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| This post is a response to the "Where are the available nutrients? thread but I thought a new thread might be valuable.
Near the bottom of the original thread (https://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1226707&mid=11522080#M11522080) I mentioned that low soil test levels after long-term CRP (or other types of perennial vegetation with minimal inputs) are normal and generally do NOT indicate that the soil has been mined but rather that nutrients have been immobilized into forms not measured by standard soil tests.
Historically, conversion of long-term perennial vegetation -> annual crops has generally involved burning and/or intensive tillage. Burning and intensive tillage accelerate the conversion of immobilized forms of nutrients into plant available forms and also have other effects (soil warming, neutralizing of acidity, killing of perennials, breaking pest cycles, leveling of surface roughness) that reduce problems during the first year(s) after conversion.
Burning and intensive tillage can also result in accelerated loss of topsoil, soil organic matter, soil structure, mycorrhizal fungal networks and other good things that developed during the long-term perennial vegetation...
Another concept in the original thread that was only briefly discussed (https://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1226707&mid=11519410#M11519410) is that some farmers are growing great crops following CRP despite very low soil test levels.
I have some Qs for cbellfarms and mafrif (and anyone else who has experienced high crop yields after CRP despite low soil test levels)
What was your nutrient management strategy when converting from CRP to crops?
Did you apply high rates of fertilizer or lime as guided by the low soil test levels?
If not, how did you prime the pump? for example, apply banded nutrients to feed the crop and reduce problems with undigested residues creating a carbon penalty.
Did you do full field tillage or some type of minimal-till, such as VT, strip-till or no-till?
Did you apply higher than normal rates of rhizobia inoculant for soybeans (or other other biologicals)?
How did soil test levels change after a few years of cropping former CRP ground?
Joel
WIU Agriculture
Edited by jbgruver 1/24/2026 12:04
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Priming the pump when converting CRP to crops
