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managing your soil<br />
Soil samples from <strong>Iowa</strong> (in the<br />
white containers, known as<br />
soil cores) and Washington<br />
(in the green containers) are<br />
planted with wheat. Scientists<br />
can manipulate the conditions<br />
in the soil growth chamber to<br />
study how the soils respond to<br />
varying types of amendments,<br />
such as manure or nitrogen,<br />
being applied.<br />
eastern iowa farmer photo /<br />
brooke taylor<br />
erosion, he and his colleagues focus on<br />
changes that occur within the soil under<br />
different management practices.<br />
Inside one of the lockers in the room<br />
are a series of white containers, called<br />
soil cores, filled with wheat planted in<br />
<strong>Iowa</strong> soil. The locker next to it has green<br />
soil cores filled with wheat planted in soil<br />
from the state of Washington.<br />
The soil in the different containers<br />
in each locker is enriched with such<br />
different things as manure, compost and<br />
nitrogen. The environment in the lockers<br />
can be adjusted for different levels of<br />
sunlight, humidity and climate.<br />
“We want to see which amendment<br />
will enhance the biological activity,” Wacha<br />
said, “and see what soil microclimate<br />
is favorable. We are taking two really<br />
contrasting soils and seeing if they will<br />
show the same response. We are looking<br />
at how things change and what makes<br />
them change.”<br />
Behind the doors of two other rooms<br />
are soil plots that measure a meter by<br />
a meter by a meter. Each plot contains<br />
6,000 pounds of soil.<br />
These particular experiments are<br />
designed to look at the impacts of future<br />
climates in Oklahoma and Kansas, Hatfield<br />
said.<br />
Corn will be planted in the plots, and<br />
the conditions inside the chambers will be<br />
controlled to simulate weather in Salina,<br />
Kansas, during different parts of the year.<br />
For example, scientists will freeze the<br />
ground and then bring it back to a springtime<br />
temperature so they can study the<br />
effect of freeze thaw on the soil structure.<br />
The lab is set up so they can analyze different<br />
depths below the soil.<br />
Researchers at the lab are able to create<br />
ExpEriEncE intEgrity<br />
and<br />
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member FINRA/SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor. Non Securities Products and Services are not Offered Through Signator. Maquoketa Financial Group is not affiliated with Signator LD056167-02/16<br />
84 <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Farmer</strong> | spring <strong>2017</strong>
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