August 2020 - 11

PLANT & SOIL NUTRITION
crop and rangeland producers should
first assess the physical, chemical and
biological attributes of their soil. Soil
health management is a long-term
strategy that requires education, thinking,
planning, reading, discussion and
investment, he added.
soil organic matter fractions. He's
also looking at the rate of carbon
sequestration, nutrient cycling,
greenhouse gas emissions and soil
microbial activity related to cycling
of essential nutrients as indicators of
soil health in grain- and forage-based
cropping systems.
In agronomic settings, Ghimire
said, soil health is more important
in soils that have eroded, have low
fertility, or have other less-ideal
crop-growing conditions, such as
high variability in precipitation and
temperature. These conditions exist in
New Mexico.
" With the rapid rate of decline in
water level in the Ogallala Aquifer, "
he said, " producers in eastern New
Mexico are facing challenges in
irrigated crop production, which
include increased fallow frequency,
increased erosion, lost soil organic
carbon and nutrients, and reduced
production potential of the land. "
The soil health management
practices Ghimire is studying could
reduce such losses and maintain crop
production and help farmers stay in
business, he added.
" Our study finds a loss in soil
organic carbon and nitrogen by
24 percent to 36 percent after the
conversion of irrigated crop fields
into dryland production, and crop
production went down by at least
the same proportion, " he said. " The
loss of soil organic carbon and
nutrients have both agronomic and
environmental impacts. The part of
lost carbon and nitrogen goes into
the atmosphere as CO2
and N2
O,
potent greenhouse gases that cause
global warming. "
To learn more about soil health and
soil health management practices, visit
aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/
CR694B.pdf. VGN
Jeremy Schallner, a Ph.D. student in the
Department of Animal and Range Sciences,
holds a handful of soil while visiting the
Aguirre Spring Campground in February.
Photo: Josh Bachman/New Mexico State
University
" Since each farm and ranch is
unique, " he said, " the specific soil
health practices that will deliver
optimal performance will differ
from place to place. Farmers and
ranchers need to inform themselves
and carefully plan an appropriate soil
health management strategy that will
work for their specific conditions. "
Idowu encourages land users
and managers in New Mexico to
connect with their local Cooperative
Extension Service office when seeking
guidance on soil health practices. To
contact the office in your area, visit
https://aces.nmsu.edu/county/.
In eastern New Mexico, Ghimire is
leading research projects that aim to
understand the linkages between soil
health and
sustainable
crop
production,
using soil
organic
matter as the
centerpiece of
his research.
" Sustainable
RAJAN GHIMIRE
agriculture
aims to
optimize
resource use while maximizing crop
production, economic profitability
and environmental quality, " he said.
" Healthy soils provide a foundation
not only for better crop production
but also for improving environmental
quality through reduced soil erosion,
improved organic matter and
nutrient storage. "
Ghimire is studying how various
tillage, fertility, crop rotation,
cover cropping and crop residue
management practices affect different
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VGN | AUGUST 2020 | 11

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August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2020