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Understanding the biological component of healthy soils

Rick Lankau and, Teal Potter (January, 2019)

Summary

Soil health, the foundation of both short- and long-term farm success, encompasses the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Rick and Teal will discuss on-going research into complex soil ecosystems and their potential to lessen plant disease and increase crop quality and yields. Teal Potter, graduate student UW-Madison plant pathology, conducts research on plants and soil microbes to understand how they influence each other in natural and agricultural systems. Her research addresses how nitrogen availability impacts plant-microbe associations, with a goal of understanding specific conditions in which soil microbial communities impact non-native plant invasions and crop yields.