Terra Preta (TP) is a black earth-like anthropogenic soil with enhanced fertility due to high levels of black carbon (charcoal) and nutrients such as N, P, K, and Ca embedded in a landscape of infertile soils. TP soils found in the Brazilian Amazon are known for their unique soil fertility properties. However, their biological properties remain a mystery.  We believe the soil microorganisms specifically found in TP soils can serve as a major contributor to C sequestration by helping to mineralize as well as stabilize certain fractions of soil organic matter. To this end, we are using  traditional culturing, molecular, and microscopic techniques to assess microbial abundance and diversity.

Learn more about Terra Preta: Lehmann's site, Grossman's site

Project members: Julie Grossman, Brendan O'Neill, Lauren Mc.Phillips

The potential benefits of transgenic corn and rice are wide ranging and economically appealing, while the concern over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their unintended impacts on the environment presents strong opposition. This debate has lead to the study of the full range of impacts of both transgenic Cry3Bb corn and Cry1Ab rice on aspects of plant C allocation as well as possible influence on the soil microbial community. Specifically, we are investigating the impact of these transgenic species on diversity and community function of bacteria in soil as well as abundance and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil.

Project members: Luz Marina Londono, Kai Xue, Raquel Serohijos

Apple Replant Disease (ARD) is a disease complex that affects young apple trees in replanted orchards and is a serious problem in many old orchard sites surveyed around NY. Typical symptoms are death of fine feeder roots, stunted above and below- ground growth, especially during the early years following replant, leading to substantial yield losses. In most sites, biotic factors have been implicated, with soil-borne fungi, bacteria, nematodes, actinobacteria and oomycetes variously cited as causal pathogens in site-specific combinations. Our research focuses on two aspects of ARD management: (1) the use of ARD tolerant rootstock breeds, (2) the impact of groundcover management in the precious orchards on the ARD severity at replant.

Project members: Angelika Rumberger, Shengrui Yao

Naturally occurring peat soils in Western NY contain anomalously high concentrations of Zn and Cd. The availability and cycling of these metals is driven primarily by shifting microbial populations as a result of the changing soil environment. We believe characterization of the organisms in this environment may help us better understand the biogeochemical cycles of Zn and Cd. And have been able to use this system as model to further methods development in soil microbiology.

Project member: Tarah Sullivan

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!

Project member: Chris Jones

The Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia support 13.5 million hectares of rice-wheat cropping systems which currently feed over one billion people. The intensification of agriculture in this region since the 1970's has rewarded farmers with more than a two-fold increase in rice and wheat yields. However, this continuous cropping has also exacerbated the problems of weeds, pests and disease and there is now evidence that productivity is not being sustained as rice and wheat yields are stagnating and even declining despite increasing both use and amounts of agrochemical inputs. Soil solarization is a management practice that been shown to help ameliorate pest and disease problems and is an accessible, low-risk investment for small farmers with the potential to dramatically improve yields. Solarization involves passively heating the soil with polyethylene sheeting several weeks prior to planting rice. Field trials were conducted in Nepal to determine the effects of soil solarization on the bacterial, fungal and nematode communities in rice and wheat.

Project member: Steve Culman

The system of rice intensification (SRI) is a novel method for rice cultivation that has been adopted by ~16 developing Asian countries. It involves changes in five main areas of paddy management: seedling age, seedling number, spacing, irrigation, and fertilizer. The aim of this project is to understand how microbial processes in the nitrogen cycle as well as bacterial community are affected by the type of rice cultivation system.

Project member: Thanwalee Sooksa-nguan (JiJY)

Physical and chemical indicators of soil quality are well explored and components are readily assayed in fee-for-service soil laboratories all around the world. However, despite the significant role of soil biology in nutrient cycling, this aspect s poorly understood and not easily assayed. This project attempts to not only enhance understanding of the precise role of soil biology in soil quality, but to also develop simple assays that may be offered as a part of soil quality assessments in fee-for-service labs. To do this, we are measuring aspects of soil microbial community size, activity, and diversity as well as attempting to correlate aggregate stability with soil glomalin content.

Project member: Dan Clune

Until recently there were only a limited number of organic and integrated fruit production (IFP) pest control technologies available to combat the large disease and insect complexes in the Northeast. This lack of tools has resulted in limited adoption of these alternative farming systems for apple production. In 2004, a 0.9 ha experiment comparing organic and IFP systems for apples was established at the Cornell Orchards with the goal of systematically assessing these alternative systems using several new technologies that may make organic and IFP apple production a possibility in NY. Our objectives are to examine the effects of the differing management practices used in organic and IFP on orchard productivity, pest control efficacy, fruit quality, soil quality, ecological impacts, and economic sustainability. Once all these factors have been systematically analyzed, we hope to formulate horticultural guidelines that are transferable to growers producing apples by either organic or IFP systems.

Project member: Gregory Peck