Soil Management

If you wish information on specific programs or wish to learn of openings for new students in individual laboratories, please contact professors directly.

Soil management considers the interaction of soil type, climate, tillage and crop to provide an optimum environment for the plant while maintaining the soil resource.

Programs Available in Soil Management:

Al-Kaisi, Mahdi M. Associate Professor. Soil and water management as related to crop production, nitrogen and water quality, soil erosion, animal waste management and its impact on soil and water quality, tillage practices impact on soil quality parameters and physical properties. malkaisi@iastate.edu

Cambardella, Cynthia A. Associate Professor (USDA Collaborator). Soil microbiology and biochemistry, especially as they relate to processes controlling the turnover of C, N, P, and S in managed and natural ecosystems. Current research focuses on the dynamics of N cycling in soil as influenced by agricultural management practices and land use patterns. cindyc@nstl.gov

Castellano, Michael Assistant Professor. Soil biogeochemistry with particular focus on nitrogen. Cycling and transport of nitrogen and carbon in solid, solution and gaseous phases. Biogeochemical cycling as affected by soil water. castelmj@iastate.edu

Cruse, Richard M. Professor. Soil management and soil physical properties as related to crop growth and soil erosion. The effect of management practices such as tillage, fertilization, crop sequences, and field traffic patterns on soil hydraulic, thermal, and strength properties is evaluated. rmc@iastate.edu

Karlen, Douglas L. Professor (USDA Collaborator). Interactions among soil, water, nutrient, and crop management practices that influence soil tilth and can reduce nutrient and pesticide losses from the crop root zone. dkarlen@nstl.gov

Kaspar, Thomas C. Professor (USDA Collaborator). Tillage systems, wheel traffic compaction, residue management, and soil physical characteristics as they affect growth and development of roots, shoots, and crop yield; soil structure modification by plant roots. kaspar@nstl.gov

Kovar, John L. Associate Professor (USDA Collaborator). Nutrient management, with emphasis on soil phosphorus; soil-plant relationships, root growth and development, and rhizosphere chemistry as affected by inorganic and organic amendments. kovar@nstl.gov

Logsdon, Sally D. Professor (USDA Collaborator). Soil management influences on soil structure; influence of soil structure on movement of water and solutes, and roots; lateral and preferential movement of water and solutes and influence on groundwater quality. logsdon@nstl.gov

Mallarino, Antonio P. Professor. Soil fertility and plant nutrition, with emphasis on phosphorus and potassium. Research on soil testing, plant analysis, and methods of fertilizer application for improving profitability of crop production and quality of surface waters. apmallar@iastate.edu

Polito, Thomas A. Assistant Professor. Soil fertility with an emphasis on determining the best nutrient management practices for soybean production systems. tpolito@iastate.edu