The soil type of the planting is used to estimate plant-available water stored in the soil profile. The value for soil organic matter is used to estimate nitrogen mineralization during the season. CropManage assumes that the soil type of the planting is the same as the soil type of the planting area. However, you may want to check that you agree with the soil type and properties that are used for the planting. If you plant a crop in only a portion of the field, the soil properties may differ from the average of the entire field.
To adjust soil settings, click the soil settings tab towards the bottom of the planting settings page.
The soil type displayed in the “soil type” text box will depend on where you selected the location of the planting. If you would like to choose a different soil type for the planting, you can select it from the drop-down menu list from the soil type text box. You may also want to check that the location of the planting is accurate. If the planting is in the wrong location, then select the correct location with your cursor.
Soil property data used by CropManage are displayed in a table for the various soil layers to a depth of 4 feet. You will see an option to use the soil property data available on UC Davis SoilWeb, which is the soil properties from the USDA-NRCS soil survey database (SSURGO). Alternatively, you can select CropManage certified soil property data. Keep in mind that only a small portion of the soil types have been certified within CropManage.
Soil properties can be adjusted based on your own laboratory results. The soil texture data (% sand and silt), as well as bulk density, are important for estimating plant-available soil moisture. Soil tension at saturation is the corresponding tension of the soil approximately 12 hours to a day after irrigating, when the soil has had time to drain. The mineralization rate value is an approximate estimate of nitrogen mineralization from the soil organic matter. Increasing this value will contribute more mineral nitrogen to the crop.
If there is a soil layer that is impervious to root growth, such as a compacted zone, sudden change in soil texture, or perched water table, this depth can be indicated by selecting “root depth obstruction.” CropManage will limit the maximum depth of the roots to the depth of this layer.
After you have adjusted the soil settings of the planting, the next step is to check and adjust the crop settings