News
- Soil Health Institute Announces Recommended Measurements for Evaluating Soil Health
Although many measurements can contribute to assessment to soil health, research and other considerations (cost, practicality, availability, redundancy), suggest that the minimal suite of three measurements to be widely applied across North America for assessing soil health include: 1) soil organic carbon concentration, 2) carbon mineralization potential, and 3) aggregate stability.
Upcoming Soil-Related Events
There are currently no upcoming soil-related events. Please see the NJAES calendar for statewide events.
About the Soil Health Initiative
Funded by NJAES Vision 2025, the goal of this initiative is to promote soil health research, education and outreach that will lead to the restoration of New Jersey’s soil resources and development of a sustainable system to protect them for future generations.
NJAES Soil Projects
- Soil Health Connections Symposium
This event was held in March 2022 to assemble faculty and staff with interests in soil-related problems. The overall goals are coordination of existing expertise/projects, supporting collaborations and identifying needs. A follow-up event is being planned to include partners and stakeholders. (Project Lead: Rutgers Soil Testing Lab director Stephanie Murphy) - Soil Management Plan for P.E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research
Detailed mapping and soil instrumentation at the P.E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension in Chatsworth, NJ will allow preparation of a land use plan and evaluation of relationships between soil conditions and plant health within blueberry and cranberry production systems. (Principal Investigator: extension specialist in plant pathology and Marucci Center director, Peter Oudemans) - Grassy Weed Cover Crop Adaptation
Researching the adaptation of a grassy “weed” and its potential use as a cover crop for blueberries to protect and enhance soil. (Principal Investigator: extension specialist in weed science, Thierry Besançon) - New Jersey Soil Observatories
Development of long-term soil observatories on selected NJAES farms will allow documentation and aid research of climate-induced effects on soil properties. (Principal Investigator: professor of soil science, SEBS Department of Environmental Sciences, Daniel Gimenez)