We verified the quality of these pipelines using an artificial community composed of 20 microbial species as a reference dataset and communities from soybean samples from other studies as test datasets. We have developed computational pipelines for analyzing and comparing the composition of microbial communities. We have developed experimental protocols for capturing microbial community information, including: (i) effective extraction methods for obtaining high quality DNA from bulk soil, root surfaces, and root tissues of corn and soybean samples, (ii) methods for consistent high-fidelity amplification of microbial bio-markers, and (iii) protocols for high-throughput sequencing. Update: Three fields (two in northwest and one in southwest Iowa) identified by the On-Farm Network (OFN) were sowed with cover crop strips in Fall 2014. This proposal is novel in that we plan to conduct our research on commercial soybean fields in collaboration with the On-Farm Network and characterize the community structure of the root microbiome and disease incidence in their cover crop strip trials. Therefore, the long-term goal of this research project is to elucidate the effects of cover crops on soil health and the root rnicrobiome to better exploit the benefits of cover crops and predict their impact on soybean yield. An improved understanding of these factors and their effect on yield response is needed.
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The extent to which cover crops benefit crop yields may vary with soil and climatic factors, as their decomposition can release or immobilize nitrogen. Benefits associated with cover crops include reduced erosion and nutrient losses, improved soil structure, water infiltration, and water-holding capacity due to greater organic matter content, and weed suppression. Not surprisingly, many soybean producers have become interested in including cover crops in their farming operations. The value of cover crops for sustaining and improving soil and water quality, and thereby contributing to agriculture productivity, is becoming more widely recognized.