Soil Quality is “the capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health” (Doran and Parkin, 1994). Research on soil health is a longstanding area of emphasis for CSANR, including understanding and measuring essential soil health parameters, exploring management strategies to positively impact soil functions, and providing farmers and ranchers with tools to implement improved soil quality management.
Featured Publications
Grounding United States policies and programs in soil carbon science: strengths, limitations, and opportunities
Gelardi, D., Rath, D. & Kruger, C.E. 2023. Grounding United States policies and programs in soil carbon science: strengths, limitations, and opportunities. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 7. 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1188133.
Evaluating Compost Application for Soil Carbon Sequestration on Agricultural Land and Compost Buy-Back Programs in Washington State (PDF)
Ball, K.R., M.P. Brady, I.C. Burke, D.P. Collins, K.M. Hills, C.E. Kruger, B. Stone, E.L. Taylor, and G.G. Yorgey. Evaluating Compost Application for Soil Carbon Sequestration on Agricultural Land and Compost Buy-Back Programs in Washington State. Report to the Washington State Legislature. Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA
Washington Soil Health Initiative Roadmap
Hills, K. & C. Benedict (Eds.) 2021. Washington Soil Health Initiative Roadmap. Washington State University, Pullman WA. October 2021. https://soilhealth.wsu.edu/washington-state-soil-health-roadmap/
A Tool to Predict the Effects of Land Management on Water and Sediment Yield (PDF)
Kirkpatrick, A.W. 2021. A Tool to Predict the Effects of Land Management on Water and Sediment Yield. FireEarth Science Brief No. 13. Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University. csanr.wsu.edu/publications/fireearth-brief13/.
Soil health and well-being: Redefining soil health based upon a plurality of values
Claire N. Friedrichsen, Sheryl Hagen-Zakarison, J.D. Wulfhorst, M.L. Friesen, Soil health and well-being: Redefining soil health based upon a plurality of values, Soil Security, Volume 2, 2021, 100004, ISSN 2667-0062, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2021.100004.
Dairies to Berries: Dairy-Manure Derived Fertilizers for Use in Raspberry and Blueberry Cropping Systems – Evaluation for Agronomic, Soil Health and Food Safety Efficacy (PDF)
Benedict, C, Yorgey, G, Zhu, MJ, Zhang, Y, Tsai, H-C, Stacey, N, Su, Y, Sheng, L, Shen, X, Schacht, E, Kruger, C, Hills, K, Drennan, M, Cook, J. 2020. Dairies to Berries: Dairy-Manure Derived Fertilizers for Use in Raspberry and Blueberry Cropping Systems – Evaluation for Agronomic, Soil Health and Food Safety Efficacy. Final Report. Washington […]
Evaluation of Pre-harvest Microbiological Safety of Blueberry Production With or Without Manure-Derived Fertilizer
Shen, X, Sheng, L, Benedict, C, Kruger, CE, Su, Y, Schacht, E, Zhang, Y, Zhu, MJ. 2020. Evaluation of Pre-harvest Microbiological Safety of Blueberry Production With or Without Manure-Derived Fertilizer. Front Microbiol. 10:3130. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03130
Estimating and comparing cropland nitrogen need with dairy farm nutrient recovery: A case study in Whatcom County, WA.
Stacey, N, Hills, K, Yorgey, G. 2020. Estimating and comparing cropland nitrogen need with dairy farm nutrient recovery: A case study in Whatcom County, WA. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170520000198
The effect of formulation and application method of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculants on onion seedlings in a growth chamber study, 2016. (PDF)
du Toit, L.J., Brouwer, L.R., Derie, M.L., Henrichs, B.A., Holmes, B.J., and Waters, T.D. 2020. Plant Disease Management Reports 14:V059.
A Rapid Test for Plant-Available Water-Holding Capacity in Soil-Biochar Mixtures (PDF)
Amonette, J.E., Flury, M., Zhang, J. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 37 pp.
Integrating Compost and Biochar for Improved Air Quality, Crop Yield, and Soil Health (PDF)
Gang, D., Collins, D., Jobson, T., Seefeldt, S., Berim, A., Stacey, N., Khosravi, N., Hoashi-Erhardt, W. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 99 pp.
Differentiating the Value and Cost of Compost Across Likely Farm Use Scenarios in Western Washington (PDF)
Hills, K., Brady, M., Yorgey, G., Collins, D. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 17 pp.
