Farmers, agronomists and community members invested in soil health and crop yields are invited to the 2025 Annual Ryegrass Field Day presented by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's Cooperative Extension Service. Attendees will gain firsthand insight into a research-backed solution for overcoming fragipan soils.
Fragipan, a dense, cement-like soil layer found roughly 2 feet below the surface, affects approximately 3 million acres in Kentucky and 50 million acres nationwide. This layer restricts root penetration and water movement, severely limiting crop productivity.
Real-world results in fragipan remediation
For more than a decade, Lloyd Murdock, emeritus professor in the UK Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, has worked alongside fellow UK researchers Tasios Karathanasis, Chris Matocha and John Grove, to develop long-term solutions. One of the most effective has been utilizing ryegrass as a cover crop.
"When I first came to Kentucky, I had never heard of fragipan," Murdock said. "After years of study and trials, we discovered that annual ryegrass gradually breaks down that hard layer, allowing roots and water to move deeper in the soil. While it's not a quick fix, the long-term results are worth the investment."
Murdock stated that the average yield increase of corn with an annual ryegrass cover crop, compared to no cover crop, is an average of approximately 2% per year on fragipan soil. The evidence indicates that fragipan breakdown increases with time and the continued use of annual ryegrass as a cover crop. Therefore, the yields have been shown to continue to increase with time.
For example, Murdock pointed to one Calloway County farmer he worked with who followed these recommendations for a decade. Recently, he discovered his fragipan layer was completely gone in the treated fields — something that soil probes confirmed. Murdock said that same farmer saw corn yields rise, during a 10-year period, by an average of more than 50 bushels per acre and soybean yields jump to more than 80 bushels per acre, far exceeding county averages.
Field Day highlights
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Presentations from Murdock and Karathanasis, who collaborated on lab, greenhouse and field research to document fragipan remediation, with John Murphy presenting on improving production potential
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Yield comparisons showcasing the significant advantages of deeper and healthier soils
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Producer panel featuring several farmers who have successfully managed fragipan breakdown. They will share best practices, give tips on controlling cover crop volunteers and discuss cost-benefit considerations
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Q&A session with the researchers and farmers to ensure attendees leave with a practical "recipe" for implementing these methods on their own operations
"This is a chance for farmers to dig into the soil, talk to those who've had success," Murdock said. "We will have on-farm soil pits where producers can see the difference between treated and untreated land and hear firsthand from farmers who have transformed shallow, unproductive fields into deep, high-yielding soils. It's one thing to read about in a report — it's another to stand in a field where fragipan used to be a problem and see how much better the crops are growing."
The field day is free and open to the public.
