Soil microbes - Articles

Earthworms Play Vital Role for Growers Using Cover Crops

By Clay Pope posted on November 6, 2023 | Posted in Soil Health

As we have said so often—production agriculture and environmental protection really can go hand in hand. If we take care of the worms, (and with them the rest of the microbial community) they really can help save the day.

Research Shows Benefits of Healthy Soil Biology

October 20, 2023 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Agricultural producers often base their land management decisions on the living things they can see above the ground – crops, livestock, forage, weeds, insects, wildlife, etc. However, new research is showing they should also consider life found in the soil.

Different crops come with much different rooting zones, and soil specialists are urging farmers to keep that in mind when choosing cover crop mixes. photo: Alexis Stockford

Blog: Biologicals Are the Final Frontier of Soil Management

May 18, 2022

Microbial life – and even insects and invertebrates – interact with the soil and help its performance. When you think of soil health, think of the biological integrity of your soil.

Biological Nutrient Uptake Observed in Regen Soils

May 12, 2022 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

This ecologically‐based agricultural approach uses microbes and carbon compounds to produce crops naturally rather than relying entirely on highly soluble “salty” nutrient inputs for plant nutrition.

The Secret World of Soil Microbes

November 29, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: University of Massachusetts

The largest terrestrial carbon sink on earth is the planet’s soil. One of the fears that many scientists have is that a warming planet will liberate significant portions of the soil’s carbon, turning it into carbon dioxide (CO2) gas, and so further accelerate the pace of planetary warming. One of the key players in this story is the microbe: invisible, and yet the predominant form of life on earth. Read more in this article from the University of Massachusetts.

[Podcast] Cover Crops Feed Soil Microbes

This week’s podcast, sponsored by NewLeaf Symbiotics, features Katja Koehler-Cole, Research Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska. Koehler-Cole will discuss how soil nitrates are lost in corn-soybean rotations, the role of soil microbes in the soil, what cover crops provide soil microbes, and more.

November 23, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

This week’s podcast, sponsored by NewLeaf Symbiotics, features Katja Koehler-Cole, Research Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska. Koehler-Cole will discuss how soil nitrates are lost in corn-soybean rotations, the role of soil microbes in the soil, what cover crops provide soil microbes, and more.

[Video] Soil Sustains Everything - Including Us

February 15, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Maintaining soil health is so much more important than reducing erosion. In this video, discover everything the soil does, without any guidance from people, and the role soil microbes play in all of those processes.

Soil Health Defined

September 9, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Soil health is a term that everyone seems to be confused about or have their own opinion. Soil health is about three things: soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbes and organisms, and plants. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Corn Rotations Mean Better Soil Health

July 22, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Wisconsin State Farmer

Soil microbes are living, working barometers of soil health. They are responsible for turning atmospheric nitrogen into forms plants can use, and for releasing nitrogen back into the air. Read more in this article from the Wisconsin State Farmer.

Returning to the Soil

May 29, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Sabetha Herald (Sabetha, KS)

The world beneath our feet is very much alive. In a single teaspoon of soil, there is an estimated one billion microbes including bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protists and micro-animals. All of these microbes serve a purpose in the complex ecosystem underfoot. Read more in this article from the Sabetha Herald (Sabetha, KS).