From June 20-25, the University of Guelph hosted SOILS & CROPS IN FOCUS: Critical resources from coast to coast to coast, a joint conference of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) and the Canadian Society of Agronomy. Soils At Guelph recognized six deserving CSSS student members with the Soils At Guelph award, three oral presentation winners and three poster presentation winners, each receiving a cash prize. These awards recognize students working to advance our knowledge of agricultural soil health or advance farmers’ abilities to implement management practices that support soil health. These topics align with Soils at Guelph’s mission to advance sustainable soil management by making research accessible and facilitating knowledge exchange between researchers, farmers, industry, government, and the public. We’re excited to showcase the researchers and their award-winning work.
POSTER PRESENTATION WINNERS
Julianna Tindall, MSc in Plant Agriculture
Evaluating the Impact of Crop-Livestock Integration on Soil Health in Elora, Ontario
Julianna Tindall is a Master’s student in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph under the supervision of Dr. Kimberley Schneider, Dr. Kari Dunfield, and other faculty members. She is studying the short-term effects of crop–livestock integration through cover crop grazing using beef cattle. Her research focuses on evaluating the impact of grazing cover crops on soil health and subsequent crop yield. Cover crops have been shown to improve soil health over time, and although integrating livestock through grazing is becoming more common in Ontario, limited local information is available on how this practice affects soil properties.
This research was conducted at the Ontario Beef Research Centre in Elora, where cattle grazed cover crops as part of a crop rotation. Soil samples were collected from grazed and ungrazed areas and analyzed for a range of physical, biological, and chemical soil health indicators. Preliminary results showed that grazing caused few changes to soil properties immediately following fall grazing. Data analysis is underway to determine whether these observed effects persist into the following season, and subsequent crop yield will be measured to evaluate the overall impact of grazing cover crops. This research will help improve understanding of how crop–livestock integration affects soil health and provide information to support management decisions for Ontario producers.
Jedida Chirchir, PhD in Plant Science
Drivers, Patterns, and Management of Soil pH and Nutrient Stratification in No-Till Cropping Systems
Jedida Chirchir is a PhD student in the faculty of agricultural, life & environmental sciences at the University of Alberta under Dr. Linda Gorim, studying the drivers, patterns, and management of soil pH and nutrient stratification in no-till cropping systems.
“Under long-term no-till management, soil pH and nutrients are often unevenly distributed. This study analyzed data from North American agricultural systems to identify the causes, effects, and management of uneven distribution of soil pH and nutrients, and to understand vertical distribution patterns between tilled and no-till systems.
The results indicate that the uneven distribution of soil pH and nutrients results from: (1) historical tillage practices that redistributed soil across the landscape, exposing alkaline or acidic subsoils on upper landscape positions and depositing organic matter in lower positions; (2) crop rotations involving crops with different seed sizes sown at varying depths, resulting in fertilizer placement at different soil depths; (3) surplus fertilizer use; and (4) surface retention of crop residues under no-till management. The analyzed data indicate that soil pH varies minimally with depth and between tilled and no-till systems. However, phosphorus and potassium accumulated near the soil surface under no-till systems.
Management options include liming, which may not fully address uneven distribution, and occasional tillage, whose effectiveness and implementation in the Canadian Prairies require further research. Soil pH and nutrient variability can reduce the accuracy of current soil sampling practices, which can lead to less reliable fertilizer recommendations.”
Vijay Velusamy, MSc in Environmental Sciences
Aerobic Biodegradation of Bioplastics in Agricultural Soil under Laboratory and Field Conditions
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental challenge, particularly in agriculture where plastic mulch films and packaging are widely used. Biodegradable plastics have been developed as a more sustainable alternative; however, there is limited understanding of how well they degrade under real agricultural soil conditions.
Laboratory tests are commonly used to evaluate biodegradable plastics under controlled conditions, but soils in the field are much more complex. Factors such as soil microorganisms, temperature, moisture, and weather can all influence how quickly these materials break down. As a result, laboratory results may not always reflect what happens in agricultural environments.
Under the supervision of Dr. Brandon Gilroyed at the University of Guelph, this research compares the biodegradation of bioplastic materials under standardized laboratory conditions and in agricultural field soils. The study evaluates material degradation through carbon dioxide production, mass loss, physical changes, and changes in material properties to better understand how environmental conditions influence biodegradation. The findings will help improve the evaluation of biodegradable plastics and support the development of more sustainable materials that protect soil health while reducing plastic pollution.
