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Mapping Soil Health and Grain Quality Variations Across a Corn Field in Texas
1K. Adhikari, 1D. R. Smith, 1C. Hajda, 2P. R. Owens
1. USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, TX 76502, USA
2. USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, Booneville, AR 72927

Soil health is a key property of soils influencing grain yield and quality. Within-field mapping of soil health index and grain quality can help farmers and managers to adjust site-specific farm management decisions for economic benefits. A study was conducted to map within-field soil health and grain protein and oil content variations using apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and terrain attributes as their predictors. Two hundred and two topsoil samples were analyzed to determine soil health index based on the Haney Soil Health Tool. Grain protein and oil content were measured using CropScan monitor and ECa with DualEM sensor. Soil health index, protein and oil content were predicted using ECa and 14 terrain attributes derived from the digital elevation model. We found ECa a good predictor of soil health index and protein content, terrain attributes such as wetness index and elevation were also important. We found the field had a good soil health status and, areas with higher soil health index had higher protein content. Soil types also influenced soil health index and grain protein and oil content across the field.

Keyword: Soil health, grain quality, geostatistics, machine learning