Soil Management

Find more information in the Soil Management to Optimize Crop Production in Nebraska section of CropWatch.

Collage of soil and plant photos
All UNL Soil Health events include information from projects across the state, either on research or producers’ fields, empowering Nebraska producers with cutting-edge soil health practices.

2024 Nebraska Soil Health Conferences: Beyond the Topsoil

December 14, 2023
The 2024 Soil Health Conferences will take place in West Point and Hastings, offering the latest advancements and research in soil health and cover crop practices.

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Combine harvesting corn field
The annual Crop Production Clinics are customized to address topics specific to the diverse growing areas across Nebraska, allowing attendees to engage with research-based information on the issues that may be faced locally.

2024 Crop Production Clinics Begin Jan. 3

December 5, 2023
The 2024 Crop Production Clinics will provide Nebraska producers with research and training on management of soil fertility, water and irrigation, insect pests, plant diseases, weeds, cropping systems, and agribusiness concerns.

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Researcher kneels in field to gather sample

2024 Soils School to Feature Fundamentals of Soils and Nutrient Management

November 29, 2023
During the two-day school in February, leading experts from the University of Nebraska will present research-based recommendations of primary crop nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

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Southwest Nebraska producer's terraced field
A section of field from a 99-acre plot in southwest Nebraska, which has experienced significant yield decline after terraces were built. In this article, Soil Health Exchange professionals identify some of the potential causes and solutions for low-yielding terraced fields. (Submitted photo)

The Soil Health Exchange: Terrace Effects on Soil Fertility and Yield

November 13, 2023
The Soil Health Exchange team shares insights and potential solutions for a southwest Nebraska farmer who has observed a significant yield decline in a field after terraces were built in 2010.

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Corn stubble burning
The Exchange team weighs in on soil health factors that may be contributing to lower yields in irrigated corn this year, following wildfires that scorched southeast Nebraska fields during the fall of 2022.

The Soil Health Exchange: Are Soil Health Factors Impacting Yield Following Wildfire?

October 17, 2023
UNL experts weigh in on soil health factors that may be contributing to lower yields in irrigated corn this year, after wildfires scorched southeast Nebraska fields during the fall of 2022. 

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Orchard with mustard cover crop
Figure 1. A comparison of bare ground vs. cover crop for two adjacent almond orchards after receiving 3/4-inch of rain. The grower, Donny Hicks, used mustards to breakup compaction and improve infiltration in his orchard soil. (Photo courtesy Donny Hicks)

The Soil Health Exchange: Natural Solutions to Soil Compaction — Beyond Mechanical Means and Cover Crops

October 5, 2023
Soil health experts share techniques for reducing soil compaction without the use of long-term cover crops.

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MICRA project team posing for photo
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln team working on the MICRA project includes (from left) Taro Mieno, agricultural economics; Daniel Schachtman, agronomy and horticulture; Saleh Taghvaeian, biological systems engineering; and Seunghee Kim, civil engineering. (Photo by Nick Kumpula, Research and Economic Development)

Nebraska Part of Interdisciplinary Team Examining Climate Resiliency Through Soil

September 28, 2023
The research team will experiment with soil amendments and biochar to measure their impact on soil water-holding capacity to find ways to improve preservation of soil moisture in farm fields.

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Man assessing soil in field
The Soil Health Exchange is a new discussion forum, designed to give producers and ag stakeholders an avenue for direct communication with some of Nebraska's leading soil health experts for help with their soil health concerns, interpreting test reports and more.

Announcing: The Soil Health Exchange

September 27, 2023
The Soil Health Exchange is a new online forum where producers and ag stakeholders can engage with a team of soil health experts to discuss production issues and ideas, get assistance with understanding test results, and more.

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