Make your soils more productive

Gypsum helps alleviate many common field problems faced by growers that raise corn, soybeans, peanuts, cotton and other crops.

Prevent Sulfur Deficiency

Southeastern soils - and soils in other areas - are becoming more depleted in sulfur.  This is due, in part, because air pollution standards have lowered sulfur emissions.  A 2010 University of Wisconsin study found 64 percent of alfalfa tissue samples to be low in sulfur compared to just 38 percent a decade earlier.  That’s a 68 percent increase in sulfur deficiency.1  University of Illinois researchers saw some evidence that sulfur applications may achieve a positive response in corn in a study started in 2009.  They are currently undergoing further research and are looking at gypsum applications as a sulfur source. 

1 Laboski et al, University of Wisconsin, 2010.

Increase Water Infiltration

Highly productive soils soak up rainwater quickly and move moisture down through the soil profile so it is available when the crop needs it. Unfortunately, many tight clay Southeastern soils are slow to absorb water and ineffective in storing moisture. In heavy rains, the water runs off or fields may become ponded or water-logged at the surface so the ground stays wet for long periods.  When the fields are dry, the soil becomes hard and concrete-like. Because water doesn’t absorb well into the soil, the crop may suffer because it doesn’t have access to moisture deep in the soil profile. GYPSOIL helps soils absorb and retain rainwater.   When soil is hard, tight and impermeable - often the case with Southeastern clay type soils -- heavy rain runs off or water pools on the surface of the field.  In low spots, growers see ponding and marshy, swampy patches.  These spots are slow to dry which delays fieldwork and can cause poor root development, nutrient leaching and denitrification.

Mitigate Surface Sealing/Crusting

Clay soils, especially those with high magnesium content and/or sodium content, are prone to crusting and sealing at the surface following rainfall events. This is because clay particles in soil are easily dispersible or splattered across the soil surface as rainwater pellets the ground. When the water eventually recedes back into the soil, the clay is filtered onto the surface and forms a hard crust.

Crusted soils restrict many things. It is difficult for seedlings to emerge from in the early spring when soils are crusted over at the surface.  Sealing also traps water just below the surface, like liquid is trapped inside a drinking straw as you hold your thumb over the top. The trapped water won’t evaporate so soils can’t “breath” or move oxygen.  That’s detrimental to germination and growth and can lead to denitrification.

Reduce Erosion and Runoff

Soil erosion by water - the loss of soil and sediment - is a serious problem that can have significant negative impacts on agricultural productivity, drainage and surface water quality.  Eroded topsoil transfers into streams and other waterways, causing potential surface water quality problems and hydrological damage that can be far-reaching within a watershed. Topsoil losses also reduce agronomic productivity.

Like soil and sediment losses caused by erosion, dispersible soils are prone to nutrient losses through runoff and surface water or tile output.  This can cause nonpoint source pollution in watersheds if not corrected. Research by Dr. Darrell Norton and others has demonstrated that gypsum applications can help reduce soil and nutrient runoff.

Compaction

Compacted soils limit root growth, cause drainage problems and impact nutrient availability. Some soil experts have likened compaction to pushing a load of bricks on the soil’s lungs. Compaction suffocates the soil’s ability to distribute water, air and nutrients. Compaction is a result of equipment traffic and also an indicator of soil health.   Soil compaction, referred to by soil scientists as soil density, can be determined using a penetrometer or by difficulty or ease in pulling equipment such as a planter or tillage tool. GYPSOIL helps improve soil structure so fields are better able to withstand operations.

1 "Soil-Building Tips for Better No-Till Productivity," Special No-Till Management Report No. 32, No-Till Farmer, July 2011, various articles.

Promote Healthier Roots

Southeastern soils that are tight and compacted, or saturated with surface water, are a poor environment for root growth.  Roots flourish when soil particles are loose enough to allow good flow of moisture, air and nutrients for ideal plant growth and health. Use GYPSOIL to enhance soil structure and help improve rooting.

Support Biological Activity

Healthy soils should be alive with biological activity, promoting a vibrant habitat for soil organisms to decompose organic compounds such as plant residue, manure and pesticides. The soil organisms fix nitrogen, stabilize nutrients, enhance soil aggregation and porosity and feed on crop pests.  In healthy soils, growers see soil test levels of organic matter climb and faster residue breakdown.  Healthy soils also attract earthworms that break down residue and burrow into the profile to create air and moisture channels that plant roots can utilize.   If soil is compacted and tight, growers may see fewer earthworms. GYPSOIL improves soils structure to help soil biology thrive.