OSU Soil Balancing Trials Our team will conduct research across the state focusing on two approaches: 1) On-station: replicated, manipulated experiments 2) On-farm: survey approach, no direct manipulations

Soil Balancing Manipulated Field Experiments Primary goal is to better understand the mechanisms that contribute to soil balancing effects on crops, weeds and soils

Underlying Questions When we add lime (CaCO3), we always Raise pH Add calcium Are there additional benefits of adding Ca that are solely attributed to a pH change? Can these effects be teased apart? How does the ratio Ca:Mg influence soils, crops, weeds, etc. at low pH vs. ideal pH? Do balancing differ b/n pH ranges? Are effects of gypsum (CaSO4) a sulfur response or soil conditioning response?

Correlation vs. Causation

Hirzel Farm Badger Farms

Field Sites East Badger Farm – initiated in Fall of 2013 4 crop rotations (corn, soybean, wheat, red clover) 4 amendments West Badger Farm – initiated in Spring of 2015 3 crop rotations (corn, soybean, wheat) 5 amendments Hirzel Farm – initiated in Spring of 2015 3 crop rotations (corn, soybean, spelt)

East Badger Treatments: Main comparisons of interest: Canfield silt loam, Transition to organic pH = 6.0 CEC = 6 %BS = 56% Ca, 19% Mg, 4% K Treatments: HiCal lime Dolomitic lime HiCal lime + Gypsum (CaSO4) HiCal lime + Gypsum + traces + biologicals (full Green Field farm program) Main comparisons of interest: HiCal lime vs Dolomitic lime Does lime type matter? HiCal vs. extra Ca vs. extra Ca + biologicals and traces Does extra Ca or biologicals have effect in addition to liming?

West Badger Treatments: Main comparisons of interest Certified organic since 1998, similar soil to EB, higher pH Treatments: Unamended (control) HiCal lime Gypsum (CaSO4) Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) HiCal lime + Gypsum Dolomitic lime + Magnesium sulfate Main comparisons of interest Control vs. HiCal vs. Gypsum vs HiCal lime + Gypsum What are relative effects of lime vs gypsum vs both? Control vs. Gypsum vs Magnesium sulfate (Epsom) Effects of gypsum vs epsom at low pH? HiCal lime + Gypsum vs Dolomitic lime + Magnesium sulfate Effects of Ca vs Mg at idea pH?

Hirzel Certified organic since 2004, Hoyville clay loam, very poorly drained pH = 7.0 CEC = 18 %BS = 77% Ca, 19% Mg, 2.3% K Treatments: Unamended (control) Gypsum (CaSO4) Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) Elemental S Gypsum + Elemental S Main comparisons of interest Control vs. Gypsum vs Magnesium sulfate (Epsom) Effects of gypsum vs epsom at idea/high pH? Control vs. Gypsum vs Elemental S vs Gypsum + Elemental S Effects of Ca vs. S vs both?

Timeline East Badger Farm – initiated in Fall of 2013 Treatments modified in Fall 2015 Amendments applied in Fall 2015 West Badger Farm – initiated in Spring of 2015 Amendments applied in Spring of 2015 and Fall 2015 Hirzel Farm – initiated in Spring of 2015

Measurements Year 2 Years 3 and 4 Early spring soil sampling Weed emergence counts, etc Soil Health Suite Active organic matter – Active C, Soil Protein, Respiration Aggregate Stability, penetration resistance, infiltration R1 tissue sampling (nutrient analysis) Harvest for grain (maybe grain nutrients, maybe stalk nitrate in corn?) Fall soil sampling Standard Soil + Paste test Years 3 and 4 Intensify sampling R1 sampling for soils, root biomass