All Resources

Soil pH and plant nutrients

Description

Soil pH does play a role in nutrient availability. Should you be concerned on your farm? Be more aware than concerned. Keep the pH factor in mind when planning nutrient management programs. Also,... More ≫

Description

Soil pH does play a role in nutrient availability. Should you be concerned on your farm? Be more aware than concerned. Keep the pH factor in mind when planning nutrient management programs. Also, keep historical records of soil pH in your fields. Soils tend to acidify over time, particularly when large applications of NH4+ based fertilizers are used or there is a high proportion of legumes in the rotation. Recent years have shown the pH decline occurring more rapidly in continuously cropped, direct-seeded land. On the other hand, seepage of alkaline salts can raise the pH above the optimum range. So, a soil with an optimum pH today may be too acid or alkaline a decade from now, depending on producer land management.

Tags

Wood ash : an alternative liming material for agricultural soils

Description

Many forestry facilities in Alberta use bark, sawdust and yard waste, commonly referred to as "hogfuel," to generate steam, electricity and heat for plant operations. There are also several... More ≫

Description

Many forestry facilities in Alberta use bark, sawdust and yard waste, commonly referred to as "hogfuel," to generate steam, electricity and heat for plant operations. There are also several facilities that use hogfuel as an energy source to generate electricity. More than 180,000 tonnes of energy system wood ash produced annually at pulp mills, sawmills, oriented strand board and fibre board plants is currently disposed of in industrial or regional landfills.

Tags

Copper deficiency : diagnosis and correction

Description

Cu deficiencies exist across the Canadian prairies in particular as well as south into the adjoining American states. Crop yield and quality losses in Alberta alone in both wheat and barley has... More ≫

Description

Cu deficiencies exist across the Canadian prairies in particular as well as south into the adjoining American states. Crop yield and quality losses in Alberta alone in both wheat and barley has run into tens of millions of dollars annually. Copper deficiency is a simple problem that can be corrected in most instances with a single application of granular copper-based fertilizer. The effects of this single application can last for up to 10 years or more. Foliar applications of copper fertilizer have to be applied annually to cereal crops growing on copper deficient land. Thousands of provincial producers from Fort Vermillion to Milk River have now seen modest to spectacular yield and quality gains from copper applications on their wheat and barley crops.

Tags

Spatial relationships between soil fertility parameters and ecological landforms

Description

Includes a summary of routinely measured soil properties (pH, extractable nutrients and organic matter) and maps showing the distribution of high phosphate soils, acid soils and potassium... More ≫

Description

Includes a summary of routinely measured soil properties (pH, extractable nutrients and organic matter) and maps showing the distribution of high phosphate soils, acid soils and potassium deficient areas in Alberta, to demonstrate how farm level sampling correlates with broad land classifications. Paper presented to the 36th Annual Alberta Soil Science Workshop, February 16-18, 1999, Calgary, Alberta.

Tags

Minerals for plants, animals and man

Description

Twenty five elements are recognized as essential components of plants, animals and man. Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen are primarily derived from air and water. The other 21 elements, occur... More ≫

Description

Twenty five elements are recognized as essential components of plants, animals and man. Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen are primarily derived from air and water. The other 21 elements, occur as minerals in the soil. This fact sheet lists each of these 21 elements and provides brief descriptions of their roles, where known, in plants, animals and man.

Tags

Liming acid soils

Description

Lime is applied to acid soils to neutralize excess acidity that causes reduced crop yields. The application of lime does not improve saline or solonetzic soil conditions. There are over 1 million... More ≫

Description

Lime is applied to acid soils to neutralize excess acidity that causes reduced crop yields. The application of lime does not improve saline or solonetzic soil conditions. There are over 1 million acres of strongly acid and 4.5 million acres of moderately acid soils farmed in Alberta. While many factors, such as the kind of crop, soil type, and climate, influence responses to lime, it can be generally stated that the application of lime should be considered on all strongly acid soils and on many moderately acid soils to improve and maintain productivity. Where liming is an established practice, it is applied to maintain soils in the most suitable pH range for the crops and soils in the area.

Tags

Micronutrient requirements of crops

Description

The need for micronutrients in crop production have long been recognized in Alberta. Zinc deficiencies in irrigated beans in southern Alberta were detected in the early 1980s. Research by Alberta... More ≫

Description

The need for micronutrients in crop production have long been recognized in Alberta. Zinc deficiencies in irrigated beans in southern Alberta were detected in the early 1980s. Research by Alberta Agriculture and Agriculture Canada has clearly shown the need for copper fertilizer particularly for wheat grown on organic soils and on some Black and Grey-Black soils in central Alberta. One million acres may be copper deficient in central Alberta. Some suspected manganese deficiencies are presently being investigated. Continued research and testing is required to identify when various crops will give economic yield increases to additions of micronutrient fertilizers.

Tags

Soil organic matter

Description

The cultivation of prairie soils has generally resulted in a decline in organic matter of 30 to 50 per cent. A product of this decline has been the release of large amounts of plant nutrients,... More ≫

Description

The cultivation of prairie soils has generally resulted in a decline in organic matter of 30 to 50 per cent. A product of this decline has been the release of large amounts of plant nutrients, particularly nitrogen. Crop rotations with a high frequency of summerfallow have relied on the nitrogen released from soil organic matter to supply crop requirements. More frequent or continuous cropping, less frequent tillage, the production of high yields and the return of crop residues will help to maintain soil organic matter at a satisfactory level. Perennial forages are effective for maintaining or increasing soil organic matter.

Tags