Fostering and maintaining soil health via holistic management is a central goal for most organic farmers. However, many questions remain regarding how different management practices influence soil health in farm fields. In this study, we used a mail-in soil survey to assess how organic management practices such as crop diversity, perennials in rotation, tillage, manure use, and subscription to soil cation balancing influence soil biochemical health indicators in certified organic corn (Zea mays L.) fields. Organic farmers (n = 195) from the eastern Corn Belt mailed in soil along with a completed management survey to a research lab for analysis. Soils were analyzed for mineralizable carbon (C), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), soil protein, texture, and routine soil nutrient analyses. Soil texture had the largest influence on soil biochemical health indicators, underscoring the need to consider soil type with soil health assessments. Crop diversity was negatively correlated with mineralizable C, soil C, and soil nitrogen (N) (r = –.19 to –.24) at p < .05 when perennials were in the rotation. This was attributed to tillage frequency increasing with crop diversity across all soil types. The presence of a perennial in rotation influenced soil biochemical health indicators, except for total C. Additionally, mineralizable C significantly increased when perennials were left in rotation for longer periods of time. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of incorporating management survey data with soil biochemical health analyses. We conclude that a main management driver for improved soil biochemical health in organic corn production systems is to reduce tillage intensity and incorporate perennials.

中文翻译：

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哪些管理实践会影响中西部有机玉米系统的土壤健康？

通过整体管理促进和保持土壤健康是大多数有机农民的核心目标。然而，关于不同的管理实践如何影响农田土壤健康，仍有许多问题。在这项研究中，我们使用邮寄土壤调查来评估有机管理实践，如作物多样性、多年生植物轮作、耕作、肥料使用和订阅土壤阳离子平衡如何影响认证有机玉米 ( Zea mays) 的土壤生化健康指标L.) 字段。有机农民 ( n = 195) 来自东部玉米带，连同一份完整的管理调查一起邮寄到研究实验室进行分析。对土壤进行了可矿化碳 (C)、高锰酸盐可氧化碳 (POXC)、土壤蛋白质、质地和常规土壤养分分析。土壤质地对土壤生化健康指标的影响最大，强调需要在土壤健康评估中考虑土壤类型。作物多样性与可矿化碳、土壤碳和土壤氮 (N) ( r  = –.19 至 –.24) 在p呈负相关 < .05 当多年生植物在轮作中时。这归因于耕作频率随着所有土壤类型的作物多样性而增加。多年生植物轮作的存在影响了土壤生化健康指标，除了总碳。此外，当多年生植物轮作较长时间时，可矿化碳显着增加。这项研究证明了将管理调查数据与土壤生化健康分析相结合的有效性。我们得出的结论是，在有机玉米生产系统中改善土壤生化健康的主要管理驱动因素是减少耕作强度并加入多年生植物。