Short‐Term Effects of Cover Crops and Compaction on Soil Properties and Soybean Production in Illinois

Acuña, Juan C. M.; Villamil, María B.

doi:10.2134/agronj13.0370

Cited by 66 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…3). These results agree with previous studies in Illinois (Villamil et al, 2006;Acuña and Villamil, 2014) and highlight the superior performance of cereal rye as a N scavenger within corn-soybean rotations despite its restricted growing season and its variable growth under different environmental conditions. Rotations with CCs, or the interaction effect of Rcc with tillage, Rcc × T, did not affect soil available P or exchangeable K (Table 2).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Two sideby-side fields in a corn-soybean rotation, rotated annually, were used to set up the experimental plots. Corn crop was planted on 17 May 2013, 21 May 2014, and 15 May in 2015and harvested on 17 October, 3 November, and 24 October, in 2013, 2014 Cover crops were broadcasted by hand into standing cash crop to simulate aerial seeding on 16 and 17 September in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Seeding rates and growth suppression times were selected using the online decision tool developed by the Midwest Cover Crop Council (online at: mcccdev.anr.…”

Section: Materials and Methods Site Characterization And Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These short-term effects may mirror some of the benefits that CCs can provide, but tillage might also negate the long-term benefits of CCs use. In a recent study on soybean, Acuña and Villamil (2014) found that CC treatments drilled into wheat stubble each year significantly lowered the NO 3 -N levels in the soil the following spring without affecting soybean crop yields. Yet no additional effects related to cover cropping were evident in soils or crops after one CC growing season.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Overwintering CCs usually need to be suppressed long enough before cash crop planting to limit spring CC biomass for easier planting and to allow enough time for the residue to deteriorate and for the soil to dry before planting the cash crop. These characteristics of the CC growing season and their management constrain the potential benefits from CC use in the short and long terms in Illinois (Acuña and Villamil, 2014;Welch et al, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Tillage and Cover Cropping Effects on Soil Properties and Crop Production in Illinois

et al. 2017

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Core Ideas Compared corn–soybean rotations with cover crops vs fallows under no‐till or till. Corn–soybean rotations with cereal rye after corn decreased soil NO3–N by 42%. Soil attributes and crop yields were generally unaffected by cover crops use. Tillage increased soil organic matter and exchangeable K compared to no‐till. Tillage reduced soybean yields by 245 kg/ha compared to no‐till. Cover crops (CCs) have been heralded for their potential to improve soil properties, retain nutrients in the field, and subsequent crop yields, yet support for these claims within Illinois remains limited. Cover crops were used in corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations. We assessed five sets of CCs vs. fallow controls under no‐till (NT) and chisel till (Till) on soil attributes and crop yields, encompassing one complete rotation cycle. The experimental layout was a split split‐block where whole plot treatments (P, rotation phase; and Y, year) had a Latin square design and subplot treatments of tillage (NT vs. Till) were split into sub‐subplot treatments of CC rotations. We measured soil properties, crop yields, CC stand counts in late fall, and spring biomass samples, each year. Tillage increased the level of soil organic matter (SOM) and exchangeable potassium (K) within our systems yet significantly decreased the yield of soybean by 245 kg/ha. Compared to winter fallow, soil attributes under corn–soybean rotations that included CCs did not show any statistically significant change after one cycle of production except increased N scavenging with cereal rye growing after corn harvest. Inclusion of CCs in the corn–soybean rotation did not affect cash crop yields in either till or NT systems. Our results show that cereal rye is the CC with the best potential as an N scavenger in the corn–soybean rotation, but claims of crop yield increases in the short term are not supported.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Materials and Methods Site Characterization And Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

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confidence: 99%

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Tillage and Cover Cropping Effects on Soil Properties and Crop Production in Illinois

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“…Cover crops have shown potential for uptake of residual N from fertilizers or inorganic N released from degrading soil organic matter (SOM) in the period between annual crops (Strock et al, 2004;Tonitto et al, 2006), thus helping reduce NO 3 loss (Staver and Brinsfield, 1998;Qi and Helmers, 2010;Drury et al, 2014;Acuña and Villamil, 2014). Studies conducted in the Midwest region of the USA show that cover crops can reduce NO 3 loss from 7 to 65 kg N ha -1 (Dabney et al, 2010;Kaspar et al, 2012;Malone et al, 2014).…”

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Corn Nitrogen Fertilization Requirement and Corn-Soybean Productivity with a Rye Cover Crop

