! Benefits include increased crop uniformity, reduced seed wastage, lower labor costs, and improved resource efficiency. Precision planting isn't limited to crops—it revolutionizes pasture management, too. Ranchers can maximize forage production by ensuring optimal seed placement and spacing, supporting healthier livestock, and sustainable grazing practices. 

Precision planting is critical to enhancing pasture quality, animal nutrition, and overall animal welfare. With better land management, soil health, and sustainable grazing practices, precision planting is pivotal to benefiting livestock and the environment simultaneously. 

However, precision agricultural disadvantages exist. With advanced technology comes a heavy initial capital investment and the need for the technical know-how and required training to manage sophisticated planting equipment effectively. 

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Why is Soil Organic Carbon in USA Considered So Important for Crop Health?

Soil organic carbon or the SOC is the carbon that stays in the soil after partial decomposition of any substance produced by the living organisms. It is present as a central component of soil organic matter. It is believed to be crucial for many soil functions and ecological properties. Carbon makes up approximately 58% of the soil organic matter, revealing just how significant it is for maximizing soil health and crop production. Without adequate amounts of soil organic carbon in the USA, crops cannot reach their genetic potential, resulting in lower yields, less profit, and higher costs to the farmer.

Soil organic matter is essential in integrating many aspects of soil health. It can be divided into labile and stable pools, each with different characteristics and functions in the soil. In agricultural soils, organic matter can ranges from 1 to 8%, depending on climate, soil type, and soil management practices.

How does SOC Relate to Soil Function?

Soil organic carbon impacts the soil's biological, physical, and chemical functioning. Total Carbon and SOC are more precise indicators for a soil sample's organic matter or soil organic matter (SOM). Carbon is the main element in soil organic matter, comprising 48-58% of its total dry weight. SOM acts as a long-term carbon sink and a slow-release pool for nutrients. Therefore, soils with higher SOC, Tot C, or SOM require fewer off-farm inputs and are more resilient to drought and extreme rainfall.

Improving Soil Carbon

Adequate soil organic carbon is essential for soil health (the capacity of soil to function). It has a direct impact on crop production and an indirect effect on water quality. Unhealthy soils with less soil carbon are more likely to erode and have a higher potential for runoff during storm events. Soil erosion can carry sediments, nutrients, and pesticides to surface water bodies, degrading water quality. Healthy soils can absorb and supply water, retain nutrients, suppress pests and weeds, and produce high crop yields.

How do We Manage Soils to Increase Soil Carbon?

Minimizing Soil Disturbance

Tillage contributes the most to soil disturbance, which has implications for soil erosion. It also leads to the soil organic matter losses. However, many farmers use tillage to prepare seeds for cultivation and manage the crop residue by mixing it with soil.

A best management practice that relies on soil conservation is minimizing till or completely using no-till. No-till practices have been found to have 71% lesser greenhouse gas intensity than the conventional tillage.

Covering the Soil

Soils require protection, and it makes sense that farmers find soil conservation techniques like using a cover crop and leaving the straws in the fields beneficial. The added inputs of organic matter can minimize losses and also help prevent the soil from eroding away while improving the soil structure.

Cultivating Crops in Rotation

Adopting the crop management practices that increase soil carbon inputs helps improve productivity and soil condition. Crop rotation methods like seasonal cover crops or continuous cropping, which minimizes fallow frequency, are some ways to boost soil organic carbon stock.

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How to Increase Soil Organic Carbon in USA?

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is an essential aspect of crop production and the long-term sustainability of the soil. Carbon comprises approximately 58% of the organic matter in the soil, revealing just how considerable it is for maximizing the soil health and crop production.

With adequate amounts of soil organic carbon in the USA, crops can reach their genetic potential, resulting in higher yields, less profit, and higher costs for the farmer. A healthy amount of SOC is beneficial as it improves fertility, reduces erosion, and increases the land's resistance to drought and flooding.

