Field to stream to gulf: How far and fast do soil and nutrients move?

Oct 03, 2019

In this special episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, Extension Educator Greg Klinger continues a discussion about the Root River Field to Stream Partnership in southeast Minnesota. He's joined by Kevin Kuehner from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as they work to understand how much of the soil and nutrients that leave farm fields in the region actually end up in streams, rivers, and beyond.

Part One examines a fundamental question: what happens when soil and nutrients leave a field? Greg and Kevin explore how dissolved nutrients and soil-attached nutrients move at different speeds through watersheds, road ditches as sediment control structures, the value of digging holes in the Driftless Area, and how we often underestimate the value of existing conservation practices.

Part Two shifts the focus to the larger Root River watershed, examining how a buildup of older sediment sources can muddy the waters, both literally and figuratively, for water quality. Greg and Kevin discuss the unexpected benefits of nuclear testing, regions trapped in their own history, when to focus on practices versus results, and making water walk instead of run.

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Video: Not only is corn getting sweatier, it's getting smarter

Over the past several weeks, much of the U.S. Midwest has experienced prolonged episodes of extreme heat, a trend also observed in other major corn-producing regions of North America such as eastern South Dakota, southern Ontario, and parts of Kansas and Missouri. These high-temperature events can place significant physiological stress on maize (Zea mays L.), which is cultivated on approximately 90 million acres across the United States, with leading production in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Like all maize, Bayer’s PRECEON™ Smart Corn System is subject to transpiration-driven water loss under high heat. However, this system incorporates agronomic traits designed to improve standability through enhanced stalk strength, thereby reducing lodging risk during stress conditions. Furthermore, the system supports precision agriculture practices by enabling more targeted fertilizer and crop protection applications. This approach not only helps to optimize input efficiency but also contributes to maintaining or increasing yield potential under variable environmental stresses such as heat waves, which are becoming more frequent in corn belt and fringe production regions.