Fred Magdoff is emeritus professor of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and adjunct professor at Cornell University. He was Plant and Soil Science Department chair for eight years and for two decades was the coordinator of the twelve-state Northeast Region for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. He is also a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. He has worked on soil testing for nitrogen and phosphorus, the effects of manures on soil properties and crop yields, buffering of soil pH, and many other issues related to soil health. He lives in Burlington and Fletcher, Vermont, with his wife, dog, two cats, a large garden, an occasional flock of chickens, and a small herd of beef cows.
Harold van Es is a professor of soil science at Cornell University and serves as chair of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, he grew up in an environment where soil and water are critical issues. His current research focuses on soil health, computational agriculture, and environmental statistics. He teaches courses in soil management and space-time statistics and also leads an extension program. He is a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. He lives in Lansing, New York, with his wife, three children, and two cats.
Table of Contents
- About the Authors
- Preface
- Introduction
- Healthy Soils
- Organic Matter: What It Is and Why It's So Important
- Amount of Organic Matter in Soils
- The Living Soil
- Soil Particles, Water, and Air
- Soil Degradation: Erosion, Compaction, and Contamination
- Nutrient Cycles and Flows
- Soil Health, Plant Health, and Pests
- Managing for High Quality Soils: Organic Matter, Soil Physical Condition, Nutrient Availability
- Cover Crops
- Crop Rotations
- Animal Manures for Increasing Organic Matter and Supplying Nutrients
- Making and Using Composts
- Reducing Erosion and Runoff
- Preventing and Lessening Compaction
- Reducing Tillage
- Managing Water: Irrigation and Drainage
- Nutrient Management: An Introduction
- Management of Nitrogen and Phosphorus
- Other Fertility Issues: Nutrients, CEC, Acidity, and Alkalinity
- Getting the Most From Routine Soil Tests
- Taking Soil Samples
- Accuracy of Recommendations Based on Soil Tests
- Sources of Confusion About Soil Tests
- Soil Testing for Nitrogen
- Soil Testing for P
- Testing Soils for Organic Matter
- Interpreting Soil Test Results
- Adjusting a Soil Test Recommendation
- Making Adjustments to Fertilizer Application Rates
- Managing Field Nutrient Variability
- The Basic Cation Saturation Ratio System
- Summary and Sources
- How Good Are Your Soils? Field and Laboratory Evaluation of Soil Health
- Putting It All Together
- Glossary
- Resources