|
Marion, Ohio | You can find estimated nutrient values of crop vegetation but what about the roots? Lets say a farmer applies fert (broadcasted) in a no-till situation, the roots take nutrients from the soil and move them above ground as plant vegetation. A big percentage of these nutrients taken up aren't from the fert that was applied during the current growing year. They come from past applications or decomposed residue. A lot of nutrients we apply don't move several inches down over the course of a year. Also, the nutrients that become available from decomp are eventually gonna get taken up by roots again at some point in time before reaching 8"-12" in the soil. So theoretically there should be a big nutrient sink near the subsoil if a farmer isn't banding fert below 6". Ive heard it said that you build O.M. by leaving the roots in the soil undisturbed. If that's true, then there should be a nutrient value to roots just as we measure the value of dry matter on the surface. Does anyone have any insight on this? | |
|
Is there a nutrient analysis or value for decomposing roots in a covercrop system?