Soils and Their Organic Carbon:

Soils are a mix of:

mineral material - sand, silt and clay and their ratio determines the soil texture

2. air

3. water

4. organic matter

Organic matter is a less but vital part of soil. It's of:

living organisms like bacteria, fungi, plant roots and tiny animals

2. decomposing plant or animal tissue

Organic matter is essential for better soil fertility, structure, and health. To increase organic matter levels, you can:

add organic materials like the solid or liquid manures, plants or the crop residues

2. Reduce drainage or the cultivation of soil to slow down the decay of organic matter

You must also follow the farming rules for water. These require you to stop manure, fertilizer or soil from getting into the water bodies.

Where to Increase the Soil Organic Matter?

Organic matter inputs will be most impactful when added to poorly performing soils. This can include soils with:

poor or uneven crop or grass growth

2. crop diseases or problem weeds

3. rapid surface water logging in winter

4. drought problems in summer season

Soils where the past organic matter inputs have been less are the most likely to be in poor health. It would help if you prioritized organic matter inputs on land where:

You cultivate crops regularly

2. Root crops are a part of the rotation

3. Crop residues are not returned back to the soil

4. The cover crops and grass are not part of the rotation

5. The benefits of the soil organic matter

Soil with higher organic matter can absorb and keep in more water. This can enhance crop productivity and reduce:

Tillage and irrigation costs

2. flooding

3. erosion and runoff

4. greenhouse gas emissions

5. fertilizer need, as nutrients are recycled more efficiently

6. pesticide use, as higher organic matter, will reduce the pests and disease

Soils with lower organic matter are at greater risk of wind erosion, mainly sandy soils. Increasing organic matter will bind topsoil to help prevent wind blow and associated pollution from airborne particles.

Enhancing Soil Health:

Farmers must engage in the practices that enrich the soil with more organic matter, creating an environment where the microorganisms thrive, enhance soil properties and aggregates, and mitigates soil erosion.

1. Regenerative agriculture:

This approach involves maintaining the living roots in the soil layer throughout the year, continuously supplying the organic matter and encouraging good microbial activity, thus promoting carbon sequestration processes.

2. Cover Crops:

Deep-rooted cover crops ensure that constant presence of living roots in the soil, saving it from erosion, enriching it with the organic matter, and enhancing its sequestration ability.

3. Crop Rotation:

Diversifying the crop types in a field aids in naturally managing the pests and diseases and reduces the risk of depleting essential nutrients.

4. Soil Cover:

Best practices like no-till farming and mulching can help maintain a protective cover on the soil, reducing carbon loss.

5. Microbial Fermentation and Biotechnological Solutions:

These innovative approaches can harness the potential of soil microorganisms to enhance organic matter decomposition.

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We are in an era where sustainable agricultural practices are crucial for crop production, and for the planet. Regenerative agriculture in t

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How Can Digital Soil Mapping in the USA Be Rewarding for Framers? 

In agriculture, the foundation of crop health and productivity lies beneath our feet—in the soil. This dynamic, living ecosystem plays a pivotal role in successful farming. Understanding soil means leveraging its potential to improve agricultural outcomes. Soil mapping in the USA makes this possible. The soil’s balance of nutrients, moisture, and organic matter profoundly impacts crop yields, farm profitability, and ecological sustainability. By using soil mapping, we can contribute to a healthier planet, ensuring that our farming practices are sustainable and environmentally responsible.

The process of soil surveying and mapping involves collecting data from fieldwork and laboratory analysis. This information is then combined with GIS vector data, which contains the geometry of the soil mapping unit polygons. Previously, this data was produced in analogical format, but now, examples of soil databases and vector data themes can be found online through various resources across Canada, the USA and internationally. Soil maps can be very easily accessed through services like web soil survey programs at the national or regional level. It’s important to note that the information content of the soil map, which is highly dependent on the scale, should be the starting point for any analysis.

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Soil maps are a vital tool when it comes to agricultural land management. As learning and information about the environment grows, scientist

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Digital farming in the United States is the best way to fix data management practices. This will help farmers to successfully use new strate

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How to understand soil testing if you are an organic farmer?

Most farmers know that soil sampling is imperative for organic farm management and stewardship. But sometimes, the reports speak a different

Most farmers know that soil sampling is imperative for organic farm management and stewardship. But sometimes, the reports speak a different language. 

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How Are Digital Farming Solutions Transforming The Realm Of Agriculture?

Many investments in digital farming have yet to fulfill their full potential.