Goals:

We want to explore if soil biology can provide the nutrients that the crop needs, if we stimulate it enough.

Treatment:

This experiment will evaluate the effect of the following variables.

  • Active, responsive crop monitoring and troubleshooting with biological stimulation (not synthetic chemicals) using Brix, EC, and tissue testing.
  • Compost extract
  • Molasses + fish hydrolysate
  • Humic and fulvic acids

Variables to measure:

  • Nutrients (soil, tissue testing)
  • pH
  • Biology (PLFA)
  • Brix
  • Yields
  • Profitability

Information about the field:

Name and location: Hog Lot field, S32, 20acres

Control: Nearby field

Soil health practices: No-till for xxx years, cover cropped, bale grazed

Other interesting things to note: I empty my sprayer onto it when I’m done so it has a large variety of inputs that is not evenly distributed and random amounts/types of biology. It blew in 2020.

Experimental plan:

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Updates:

10/5/21 – Soil sampled in Sept – put in chart that compares PLFA control:experiment. The Bacterial:Fungal ratio is the same on hog lot as control

12/12/21 – Wheat came up early November in spots with residue:

1/16/22 – Managing for cover on the top surface is super important, but it’s so hard to keep it there!

    Results:

    PLFA & Soils testing

    Brix chart

    Yields

    Partial Budget Analysis:

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