The Mære Agricultural School development department has, with funding from KIL, established a Rotlab, which will be an arena for disseminating knowledge about soil and soil structure, carbon storage in soil and how leaching of nutrients and soil particles occurs.
The Rotlab will be used in connection with courses and seminars for farmers, as well as for students at Nord University, adult education students and our ordinary students. Our experience is that knowledge building happens best when the course participant is an active participant in the training. With the Rotlab, we want to further develop our training offer with practical and surprising demonstrations.
Tour of the root lab:
Root spread
We want to be able to show the root spread of different crops and how soil structure affects the spread of roots. Since many roots store more carbon in the soil than crops that have a small root system, it is desirable that the roots are allowed to spread. Soil compaction prevents root spread and reduces the ability to store carbon in the soil. Dense soil also increases the risk of surface runoff and soil erosion, so that soil and nutrients disappear and often end up in waterways.
Good soil structure increases yields. Plant roots do not thrive in dense soil or in waterlogged soil. If a more porous soil structure can be achieved by using cover crops, yields can be increased, fertilization can be reduced and the yield per hectare can be improved.
Captive crops
Various cover crops, such as ryegrass, clover and others, will prevent nutrient runoff and increase carbon storage in the soil. Cover crops will hold the soil together during the fall and winter and increase CO2 absorption. The effect of cover crops requires spring plowing, instead of autumn plowing.
Biochar
Biochar is a soil conditioner that helps preserve the carbon content in the soil, and which has positive effects on the water management in the soil. The latter is very important during drought periods. Trøndelag County Council wants to build a biochar plant either at, or near Mære during 2021.
Teaching materials
In addition to film and the physical root lab at Mære, a booklet on carbon storage in soil and a related one workbook.
In addition, a training plan, one PowerPoint presentation on carbon storage in soil, and a schematic representation of the content in the root lab.
