By Nicolle Ritchie
Being able to innovate and adapt is important for farm success, but it can be overwhelming to make changes. A good tool or resource should make your life easier in some way. It might inform decision-making, simplify calculations or analyze and organize data in a practical way. It should be user-friendly, affordable and reliable or trustworthy. The following is a list of free tools and resources on improving soil health, conservation and fertility practices and decision-making. It is not an exhaustive list but a starting point.
Nutrient management
The creation of synthetic fertilizers was a launching point for crop yields. Today, fertilizer is one of the highest input costs for growers. Excess fertilization can negatively affect water quality and hit the pocketbook. Michigan State University Extension provides easily interpreted research-based fertilizer recommendations based on soil test results.
Fertilizer Recommendation Program: Enter soil test results into this tool to receive personalized fertilizer recommendations from MSU Extension for your crop and soil. These recommendations are based on the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations.
Conservation and soil health
The foundation of crop productivity is the soil. Soil provides nutrients and water, anchors plants and shelters important micro- and macro-organisms. When it comes to building soil health, there are many tools out there, most of which are directly related to cover cropping. Using cover crops can greatly improve soil by increasing the soil organic matter and water holding capacity as well as reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss.
Cover Crop Decision Tool: This tool from the Midwest Cover Crops Council shows cover crop species options for your operation based on your cash crop, location and cover crop goals.
Cover Crop Species Selector: This tool from Precision Sustainable Agriculture shows cover crop species options for your operation based on your cash crop, location, cover crop goals and the Midwest Cover Crops Council guidelines.
Cover Crop Nitrogen Calculator: Use this tool from Precision Sustainable Agriculture with a current cover crop biomass sample or select the predictive model to calculate biomass for you. This tool estimates nitrogen mineralization from grass cover crops like cereal rye, triticale and more.
Source : msu.edu