**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS REGIONAL PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY THE OPTIMUM RATE OF BIOCHAR APPLICATION, BEST COVER CROP SPECIES (MIX VERSUS SINGLE SPECIES), AND THEIR INTERACTIONS TO MANAGE SOIL HEALTH AND IMPROVE CROP YIELDS IN LOW C, SANDY, AND SLOPING FIELDS. MOST STUDIES INVESTIGATING THE IMPACTS OF BIOCHAR AND COVER CROPS ON SOIL HEALTH INDICATORS WERE CONDUCTED PRIMARILY IN PRIME AGRICULTURAL LANDS OR HIGHLY FERTILE SOILS. HEALTHY SOILS, HOWEVER, MAY NOT NEED BIOCHAR OR COVER CROP ADDITION AS MUCH AS DEGRADED SOILS. THUS, BIOCHAR AND COVER CROPS COULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL IF THEY ARE PLACED IN PROBLEM OR DEGRADED SOILS INCLUDING LOW C, SANDY, AND SLOPING FIELDS WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR RESPONSES TO CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT CAN BE GREATER. FURTHERMORE, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BIOCHAR, A NEED EXISTS TO IDENTIFY THE MINIMUM RATE OF BIOCHAR APPLICATION THAT IS REQUIRED TO ENHANCE SOIL HEALTH, SOIL PRODUCTIVITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. IN ADDITION, NO PREVIOUS STUDY SPECIFICALLY ASSESSED THE SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF BIOCHAR COMBINED WITH SINGLE SPECIES OR MIXES OF COVER CROPS ON SOIL HEALTH. WE EXPECT THAT A COMBINATION OF PRACTICES CAN BE A BETTER STRATEGY TO MANAGE AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF LOW C, SANDY, AND SLOPING SOILS THAN THE USE OF A SINGLE PRACTICE (BIOCHAR OR COVER CROP ALONE). BIOCHAR AND COVER CROPS COULD COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.THIS PROJECT WILL BE CONDUCTED AT THREE REPRESENTATIVE SITES IN THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS AND WESTERN CORN BELT, SPECIFICALLY NEBRASKA. THE SITES WILL INCLUDE LOW C, SANDY, AND SLOPING SOILS IN RAINFED AND IRRIGATED SYSTEMS. THE FIRST LOW C (< 1% C) AND SANDY SITE WILL BE LOCATED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OF LINCOLN (UNL)'S HIGH PLAINS AGRICULTURAL LABORATORY (HPAL) NEAR SIDNEY, NE. THE SECOND LOW C (< 2%) AND SANDY SITE WILL BE AN ON-FARM SITE NEAR NORFOLK, NE. THE THIRD SITE WILL BE ON A SLOPING (ABOUT 5% SLOPE)/HIGH (3% C) FINE-TEXTURED SOIL AT THE UNL'S ROGERS MEMORIAL FARM. A COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF SOIL PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES WILL BE MEASURED AS SOIL HEALTH INDICATORS FROM EACH SITE. WE WILL ALSO ASSESS CROP YIELDS AND COVER CROP ABOVEGROUND AND BELOWGROUND BIOMASS PRODUCTION.THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SOILS [LOW C, SANDY, AND SLOPING (I.E., EROSION-PRONE) SOILS], ALLOWING THEM TO DELIVER MULTIPLE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES INCLUDING SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY, IMPROVED WATER QUALITY, AND IMPROVED CROP, ANIMAL, AND HUMAN HEALTH IN THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS AND WESTERN CORN BELT UNDER FLUCTUATING CLIMATES. DISSEMINATION AND IMPACT OF DATA COLLECTED WILL BE KEY TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT. THE PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, FIELD DAYS, PROJECT REPORTS, EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS, AND JOURNAL ARTICLES. THE OUTREACH PLAN WILL FOCUS ON CREATING VISIBILITY OF THE PROJECT ACROSS THE REGION AND PROMOTING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIOCHAR AND COVER CROP BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES (IF ANY) FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY. THE DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS WILL AFFECT BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES OF FARMERS AND OTHERS ABOUT BIOCHAR AND COVER CROPS. THE IMPACT OF THE DISSEMINATION COMPONENT WILL BE THE IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF SOIL HEALTH AS AFFECTED BY BIOCHAR AND COVER CROPS.

Board Of Regents Of The University Of Nebraska

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