Crop response and changes in soil properties as affected by soil erosion, topsoil replacement, and application of anaerobically digested dairy manure solids in a Mollisol landform

These data provide field measurements of plant and soil at a geographical site as affected by (a) tillage and water erosion (b) replacement of translocated topsoil through soil-landscape rehabilitation, and (c) amending soil with solids from anaerobically digested dairy manure. The study site located in Stevens County, Minnesota was a heavily eroded landform due to long term tillage and other environmental factors. The study was initiated in 2006 and continued to 2016 in two phases. In Phase-1, which was concluded in 2011, replacement of translocated topsoil on crop productivity and soil properties were evaluated. Phase-1 data associated with pre-restoration soil properties, digital elevation model, tillage and water erosion estimates, annual assessments of crop emergence, crop biomass, grain yield and quality, soil biological, chemical, and physical properties, weed communities, and weather information has been published in Ag Data Commons (https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/25206968.v1). Phase-2 was conducted in 2011-2016. At the beginning of Phase-2, 40 mega gram per hectare of anaerobically digested dairy manure solids were applied to eroded plots and plots that had soil added in Phase-1. These treatments allowed comparisons of plots with eroded soil, topsoil added in 2005, manure solids added in 2011, and soil (2005) plus manure solids (2011) added. Data reported in Phase-2 include crop stand, biomass, grain yield and quality, soil chemical properties, and weather information. The data can be used to develop agronomic best management practices to improve crop production and to protect soil health. The data also could contribute to meta-analyses describing effects of erosion, soil-landscape rehabilitation, and amending soil with digested dairy manure solids on crop performance and changes in soil properties.