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The micronutrient and trace element status of crops grown on the Alberta soil quality benchmark sites

Description

Crop micronutrient concentrations of both vegetative tissues and grain, if applicable, were measured from 17 selected AESA soil quality benchmark sites in the fall of 2003. Micronutrients analyzed... More ≫

Description

Crop micronutrient concentrations of both vegetative tissues and grain, if applicable, were measured from 17 selected AESA soil quality benchmark sites in the fall of 2003. Micronutrients analyzed included boron, cadmium, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silicon and zinc. The purpose of this report is to provide an account of these micronutrient concentrations and to correlate them with a number of selected soil properties including soil pH, organic carbon, sand, silt and clay content, cation exchange capacity and calcium carbonate concentrations. In addition, the uptake, translocation and importance of each micronutrient are discussed, as is a summary of the effect of micronutrient partitioning between the grain and straw fraction, the effect of landscape form and the effect of provincial ecoregion on their concentration.

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Evaluation of two field methods to estimate soil organic matter in Alberta soils

Description

Soil quality can be briefly defined as how well a soil is able to function within an ecosystem. One way to assess soil quality is to use a quantitative method such as the United States Department... More ≫

Description

Soil quality can be briefly defined as how well a soil is able to function within an ecosystem. One way to assess soil quality is to use a quantitative method such as the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Soil Quality Test Kit. The kit measures various biological, physical, and chemical indicators but does not include a test for determining soil organic matter. The objectives of this study were to test two field methods for determining soil organic matter using soils from 41 sites across Alberta and to compare to measured soil organic matter and light fraction carbon obtained through conventional laboratory analyses.

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