John T Spargo

Selected Publications

Reed, V., Fridgen, J., Finch, B., Spargo, J. T., McGrath, J., Bowen, J.M., Hahn, G., Smith, D., & Ritchey, E. (2025). Soil test phosphorus predicts field-level but not subfield-level corn yield response. Agronomy Journal 117:e270028

Slaton, N. A., Pearce, A., Gatiboni, L., Osmond, D., Bolster, C., Miquez, F., Clark, J., Dhillon, J., Farmaha, B., Kaiser, D., Lyons, S., Margenot, A., Moore, A., Ruiz Diaz, D., Sotomayor, D., Spackman, J., Spargo, J. T., & Yost, M. (2024). Models and sufficiency interpretation for estimating critical soil test values for the Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool. Soil Science Society of America Journal 88:1419-1437

Arrington, K. E., Ordóñez, R. A., Rivera-Ocasio, Z., Luthard, M., Tierney, S., Spargo, J. T., Finney, D., Kaye, J. P., & White, C. (2024). Improving a nitrogen mineralization model for predicting unfertilized corn yield. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 88:905-920

Guarín, D., Martín-López, J. M., Libohova, Z., Benavides-Bolaños, J., Maximova, S., Guiltinan, M., Spargo, J. T., da Silva, M., Fernandez, A., & Drohan, P. J. (2024). Accumulation of cadmium in soils, litter and leaves in cacao farms in the North Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Geoderma Regional. 36

Guarín, D., Hamamura, N. R., Cortez, J. B., Benavides, J., Spargo, J., Guiltinan, M., Maximova, S., de la Cruz, O. A., & Drohan, P. J. (2023). Cadmium contamination in cacao farms of Piura, North Peru: A comprehensive assessment of geogenic and anthropogenic sources and implications for future production. Environmental Challenges. 13

White, C., Sigdel, S., Karsten, H. D., Meinen, R., & Spargo, J. T. (2023). Recalibrating the Pennsylvania pre-sidedress soil nitrate test recommendations for modern corn production. Agronomy Journal. 115:2600-2613

Lyons, S.E., Clark, J.D., Osmond, D.L., Parvej, R., Pearce, A.W., Slaton, N.A., Spargo, J.T. (2023). Current status of US soil test phosphorus and potassium recommendations and analytical methods. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 87:985-998

Meinen, R.J, Beegle, D.B., Vishwanath, S., Kleinman, P.J.A, Saporito, L.S., Spargo, J.T., Karsten, H. (2023). Monolith soil core sampling to develop nitrate testing protocol for manure injection. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 87:378-389

Bolster, C., Correndo, A., Pearce, A.W., Spargo, J.T., Osmond, D.L., and Slaton, N.A. (2023). A spreadsheet for determining critical soil test values using the modified arcsine-log calibration curve. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 87:182-189

Correndo, A.A, A.W. Pearce, C.H. Bolster, J.T. Spargo, D.L. Osmond, I.A. Ciampitti. (2023). The Soiltestcorr R package: An accessible framework for reproducible correlation analysis of crop yield and soil test data. SoftwareX, 21,101275

Pearce, A.W, Slaton, N.A., Lyons, S.E., Bolster, C.H., Bruulsema, T.W., Grove, J.H., Jones, J.D, McGrath, J.M., Miguez, F.E., Nelson, N.O., Osmond, D.L., Parvej, M.R., Pena-Yewtukhiw, E.M., Spargo, J.T. (2022). Defining relative yield for soil test correlation and calibration trials in the fertilizer recommendation support tool. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 86,1338-1353

Landschoot, P.J. Spargo, J.T., McGraw, B.A. (2022). A survey of turfgrass irrigation water quality in Pennsylvania. Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management. 8, e20157

Slaton, N. A., Lyons, S. E., Osmond, D. L., Brouder, S. M., Culman, S. W., Drescher, G., Gatiboni, L. C., Hoben, J., Kleinman, P. J. A., McGrath, J. M., Miller, R. O., Pearce, A., Shober, A. L., Spargo, J. T. & Volenec, J. J. (2022). Minimum dataset and metadata guidelines for soil-test correlation and calibration research Soil Science Society of America Journal. 86:19-33