Farmer-to-Farmer & Rancher-to-Rancher Case Studies Series
Authors include: Yorgey, G., Borrelli, K., Painter, K., Davis, H., Hall, S., Hudson, T., Neibergs, S., Reeves, M., Kruger, C., McGuire A., Finkelnburg, D., Roe, D., Brooks, E., and Kantor, S. 2016-2019. PNW Extension Publications and videos. These series explore strategies that innovative regional farmers and ranchers are using that enhance resilience to climate change and […]
Safeguarding Potato Cropping Systems in the Pacific Northwest Through Improved Soil Health (PDF)
Hills, K., H. Collins, G. Yorgey, A. McGuire, C. Kruger. 2018. Report prepared for the Washington State Potato Commission. Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University. 96 pp. (large file: 13 MB)
2018 Soil Health Summit Summary Report (PDF)
Saari, B.R., C.E. Kruger, G.G. Yorgey, L. Michel, W.L. Pan, J. Moore-Kucera, R. Ledgerwood, R. Koenig, and M. Clark. 2018. Washington State 2018 Soil Health Summit Summary Report. Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA.
Nutrient Recovery: Products from dairy manure to improve soil fertility
Benedict, C., J. Harrison, S. Hall, G. Yorgey. 2018. Washington State University. FS305E.
Building Soils for Better Crops – 2016 Conference (PDF)
Soil Health (PDF)
Awale, R., S. Machado, R. Ghimire, P. Bista. Soil Health. Chapter 2 In Yorgey, G. and C. Kruger, eds. Advances in Dryland Production Systems in the Pacific Northwest. Washington State University Extension, Pullman, WA.
Advances in Dryland Farming in the Inland Pacific Northwest
Georgine Yorgey and Chad Kruger, Eds. 2017. Washington State University Extension. Pullman, WA.
Soil physical properties, nitrogen, and crop yield in organic vegetable production systems
Cogger, C, A. Bary, A. Fortuna, L. Myhre, and D.P. Collins. 2016. Agronomy Journal. 108:1142-1154
Cover crop effects on light, nitrogen, and weeds in organic reduced tillage
Wayman, S., C. Cogger, D. P. Collins, C. Benedict, I. Burke, and A. Bary. 2015. 39:6, 647-665, DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2015.1018398
Productivity, economics, and fruit and soil quality of weed management systems in commercial organic orchards in Washington State, USA
Granatstein, D., P. Andrews, and A. Groff. May 2014. Organic Agriculture. DOI 10.1007/s13165-014-0068-0
The influence of cover crop variety, termination timing, and termination method on mulch, weed cover, and soil nitrate in organic reduced-tillage
Wayman, S., C. Cogger, C. Benedict, I. Burke, D. P. Collins, and A. Bary. 2014. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. FirstView: 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1742170514000246.
Soil Fertility in Organic Systems: A Guide for Gardeners and Small Acreage Farmers
Collins,D. C. Miles, C. Cogger, R. Koenig. 2013. Pacific Northwest Extension Publication PNW646.
Soil Testing: A Guide for Farms with Diverse Vegetable Crops
Collins, D. 2012. Washington State University Extension. EM050E.
Additional Publications
Insights for Healthy Soils and Carbon Farming: California’s experience with soil health policies
Torri Estrada, Executive Director at the Carbon Cycle Institute in Petaluma, CA, spoke about California’s recent experience with policies to support agricultural soil health alongside soil carbon sequestration and water conservation. He also discussed emerging efforts in other states relating to improved soil health. 2018.
Soil mapping and ad hoc power analysis to increase blocking efficiency prior to establishing a long-term field experiment
Collins, D.P, C. Benedict, A.I. Bary, C. Cogger. 2015. Scientific World Journal. Article ID 205392: 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/205392
Northwest Soil Science: Nitrogen Mineralization
Soil Scientist Doug Collins published an article on Readthedirt.org that explains his research on how and when soil nutrients are available to crops.
A Fine Thin Skin – wind, water, valcanoes and ice
Steury, 2011. Article highlighting CSANR soil research in Washington State Magazine.
Farm-scale variation of soil quality indices and association with edaphic properties
Collins, D.P., C.G. Cogger, A.C. Kennedy, T. Forge, A.I. Bary, H.P. Collins, and R. Rossi. 2011.Soil Science Society of America Journal. 75 (2): 580-590.
Growing Vegetables in Areas Where Soils Were Contaminated with Heavy Metals – March 2009 (PDF)
Article in Sustaining the Pacific Northwest Newsletter
Orchard floor management effects on nitrogen fertility and soil biological activity in newly established organic apple orchard.
L. Hoagland, L. Carpenter-Boggs, D. Granatstein, M. Mazzola, J. Smith, F. Peryea, and J. Reganold. 2008. Biology and Fertility of Soils online.
Soils and Soil Testing
Links for farmers and gardeners to resources on soil sampling, soil testing, and soil test interpretation.
Soil Quality
A series of measurements was begun in 2004 to assess selected soil physical and biological properties in a variety of cropping and management systems. Measurements include bulk density, soil compaction, soil organic matter, and aggregate stability. Biological measurements began in 2005.
Soil and winegrape quality in biodynamically and organically managed vineyards.
J. R. Reeve, L. Carpenter-Boggs, J. P. Reganold, A. L. York, G. McGourty, and L. P. McCloskey. 2005. Amer. J. Enol. Vitic. 56: 367-376.
Browse all Soil Health Publications