Topsoil is geology modified by biology, physical and chemical processes. Without topsoil, our planet would be just rocks and dust with no meaningful life. The thin layer of topsoil covering our earth gives and sustains almost all of the life we know. It is basic knowledge that a handful of soil contains billions of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, nematodes and earthworms to name a few.

In the past month, dust storms have been making headlines across the western United States. Blowing soil has created driving hazards due to low visibility, and accumulated wind-blown silt even forced boat ramp closures near Fort Pierre. The good news is that land can be managed to minimize erosion.

Promoting early season plant cover, primarily through the use of cover crops, can be more effective at reducing pest density and crop damage than insecticide applications, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers.

In a newly published study, the researchers suggest that the best pest management outcomes may occur when growers encourage biological control — in the form of pests' natural enemies — by planting cover crops and avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides as much as possible.