Church, C., R. Hedin, R. Bryant, A. Wolfe, J.T. Spargo, K. Elkin, L. Saporito, & P. Kleinman. (2021). Phosphorus runoff from soils receiving liquid dairy and swine manures amended with mine drainage residuals. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 37: 351-358

Culman, S. W., C. Brock, D. Doohan, D. Jackson-Smith, C. Herms, V.N. Chaganti, M. Kleinhenz, C.D. Sprunger, & J.T. Spargo. (2021). Base cation saturation ratios vs. sufficiency level of nutrients: a false dichotomy in practice. American Society of Agronomy Journal. 113:5623-5634

Benavides, B. J., Drohan, P. J., Spargo, J. T., Maximova, S., Guiltinan, M., & Miller, D. A. (2021). Cadmium phytoextraction by Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Brassica napus cv Wichita (rapeseed), and Chyrsopogon zizanioides (vetiver). Chemosphere, 265.

Hedin, R., Hedin, B., Spargo, J. T., & Brimmer, R. (2020). Characteristics of solids produced from coal mine drainage and their suitability for phosphorus control in dairy manure management. Journal of Environmental Quality, 49:1502-1514.

Lyons, S., Osmond, D., Slaton, N., Spargo, J. T., Kleinman, P., Arthur, D., & McGrath, J. (2020). FRST: A national soil testing database to improve fertility recommendations. Agric Environ Lett. 5:20008.

Ackroyd, V.J., M.A. Cavigelli, J.T. Spargo, B. Davis, G. Garst, and S.B. Mirsky. (2019). Legume cover crops reduce poultry litter application requirements in organic systems. Agron. J. 111:2361-2369.

Liu, J, J.T. Spargo, P. Kleinman, R. Meinen, P.A. Moore, D.B. Beegle. (2018). Water extractable phosphorus in animal manure and manure compost: Quantities, characteristics, and temporal changes. J Environ Qual. 47:471-479

Morris, T.F., T.S. Murrell, D.B. Beegle, J.J. Camberato, R.B. Ferguson, J. Grove, Q. Ketterings, P.M.  Kyveryga, C.A.M. Laboski, J. M., McGrath, J.J. Meisinger, J. Melkonian, B.N. Moebius-Clune, E.D. Nafziger, D. Osmond, J.E. Sawyer, P.C. Scharf, W. Smith, J.T. Spargo, H.M. van Es, H. Yang. (2018). Strengths and limitations of nitrogen rate recommendations for corn and opportunities for improvement. Agron. J. 110:1-37

Church, C., J.T. Spargo, S. Fishel. (2017). Strong Acid Extraction Methods for “Total Phosphorus” in Soils: EPA Method 3050B and EPA Method 3051. Agric Environ Lett. 2:160037

Mirsky, S.B., J.T. Spargo, W.S. Curran, S.C. Reberg-Horton, M.R. Ryan, H.H. Schomberg, and V.J. Ackroyd. (2017). Characterizing cereal rye biomass and allometric relationships across a range of fall available n rates in the Eastern US. Agron. J. 109:1520-1531

Mirsky, S.B., V.J. Ackroyd, S. Cordeau, W.S. Curran, M. Hashemi, S.C. Reberg-Horton, M. Ryan, and J.T. Spargo. (2017). Hairy vetch biomass across the Eastern United States: Effects of latitude, seeding rate and date, and termination timing. Agron. J. 109:1-10

Spargo, J.T., M.A. Cavigelli, S.B. Mirsky, J.J. Meisinger, V.J. Ackroyd. (2016). Organic supplemental nitrogen sources for field corn production after a hairy vetch cover crop. Agron. J. 108:1-11

Keshavarz, A.R., M. Hashemi, M. DaCosta, J.T. Spargo, A. Sadeghpour. (2016). Biochar application and drought stress effects on physiological characteristics of responses of Silybum marianum.  Comm. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 47:743-752.

