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News and Opinion

Coverage of soil nutrients since June 2, 2021.

A look at the new additions to Ontario's invasive species list

"...A large rodent from South America that officials say is often mistaken for a beaver along with two types of non-native crayfish are among 10 new invasive animal and plant species now prohibited or restricted in Ontario. A semi-aquatic herbivore called a nutria, whose name in Latin (Myocastor coypus) translates to mouse rat, is the only mammal on the provinces updated invasive species list, which came into effect on Jan. 1..."

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UBC startup addresses burning farm and forestry waste

"...Kevin Kung, a post-doctoral researcher at the Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group at the University of British Columbia, and Takachar CTO, helped develop the machine mainly to address a problem in Northern India, where farmers burn off their fields every year after harvest..."

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CRD approves sending treated sewage to Nanaimo area as short-term measure

"...Various programs around Nanaimo could use the CRD product for forest fertilization, gravel mine reclamation and to aid in addressing topsoil nutrient deficiencies in disturbed areas at a forestry site. Those represent various kinds of land application – a policy the CRD does not support but has dialed back its prohibitions on in recent years..."

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Mary Lowther column: As veggies are harvested, plant cover crops in their place

"...Some gardening experts recommend that we never leave soil bare, even for a few weeks, arguing that we should take every opportunity to replenish soil nutrients with a cover crop destined to be dug into the soil or added to the compost heap. We should eat nothing from this crop, even if it’s peas or beans, because nitrogen sequesters in these seeds and won’t be added to the soil if we remove them. Who am I to argue with what works?..."

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Need soil? 4 Reasons gardeners love this Okanagan delivery service

"...Got mulch? Order a BigYellowBag of cedar, fir or Nature’s Gold mulch to control weeds, retain ground moisture and replenish soil nutrients..."

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Dispose of bird vetch properly, Yukon Invasive Species Council warns

"...Dispose of bird vetch in a landfill, not in the compost, says YISC John ToninOct. 23, 2021 1:00 p. m..."

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Gene editing can help agriculture adapt to climate change and meet UN Food Systems Summit goals

"...Gene editing continues to show great promise for developing more resilient and climate-smart crops to counter the mounting threat of climate change and its adverse effects on global food security, new research shows..."

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Wildlife Wednesday: The worlds loneliest whale, nest quest, serious suckers and the worst plant invasion

"...While in the process of repelling the same biodiversity threat in Eastern Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is sounding the alarm over invasive phragmite reeds in our northern wetlands. Found in watery habitats, Phragmites australis (better known as the European common reed) toxifies soil and kills nearby plants necessary for species survival. Their stalks can also be a fire hazard in the winter..."

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Government of Canada Invests $2.6 Million To Improve Alfalfa Growth And Develop Grassland Carbon Offset System

"...- Up to $621,572 to develop an assurance system for farmers to produce and sell carbon offsets, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and retention of Canadas grasslands. Canadian Forage and Grassland Association expects that more than 5,000 hectares of Canadian grasslands will be protected by land conservation agreements, and 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) will be saved through third-party verified carbon offset credits..."

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Elevated warming, ozone have detrimental effects on plant roots, promote soil carbon loss

"...Two factors that play a key role in climate change - increased climate warming and elevated ozone levels - appear to have detrimental effects on soybean plant roots, their relationship with symbiotic microorganisms in the soil and the ways the plants sequester carbon..."

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Research enhances understanding of switchgrass, an important bioenergy crop

"...Bioenergy crops are an alternative energy source that, unlike fossil fuels, could positively impact the environment by reducing greenhouse gases, soil erosion, and carbon dioxide levels. They can be produced even more sustainably if they are grown on poor quality land unsuitable for food. To make up for the poor land quality, these crops can rely on soil microbes like bacteria and fungi to help them access nutrients and water and store more carbon..."

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Mixed farming methods could reduce US emissions and increase productivity

"...The modeled farming practices eliminated 55% of current nitrogen fertilizer use and eliminated agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. They also increased productivity and total protein production -- the modeled farms yielded 110% of current consumption and produced a more protein-rich diet -- but reduced beef production by 20% - 30%. Nitrogen-sparing practices could help reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and minimize harmful fertilizer run-off, but their success will depend on complex societal, economic, and political factors, the author says..."

