Tridge summary
The article highlights the efforts of the Institute for Soil Health to promote sustainable agriculture through improving soil health and minimizing soil disturbance, with a focus on the potato sector. Soil health is crucial for plant growth and is influenced by various functions, including water and nutrient cycling, pest regulation, structure and stability, and pollutant filtering. By analyzing data from 124 long-term experimental sites, the institute has identified three key metrics for measuring soil quality: carbon mineralization potential, aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon. The article also discusses strategies for reducing soil disturbance, such as direct-planting and the use of cover crops, and provides examples of their successful implementation in Manitoba farms. These practices not only improve soil health but also have additional benefits like reducing erosion, improving water infiltration, and sequestering carbon.
Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.
Original content
But when it comes to sustainability, they’ve got a hurdle to clear because there’s no escaping some level of soil disturbance when growing and harvesting. Why it matters: Soil health and minimized soil disturbance are major pillars in the push toward sustainable agriculture. That’s an issue for an underground crop. That doesn’t mean the relationship between soil health and the potato sector can’t improve, according to Cam Ogilvie of the Institute for Soil Health. “I’m part of an institution that’s based on science, so what I want to share with you is some real data-driven ways that we are thinking about soil health and particularly what that means in potato systems,” he said, speaking to potato growers at an industry event in Brandon in early 2024. Soil is the medium in which dead tissue is absorbed, recycled and rejuvenated into living tissue. In poetic terms, it’s the shop floor of nature’s factory. “Soil health is the continuous capacity of a soil to function, being able to do ...
Source: Argenpapa
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