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Managing soil fertility



Hello to all,

Atleast one recent posting was a query concerning novel soil 
testing methods that might be more appropriate for organic/low 
input/sustainable farmers...


I am working on the development of a "soil quality" quick test... my 
advisor and are investigating assorted procedures that isolate and quantify 
various fractions of soil organic matter that have a relatively rapid turnover 
i.e. are active/labile... our ultimate product should be a new tool that 
will  help farmers/land managers evaluate the cumulative effects of their 
management practices on "soil quality"... 

However sustainable farmers also need soil tests that allow 
scientific mangement of immediate crop fertility needs. I am wondering 
about how low commercial fertilizer input farmers are making use of the 
soil tests that are avilable today.


Today as I was reading through the soil test interpretation guide for 
vegetable production in MD, I noticed that most vegetable recommendations 
suggest annual applications of 50-100 lbs/acre of P or K even if the soil 
test reading for that nutrient is in the high range. Most recommendations 
also suggested sidedressing of fertilizer at some intermediate point in 
the crops growth...    

How do low input farmers make use of such soiltests/recommendations ?


If they want to augment soil fertility  in the middle of the growing 
season, what are their options...

Joel Gruver
U of MD, Agronomy
jgruv@wam.umd.eud