Michigan State University researchers seek farmer innovations on soil nutrient management practices
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EmailThe information you share in this survey will help MSU researchers identify best management practices to balance nutrients in the soil.
Soil nutrient deficiencies that limit crop yield are often foremost on farmer’s minds but nutrient excesses, especially phosphorus and nitrogen, seem to grab the headlines. Since Michigan is surrounded by our five Great Lakes, which ultimately receive any excess soil nutrients, there is an urgent need to identify best practices that feed crops adequately without adding to nutrient loading in the Lakes. Variation in soil type, soil texture, crops and cover crops grown and crop rotations can have a huge impact on effectiveness of soil nutrient management practices.
A Michigan State University research team is evaluating the relationship among soil type, crops grown and practices used to manage soil phosphorus and nitrogen. Farmers from all types of production systems are asked to help identify practices they use by filling out a brief anonymous online survey describing soil conditions and approaches used for soil phosphorus and nitrogen management. The information shared will help identify promising approaches for researchers to test on different soil types and with different field crop, vegetable, fruit and pasture rotations.
The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete, and everyone who completes it can be entered into a drawing for Michigan State University hoodies. The deadline to take the survey is Nov. 1, 2024. Winners will be announced Dec. 1, 2024, and mailed their prize.
This work is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. If you have questions, please email Vicki Morrone at sorrone@msu.edu.
