Chapter 1-6: Soil Health and Agricultural Practices

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chapters 1–6: Introduction, Clay Soil, Sweet Corn Seed, Soil Organisms, Inches Of Top, and Conclusion.

Soil health

The balanced condition of soil considering physical, biological, and chemical properties that support plant growth.

Tillage

Soil disturbance practices used to prepare seedbeds; conventional tillage is deep, while reduced-disturbance methods can improve soil health.

No-till farming

A tillage practice that minimizes soil disturbance, preserving residue, structure, and microbial activity.

Minimum till

A reduced tillage approach that disturbs soil less than conventional tillage but more than no-till.

Soil aggregates

Clumps of soil particles that create pore spaces and influence soil structure and porosity.

Pore space (airspace)

The air-filled voids in soil that enable root respiration and gas exchange.

Soil biology

Living organisms in soil (e.g., earthworms, microbes) that drive nutrient cycling and soil structure.

Soil chemistry

Chemical properties of soil, including pH and nutrient availability, that affect plant growth.

Deep-rooted radish

A long-rooted cover crop radish used to create channels in soil to improve structure, aeration, and drainage.

Clay soil

Soil with high clay content that stays wet after deep tillage and can form a hard pan that impedes drainage.

Hard pan

A dense subsurface soil layer that restricts water movement and root growth.

Fibrous roots

A network of fine roots (as in crimson clover and rye) that helps improve soil structure and nutrient uptake.

Cover crop

Plants grown to cover soil, protect against erosion, suppress weeds, and improve soil health.

Buckwheat

A cover crop used to improve soil; when terminated, it can leave long stems that decompose slowly.

Crimper / roller crimper

A tool that crimps and lays down cover crops to terminate them, enabling planting directly into the residue.

Germination issues

Problems with seed germination caused by heavy or dense cover crop residue or long stems.

Long stem vs short pieces

Different sizes of cover crop residues after termination; long stems decompose more slowly than short pieces.

Sweet corn seed rate

The number of sweet corn seeds planted per acre (example increasing from 26,000 to 28,000).

Seed cost per acre

The monetary cost of seeds per acre; higher seeding rates increase cost per acre (e.g., $92 to $100).

Economic trade-off of seeding rate

Raising seeding rate increases costs and may affect yield and profitability depending on outcomes.

Rotational period

The time required to rotate crops and allow soil health benefits to accumulate; not immediate.

Topsoil depth / Inches of top

The uppermost soil layer; notes reference needing about 18 additional inches of topsoil.

Living mulch

A living plant cover on the soil surface that helps suppress weeds and protect soil.

Grass cover decline

Observation that previously healthy grass can gradually disappear over time, indicating changes in soil health or management.