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Farmers, researchers wonder if rotating prairie strips is beneficial
An Iowa State professor says planting native prairie plants in strips helps prevent soil loss and improves soil health, but farmers are asking if the rest of their fields can benefit.
Dr. Lisa Schulte Moore tells Brownfield strips of native prairie plants strategically grown with traditional crops not only prevents soil erosion but helps improve overall soil health. Now, she says there is a study to determine if occasionally moving the prairie strips can help improve soil in the whole field. “By ten years, we see dramatic changes in soil, but we don’t have quite enough data yet to answer is economically, where is the optimal point to make that transition?”
Moore says research about how prairie strips control manure and what’s in it looks promising. “(Strips can) treat the antibiotics or antimicrobial-resistant genes that may be associated with that manure and keep those out of our waterways, and we find that prairie strips are very effective at that new emerging concern.”
Moore says Iowa State is studying how long a prairie strip needs to be in place to have significant soil health improvements.
Moore spoke to Brownfield during the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference in Wisconsin Dells.
48 :11 “…that transition.”
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