Soil-plant relationships have been the focus of agricultural research for centuries yet the primary concentrations have been on plant improvement for increased productivity with little attention paid to the soil microbial community. Healthy soils are more productive due to the increased ability to tolerate stress thus requiring fewer inputs, retaining more soil moisture, and improving soil physical properties. Cover crops are not commonly utilized prior to soybean planting. Inconsistent soybean responses to fertilizer and cultural practices warrant examining alternative practices that may manipulate soil micro-biota to examine whether or not positive yield response when seen in the field...
Unique Keywords:
#cover crop studies, #crop management systems, #soil microbes, #soybean cover crops, #soybean fertility studies, #soybean nutrient management