Field Day to showcase fragipan remediation and soil health solutions

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 two feet below the surface, affects approximately three 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 over a decade, Lloyd Murdock, emeritus professor in the University of Kentucky 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.