Assessment of Soil Properties Under Diverse Crop and Land Use Types

Assessment of Soil Properties Under Diverse Crop and Land Use Types Olivia Berger and Dr. Iin Handayani, Ph.D. Hutson College of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, KY Abstract Soil properties can vary among different crop and land use systems and can influence soil health and agricultural productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of six different crop and land use types on selected soil properties in western Kentucky. Soil samples were collected from six sites at the West Farm Complex in Calloway County, Kentucky, which contained tobacco, soybean, corn, sunflower, pasture land, and Miscanthus. Four disturbed and four undisturbed soil samples were collected from each site at a depth of approximately 10 cm. A total of 24 disturbed and 24 undisturbed soil samples were collected on September 18 and 19, 2026. Soil properties evaluated included pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil water holding capacity (SWHC), and bulk density. Average soil pH ranged from 4.13 in sunflower to 6.70 in tobacco. Miscanthus field had the highest average SOC at 4.81%, while soybean field had the lowest at 2.28%. In terms of SWHC, the highest was observed in the Miscanthus field at 67.41% and lowest in the soybean field at 36.13%. Average bulk density ranged from 1 g/cm³ in the Miscanthus field to 1.6 g/cm³ in the soybean field. These findings show variation in soil properties among the six sites. Examining the relationships between soil properties and different crop and land management systems may help guide future soil management practices and improve soil conditions. Keywords: Bulk density, Land use, Soil pH, Soil organic carbon, Soil water holding capacity