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Articles & Information
Discover USDA research briefs and publications that highlight the work of the Eastern South Dakota Soil and Water Research Farm, sharing research results and innovative solutions to support healthy soils, clean water, and sustainable agriculture.
New Benefits Found in Long-Term Cover Cropping
Cover cropping is becoming a popular agricultural practice to help reduce soil erosion, increase organic matter, improve early weed control, and provide forage for animals. Cover crops also benefit the environment by using residual nitrogen in the soil and, therefore, reducing nitrogen that can leach into the groundwater. They can also fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, supplying some of this valuable nutrient to the succeeding crops that reduces the rate and cost of nitrogen fertilization.
Solving A Midge of a Problem
Soybean is the second most planted crop in the United States, with an estimated agricultural impact of over $120 billion. Soybean is grown across the country, but the bulk of this crop is grown in the Midwest, where fertile soils and warm temperatures promote positive yields. Unfortunately, soybean isn’t the only thing that enjoys this weather — pests do as well.
A Tall Hill to Climb
Not all farmlands are created equal — some are flat, some are on a moderate slope, and some are hilly. On hilly agricultural landscapes, soil erosion can be a significant problem because soil properties and crop yields can vary throughout the field and often reflect the pattern of soil movement, resulting from the combined erosive effects of tillage and water.
Oats and Peas: A Winning Combination?
Intercropping is the practice of growing multiple crops together on the same land at the same time. It’s an ancient technique that is gaining renewed interest in today’s agriculture. Oats and field peas are commonly found together in livestock feed and planting them together in an intercropping system can offer significant advantages for farmers, too. Peas in particular, as legumes, are an ideal intercropping plant because they enhance soil health by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
A Strong Ally in Biocontrol is Dwindling
Move over, Superman. The iconic ladybug, or lady beetle, is an environmental hero to agriculture. Lady beetles are one of the most effective, natural ways to control crop-damaging pests such as aphids. A single lady beetle can devour hundreds of aphids in its lifetime, thereby curbing the need for pesticides.
The Buzz Around Hydration
We humans are always reminded to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Among other benefits, proper hydration helps make sure our organs function properly, helps improve our brain function, helps regulate our temperature, and helps with digestion. We are not the only species, however, that depends on proper hydration for healthy living. It turns out bumble bees need to stay hydrated as well.
Soil-Landscape Rehabilitation with Dr. Sharon Schneider
Soil erosion is one of the major issues in agriculture that causes loss of the topsoil layer, reducing soil health and crop productivity. There are several ways to check soil erosion and its impacts on crop and soil health. One of the potential strategies to reduce the effect of past soil erosion is to reverse the soil erosion process by moving soil from where it was deposited by erosion to where soil was lost by erosion. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Schneider shares her research on replacing topsoil in eroded landscapes.
USDA ARS Lab Research Briefs