Soil potential ratings for soybeans

Excerpt

USE of soil potential ratings to determine the relative quality of soils for specific land uses or for specific farm crops became a part of the National Soils Handbook in 1978. Soil potential ratings go beyond the identification of soil-related limitations for a particular use by evaluating means of overcoming the limitations. The ratings consider yield or performance level, the relative ecst of applying technology to minimize the effects of soil limitations, and the adverse effects of any continuing limitations on social, economic, or environmental values (1, 2).

There are some key steps in developing soil potential ratings. Application of the procedure in Richmond County, Virginia, demonstrates the value of these ratings in determining the relative quality of the soils for soybeans. Conditions there permit the procedure to be easily understood. There are only 27 soil map units in the county. Only two soil features-erosion hazard and wetness—require that specific corrective measures be identified. Also, the Richmond County index expresses the cost of applying corrective measures and the cost …