Effect of Land Management Technique on Soil Aggregation, Water Infiltration, and Microbiome

Overview

The goal of this project was to determine the effect of land management technique on soil aggregation, water infiltration, and the microbiome. The soil was sampled from a field with a cover crop, no cover crop, and perennial cover. Soil aggregates are crucial for soil health due to their importance in holding water, maintaining soil structure, and the ability to increase microbial activity. Water infiltration is extremely important because it demonstrates the soil's ability to hold water. No significant difference in soil aggregate stability was shown. The cover crop had a higher infiltration rate than the other treatments. The microbiome results varied among the aspects tested. The perennial cover soil had higher fungi to bacteria ratios. The soil from both cultivated fields had the typical 1:1 ratio. The soil with no cover crop showed the highest biodiversity and resilience, with the cover crop having the lowest biodiversity and resilience. All of the treatments received low carbon ratings, with the lowest in the cover crop soil. Potassium and nitrogen levels were highest in the no cover crop. One of the most interesting things I found was how in depth microbial analysis can go and how much information they can show. For example, it shows how diverse the organisms in the sample are. This type of research is very important because the population is growing at a rapid rate. It is extremely important to understand the factors that influence soil, so farmers can continue to produce enough food for the population.

Competition history

• AJAS 2025 Category not listed

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