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Recommended Reading

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Podcasts

Recent episodes that mention soil nutrients.

Putting the power of manure to work

Duration: 8:14

"...On an episode of Real Ag RadioPeter “Wheat Pete” Johnson answered a listener question about the best practices for spreading manure on farmland..."

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The Agronomists, Ep 73: Colin Elgie and Jack Payne on diagnosing nutrient deficiencies

Duration: 1:03:33

"...Nutrient deficiencies dont always follow the textbook examples sometimes a crop short of nutrients can look okay, but be behind in maturity, patchy, or show signs of poor reproductive performance..."

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Wheat Pete's Word, Jan 5: Nutrient bank account, healthy skepticism, and kicking off '22

Duration: 17:17

"...In this first-of-the-year episode of Wheat Petes Word, host Peter Johnson discusses Ontario Ag Conference (on now), soil nutrient bank accounts, and low volumes going through a combine..."

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Soil School: How big crop yields impact soil nutrients

Duration: 4:32

"...As combines roll across Ontario, growers are harvesting impressive crops that in many cases are producing record yields..."

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Informative Video

Discussions, Documentaries, and Investigative Reports about soil nutrients.

Growing a Sustainable Citrus Garden in a Northern Climate

"...Her subtropical fruit greenhouse uses renewable energy with a high efficiency wood gasifier furnace for heat..."

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Academic Research

Recent peer-reviewed papers about soil nutrients relevant to the latest news.

Criteria for Assessing the Sustainability of Logging Operations?A Systematic Review

"...On the one hand, productivity is linked to the environmental and social pillars, as it is related to the level of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and the employment rate..."

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Cover crops in citrus orchards impact soil nutrient cycling and the soil microbiome after three years but effects are site-spec

"...Despite the increased use of cover crops (CCs) in grain and vegetable agroecosystems, CC effects on soil nutrient availability, fruit yield, and the soil microbiome in fruit orchard agroecosystems have been less explored..."

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Exploring the Potential of Biochar and Mulched Drip Irrigation with Plastic Film on Crop Yields in Water-Stressed Regions: a Gl

"...The authors analyzed a total of 58 studies to investigate the effect of drip and sprinkler irrigation on crop yields, as well as the impact of deficit irrigation, plastic film mulching, and biochar application..."

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The relationship between plant diversity and aboveground biomass in managed and unmanaged temperate forests

"...In face of climate change and global scale biodiversity loss, assessing the relationship between biodiversity and forest ecosystem functioning is essential, but poorly investigated in temperate forests of Iran..."

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Soil Bioamendment as a Low-Carbon Approach for Microbial Remediation of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants

"...Hence, this chapter focuses on the effects of hydrocarbons and metals on soil microbial community, and the efficiency of biochar and spent mushroom compost in soil remediation..."

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Physico-Chemical Properties of Termitaria and their Surrounding Soils in Some Nigerian Ecozones

"...Termites provide ecosystem services and have been used as a biological index of soil quality and fertility because of their key role in soil nutrient cycling that enables trees associated with their activities to remain evergreen throughout the year..."

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Compositional Shifts and Assembly in Rhizosphere-Associated Fungal Microbiota Throughout the Life Cycle of Japonica Rice Under

"...They also illustrate how a shift in the fungal community mediates and reflects the effects of nitrogen fertilization input in rice agroecosystems..."

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Soil Nutrients Directly Drive Soil Microbial Biomass and Carbon Metabolism in the Sanjiangyuan Alpine Grassland

"...This study aimed to identify the biomass and carbon metabolism characteristics of the Sanjiangyuan (SJY) soil microbial community; extract the key factors influencing the microbial characteristics; and provide some theoretical support for research into the function of grassland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau..."

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Biochar amendment reassembles microbial community in a long-term phosphorus fertilization paddy soil

"...This study investigates the effect of biochar amendment on microbial community structure and soil nutrient status in paddy soil that has been fertilized for an extended period of time, shedding light on sustainable agricultural practices..."

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Responses of soil nutrients and rhizosphere microbial communities of a medicinal plant Pinellia ternata to vermicompost

"...Vermicomposting is a novel and promising approach to sustainable ecological cultivation of Chinese herbs via the promotion of soil properties and beneficial organisms..."

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