“The true measure of a biodegradable material is not how it performs in the laboratory, but how it supports the health and resilience of the soil where life begins. Healthy soils are the key to a sustainable future.”
Oral presentation winners
Iraj Yaghoubian, PhD Candidate in Plant Agriculture
Untangling the Effect of Corn Residue on No-Till Soybean Establishment and Yield: Field and Growth Room Insights
Iraj Yaghoubian is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, studying the effect of corn residue on no-till soybean establishment and yield under the supervision of Dr. Joshua Nasielski.
High levels of surface corn residue reduce stand establishment and yield in no-till soybeans. However, the mechanisms by which residue interferes with soybean establishment remain unclear. Surface residue can interfere with planter performance, reduce seedbed quality (e.g., act as a physical barrier to emergence) and also affect seedbed temperature and moisture. Disentangling these mechanisms has not been done.
Iraj conducted a field trial (RCBD, 4 replicates) in Winchester, ON, comparing spring tillage to no-till with different residue manipulation treatments. Residue was removed before planting, after planting, and removed before planting but added back after planting. Planter performance, seedbed soil physical properties, emergence rate, plant population and yield were evaluated in the field. Iraj found that when corn residue was removed before planting in the no-till system and added back after planting, the number of planted seeds, plant population, and final yield increased by 55%, 38%, and 11%, respectively, compared to no-till with surface residue, outperforming spring tillage.
Iraj ran a parallel growth chamber experiment evaluating the effect of residue placement, placed on the surface or mixed with soil at different depths (above, below and surrounding the seed). Germination, emergence, hypocotyl length and biomass partitioning were evaluated in the growth chamber. In the growth chamber, emergence, final population and leaf:stem biomass ratio were reduced only when residue was mixed into the soil.
Together, Iraj’s results suggest that the negative effect of corn residue on no-till soybean establishment is due to residue being mixed into the seedbed soil. Improving soybean establishment in no-till to levels comparable to tilled systems requires planter modifications that ensure residue is removed from the seedbed during planting.
Jessica Nicksy, PhD Candidate
Legume Intercropping Supplies N and Shifts Soil Processes in Novel Perennial Grain Kernza™
Jessica Nicksy is a PhD candidate in the faculty of agricultural and environmental sciences at McGill University under Dr. Cynthia Kallenbach.
Jessica’s presentation spotlighted increasing perenniality (crops that survive and produce season after season) and diversity (different species and functions of plants) in agricultural systems may enhance ecosystem services and reduce disservices.
Jessica’s research investigates how a novel perennial cereal crop, Kernza®, interacts with a legume intercrop to shift soil processes and enhance nitrogen cycling. Legume intercropping supplied nitrogen to the main Kernza® crop, increased soil N pools and cycling, and shifted the composition of soil organic matter. This research helps to establish the benefits of intercropping for crop and soil health.
Dillon Muldoon, PhD in Environmental and Life Science
From Surface to Subsoil: Management Effects on Soil Carbon Dynamics
Dillon Muldoon is a PhD Candidate in the Environmental and Life Science Graduate Program at Trent University under the supervision of Dr. Karen Thompson. He is investigating how agricultural management practices and land use impact soil carbon dynamics and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal connection in surface and deep soils. His project is in collaboration with Dr. Micaela Tosi and Dr. Daniela León Velandia, in partnership and supported by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks.
Dillon sampled both the surface (0-25 cm) and deep (80-105 cm) soils from five different agricultural management practices and two undisturbed land uses on the same working farm in Caven, Ontario. The agricultural management practices included a no rotation (corn-bean), rotation (corn-bean-small grain), rotation with cover crops, rotation with organic amendments, and rotation with cover crops and organic amendments. The undisturbed sites consisted of a hay field and a mixed maple-beech forest. These soils were then transported to the lab and sent out for soil analysis, including carbon fractionation to assess particulate organic matter and mineral-associated organic matter pools. Soils were also sent out for sequencing to measure arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community diversity.
To date, Dillon’s results have shown that depth by treatment interaction influences where soil carbon is partitioned in soil pools, that total carbon is higher in deep soils under agricultural management, and that forest soils behave differently from managed agricultural systems. While he is still waiting for sequencing data to investigate the impact of agricultural management and land use on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities, these findings highlight that without sampling deep soils, we are missing the whole picture of carbon pools in agricultural soils.
Congratulations to all of the Soils At Guelph award winners for their outstanding contributions to soil science research.
