A Comparison of Characteristics of Kentucky Soils Under Two Cropping Systems

The cropping systems used in production agriculture change the characteristics of soil. In this study, soil under two different cropping systems and a woodland tract will be compared. Using soil organic carbon, soil pH, soil bulk density, and soil compaction, this research plans to show how various cropping systems affect soil over the course of several years. Soil samples were collected from Marion County, Kentucky in September of 2017. The soil samples collected include Faywood-Cynthiana complex, Lowell silty clay loam, Tilst-Berea silt loam, and Carpenter gravelly silt loam. These tracts are used primarily for the production of tobacco, corn, and soybeans, and for harvesting timber. From each location, three samples were taken from depth intervals of 0 to 7 cm and 7 to 15 cm. The results are pending, but should reveal the effects of tillage practices and no-till practices compared against largely undisturbed woodland soils