Poffenbarger, H.J., S.B. Mirsky, R.R. Weil, M. Kramer, J.T. Spargo. and M.A. Cavigelli, (2015). Legume proportion, poultry litter, and tillage effects on cover crop decomposition. Agron. J. 107:2083-2096.

Poffenbarger, H.J., S.B. Mirsky, J.R. Teasdale, J.T. Spargo, M.A. Cavigelli, and M. Kramer. (2015). Nitrogen competition between corn and weeds in soils under organic and conventional management. Weed Sci. 63:461-476.

Poffenbarger, H.J., S.B. Mirsky, R.R. Weil, J. E. Maul, M. Kramer, J.T. Spargo, and M.A. Cavigelli. (2015). Biomass and Nitrogen Content of Hairy Vetch–Cereal Rye Cover Crop Mixtures as Influenced by Species Proportions. Agronomy Journal. 107:2069-2082.

Sadeghpour, A. M. Hashemi, S.A. Weis, J.T. Spargo, S. Mehrvarz, E. Jahanzad, and S.J. Herbert. (2015). Assessing tillage systems for reducing ammonia volatilization from spring-applied slurry manure.  Comm. Plant Soil Anal. 46:724–735, 2015

Cavigelli, M. A., Teasdale, J. R., and Spargo, J. T. (2013). Increasing crop rotation diversity improves agronomic, economic, and environmental performance of organic grain cropping systems at the USDA-ARS Beltsville Farming Systems Project. Online: Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2013-0429-02-PS

Ebdon, J. S., M. DaCosta, J. T. Spargo and W. M. Dest. (2013). Long term effects of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on shoot growth, soil and tissue potassium in perennial ryegrass turf. Crop Sci Soc Am J. 53:1750-1761.

Mirsky, S.B., M.R. Ryan, J.R. Teasdale, W.S. Curran, C.R. Reberg-Horton, J.T. Spargo, S.M. Wells, C.L. Keene, and J.W. Moyer. (2013).  Overcoming weed management challenges in cover crop-based organic rotational no-till soybean production in the eastern US. Weed Technology. 27:193-203.

Cavigelli, M.A., S.B. Mirsky, J.R. Teasdale, J.T. Spargo, and J. Doran. (2013). Organic management systems to enhance ecosystem services. Renewable Agricultural and Food Systems. 28: 145–159.

Spargo, J.T., M.A. Cavigelli, M.M. Alley, J.E. Maul, J.S. Buyer, C.H. Sequeira, and R.F. Follett. (2012). Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions with duration of no-tillage management. Soil Sci Soc Am J. 76:1642-1633.

Teasdale, J.R., S.B. Mirsky, J.T. Spargo, M.A. Cavigelli, J.E. Maul. (2012). Reduced-tillage organic corn production in a hairy vetch cover crop. Agron J. 104:621-628.

Culman, S.W., S.S. Snapp, M.E. Schipanski, M.A. Freeman, J. Beniston, L.E. Drinkwater, A.J. Franzluebbers, J.D. Glover, A. S. Grandy, R. Lal, J. Lee, J.E. Maul, S.B. Mirsky, J. Six, J.T. Spargo, M.M. Wander. (2012). Permanganate oxidizable carbon reflects a processed soil fraction that is sensitive to management. Soil Sci Soc Am J. 76:494–504.

Mirsky, S.B., M.R. Ryan, W.S. Curran, J.R. Teasdale, J.E. Maul, J.T. Spargo, J. Moyer, A.M. Grantham, D. Webber, T.R. Way. (2012). Conservation tillage issues: Cover crop-based organic rotational no-till grain production in the Mid-Atlantic region. RenewAg Food Sys. 27:31–40

Spargo, J.T., Cavigelli, M.A., Mirsky, S.B., Maul, J.E., Meisinger, J.J. (2011). Mineralizable soil nitrogen and labile soil organic matter in diverse long-term cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. 90:253-266.