Pantoja

Woli

Sawyer

et al. 2015

Soil Science Society of America Journal

102

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winter rye (Secale cereale l.) cover crop (rcc) has potential to reduce no 3 -n loss from corn (Zea mays l.) and soybean [Glycine max (l.) Merr.] fields. However, rcc effects on annual crop productivity and corn optimal n fertilization requirement are unclear. the objectives were to evaluate corn and soybean yield response to rcc and corn optimal n rate. treatments were no-rcc and rcc with six fertilizer n rates (0-225 kg n ha -1 ) applied to corn in a no-till corn-soybean (cs) rotation at four iowa sites in 2009 through 2011. the rcc biomass and n uptake was low, with a maximum of 1280 kg dry matter (dM) ha -1 and 26 kg n ha -1 , respectively. in the no-n control, the rcc reduced soil profile no 3 -n by 15 kg n ha -1 only at time of rcc control before corn planting. corn canopy sensing, plant height, and plant population indicated more n stress, reduced plant stand, and slower growth with rcc. the rcc reduced corn grain yield by 6% at the economic optimum n rate (eonr). the eonr was the same with no-rcc and rcc, but plant n uptake efficiency (Pue) was reduced at low n rates with rcc, but not above the eonr. soybean yield was not affected by rcc. results indicate n fertilization rate should be the same with or without rcc. improvement in rcc systems and management could make rcc a more viable practice within notill corn and soybean production.Abbreviations: CS, corn-soybean; DM, dry matter; EONR, economic optimum nitrogen rate; NDVI, normalized difference vegetative index; NUE, nitrogen use efficiency; PAN, plant available nitrogen; PUE, plant nitrogen uptake efficiency; RCC, rye cover crop; SOM, soil organic matter; YEONR, yield at economic optimum nitrogen rate. E nvironmental concerns related to crop N fertilization is an ongoing issue (USEPA, 2007), including reducing N in surface waters related to hypoxia in coastal surface waters Kladivko et al., 2014). Nitrogen application rate to corn is an important factor in regard to cropping system profitability and NO 3 loss. Applying only the optimal N rate will not stop NO 3 loss, nor necessarily achieve the drinking water standard (Lawlor et al., 2007). Successful development of agricultural systems that benefit water quality have to be more inclusive of several agricultural practices, rather than only N rate or timing (Hatfield et al., 2009). Therefore, additional in-field practices are needed to reduce NO 3 losses (Sainju and Singh, 2008).Nitrate losses in tile drainage water from corn production systems can range from 7 to 68 kg N ha -1 yr -1 (Lawlor et al., 2007), and with most values ranging from 29 to 56 kg N ha -1 yr -1 (Sawyer and Randall, 2008). Cover crops have shown potential for uptake of residual N from fertilizers or inorganic N released from degrading soil organic matter (SOM) in the period between annual crops (Strock et al., 2004;Tonitto et al.,

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Multispecies cover crops in organic agricultural systems in the upper U.S. Midwest

Logsdon

Cambardella

O’Brien

2021

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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Establishing cover crops (CCs) in organic systems for the upper Midwest can be a challenge due to shorter growing seasons. The aim of this systems study was to compare CC management implemented in a tilled organic system. The main crops were oat (Avena sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].Winter hardy (WH) or winter kill (WK) CC mixes were planted after oat, and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) was planted into oat for the control treatment. The CCs were planted into corn (WH, WK) or after corn harvest (rye [Secale cereale L.], control). Turnip (Brassica rapa L. ssp rapa) were planted after or into soybean (6-17 kg ha -1 ). Main crop yields were not affected, but CCs performed poorly in corn and soybean for both fall and spring due to dense main crop canopy, dry surface soil, late harvest, and cold fall temperatures. The CC biomass production was greatest following oat because of the longer growing season but still did not establish well as the red clover control needed to be replanted both in 2018 and 2019. Photographic analyses to calculate leaf area index, ground cover, and evapotranspiration revealed few treatment differences throughout the study, which were more likely caused by weather conditions rather than differences in the WH, WK, and control management practices. These findings further demonstrate the difficulties of consistently establishing CC in corn-soybean rotations for the upper Midwest and highlight the need for developing new strategies.

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Short‐Term Effects of Cover Crops and Compaction on Soil Properties and Soybean Production in Illinois

Cited by 66 publications

References 56 publications

Tillage and Cover Cropping Effects on Soil Properties and Crop Production in Illinois

Tillage and Cover Cropping Effects on Soil Properties and Crop Production in Illinois

Corn Nitrogen Fertilization Requirement and Corn-Soybean Productivity with a Rye Cover Crop

Multispecies cover crops in organic agricultural systems in the upper U.S. Midwest

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