Sensing the Soil
The land is becoming less of a mystery with the help of technology.
Noble Rancher Articles
Soil category
Not All Rainfall Is Effective
Generally speaking, a 1% increase in organic matter corresponds to an increase in soil water-holding capacity by about 20,000 gallons of water per acre.
Understanding Soils With the Help of Sensors
Noble researchers are using sensors to gain a better understanding of the effects of tillage and cover crops on soil moisture, temperature, erosion and organic carbon.
Organic matter serves important role in soil health
The contributions of soil organic matter and how to maintain or increase it.
What Does Organic Matter Do In Soil?
Soil organic matter plays an important role in the health of pastures and the success of ranches.
Understanding and Correcting Soil Acidity
Soil acidity is rapidly becoming a problem in our region. Each year more soil samples handled by the Noble Research Institute have or are prone to acidity problems. Acidic soils create production problems by limiting the availability of some essential plant nutrients and increasing that of the soil solution’s toxic elements, such as aluminum and manganese, the major cause of poor crop performance and failure in acidic soils. Below soil pH 5.5 (pH is the measurement of soil aciditythe lower the pH, the higher the soil acidity), aluminum may be concentrated enough to limit or stop root development. As a result, plants cannot absorb water and nutrients, are stunted, and exhibit nutrient deficiency symptoms (especially those for phosphorus). Toxic levels of manganese interfere with normal growth processes in the aerial plant parts, which stunts the plant, discolors it, and causes poor yields.