Funded by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR)
Introduction and Objective
The Verification of Management Practices (VMP) Project (2022-2024) is a continuation of the Alberta Soil Health Benchmark study (2019-2021) designed to generate a provincial database of soil parameters related to physical, biological, and chemical indicators. This initiative, led by Dr. Yamily Zavala, a crop management specialist at the Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA), involves collaboration among 11 applied agricultural research and forage associations (ARAs and FAs), as well as grain producers and ranchers from various soil zones across Alberta. Each group documents field history and management information and uses the same protocols when collecting soil samples and doing in-field soil measurements. The samples are received and processed at CARA’s Soil Health Lab (CARASHLab), where Dr. Zavala oversees the analysis of various biological and bio-physical characteristics. These include soil respiration rate, texture, wet aggregate stability, active carbon levels, and total and potential biological biomass. Currently, the analysis of chemical components is contracted to A&L Labs in London, Ontario, while the University of Alberta’s soil lab measures total organic carbon and nitrogen levels.
As part of the VMP Project, sites sampled during 2019-2021 will be selected by each ARA and scheduled for re-visiting 3 years after initial sampling. Eight sites in each of 2022, 2023 and 2024 will be revisited. In addition to soil sampling and in-field measurements at the 8 sites, a comprehensive documentation of management practices during the 3 previous years will be done.
Methods
A total of 77 producer sites in the Peace have been visited by PCBFA staff since the start of the Benchmark Program in 2019. During the visits, the team collects soil samples for soil analysis, soil cores for bulk density determination, in-field measurements (single-ring infiltration and soil compaction), and documents field history and management information. In 2023, 9 farm revisits (see Table 1) were conducted on farms sampled earlier in the summer and early fall of 2020.
Results
Dr. Zavala has begun to identify key trends from the soil samples collected so far, even though not all have been fully processed or added to the database. A common issue observed across multiple sites is soil compaction and poor water infiltration, which tends to coincide with a lower presence of biological organisms. The diversity of beneficial soil life discovered is notable. It includes protozoa, functional groups, fungal hyphae, and a variety of nematodes—ranging from those that feed on plant matter to predatory species. Each soil sample exhibits a unique biological composition, or "biological signature," meaning no two samples are alike in their microbial makeup. This highlights the complexity and individuality of soil ecosystems. Despite challenges, most soils appear to have untapped potential, with their biology merely needing to be "awakened."
This, she recommends, can be done by adding diversity to forage mixes, implementing crop rotations, keeping plants growing for longer periods during the growing season, or incorporating biological amendments. These strategies could enhance the soil’s microbial activity, improving its overall health and function.
Future Activities/Plan
To work on providing detailed reports for each site it samples in collaboration with CARASHLab, with valuable insights into soil health.
The implications of the findings will be highlighted.
In addition to identifying potential issues, strategies to mitigate or improve problem areas within the soil will be suggested.
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