Influence of cover crop mixtures on soil health in southeastern crop production systems

Cover cropping, tillage and crop rotation management can influence soil nutrient availability and crop yield through changes in soil physical, chemical and biological processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of three years of cover crop, tillage, and crop rotation on selected soil nutrients. Twenty-four plots each of corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) were established on a 4.05 ha field and arranged in a three-factor factorial design. The three factors (treatments) were two methods of tillage (no-tillage (NT) vs. moldboard plow [conventional] tillage (CT)), two types of cover crop (no cover crop (NC) vs. cover crop (CC)) and four typess of rotation (continuous corn, continuous soybean, corn/soybean and soybean/corn). Soil samples were taken each year at four different depths in each plot; 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm and 40–60 cm, and analyzed for soil nutrients: calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (NO3 and NH4), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu). The results in the first year showed that CT increased NO3-N availability by 40% compared with NT. In the second year, NH4-N was 8% lower under CC compared with NC management. In the third year, P was 12% greater under CC management compared with NC management. Thus, CC can enhance crop production systems by increasing P availability and scavenging excess NH4-N from the soil, but longer-term studies are needed to evaluate long-term effects.

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Low-Input and Intensified Crop Production Systems Effects on Soil Health and Environment

Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosytems ◽

10.1016/b978-0-12-805317-1.00013-0 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 277-303

Author(s):

Sharon L. Weyers ◽

Greta Gramig

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Soil Health ◽

Low Input

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Measurement of Cover Crop Evapotranspiration and Impacts on Water Management in Crop Production Systems

10.13031/2013.41319 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Brett R Hankerson ◽

Christopher H Hay ◽

Jeppe Kjaersgaard

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Crop Evapotranspiration

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Evaluation of cover crop sensitivity to residual herbicides applied in the previous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] crop

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.10 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 312-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Derek M. Whalen ◽

Mandy D. Bish ◽

Bryan G. Young ◽

Aaron G. Hager ◽

Shawn P. Conley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Crop Species ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Crimson Clover ◽

Crop Establishment ◽

Study Results

AbstractIn recent years, the use of cover crops has increased in U.S. crop production systems. An important aspect of successful cover crop establishment is the preceding crop and herbicide program, because some herbicides have the potential to persist in the soil for several months. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of cover crops to common residual herbicides used in soybean production. The same field experiment was conducted in 2016 in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and repeated in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Missouri in 2017 to evaluate the potential of residual soybean herbicides to carryover and reduce cover crop establishment. Herbicides applied during the soybean growing season included acetochlor; acetochlor plus fomesafen; chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron; fomesafen; fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor; imazethapyr; pyroxasulfone; S-metolachlor; S-metolachlor plus fomesafen; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor; and sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor. Across all herbicide treatments, the sensitivity of cover crops to herbicide residues in the fall, from greatest to least, was forage radish = turnip > annual ryegrass = winter oat = triticale > cereal rye = Austrian winter pea = hairy vetch = wheat > crimson clover. Fomesafen (applied 21 and 42 days after planting [(DAP]); chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron and pyroxasulfone applied 42 DAP; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor; and sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor caused the highest visual ground cover reduction to cover crop species at the fall rating. Study results indicate cover crops are most at risk when following herbicide applications in soybean containing certain active ingredients such as fomesafen, but overall there is a fairly low risk of cover crop injury from residual soybean herbicides applied in the previous soybean crop.

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Measurement of Cover Crop Evapotranspiration and Impacts on Water Management in Crop Production Systems

10.13031/2013.41727 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher H Hay ◽

Brett Hankerson ◽

Jeppe H Kjaersgaard

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Crop Evapotranspiration

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Herbicide programs for the termination of grass and broadleaf cover crop species

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.73 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Derek M. Whalen ◽

Mandy D. Bish ◽

Bryan G. Young ◽

Shawn P. Conley ◽

Daniel B. Reynolds ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Production Systems ◽

Geographic Area ◽

Effective Control ◽

Crop Species ◽

Herbicide Treatments ◽

Herbicide Programs

AbstractThe use of cover crops in soybean production systems has increased in recent years. There are many questions surrounding cover crops—specifically about benefits to crop production and most effective herbicides for spring termination. No studies evaluating cover crop termination have been conducted across a wide geographic area, to our knowledge. Therefore, field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Wisconsin for spring termination of regionally specific cover crops. Glyphosate-, glufosinate-, and paraquat-containing treatments were applied between April 15 and April 29 in 2016 and April 10 and April 20 in 2017. Visible control of cover crops was determined 28 days after treatment. Glyphosate-containing herbicide treatments were more effective than paraquat- and glufosinate-containing treatments, providing 71% to 97% control across all site years. Specifically, glyphosate at 1.12 kg ha−1 applied alone or with 2,4-D at 0.56 kg ha−1, saflufenacil at 0.025 kg ha−1, or clethodim at 0.56 kg ha−1 provided the most effective control on all grass cover crop species. Glyphosate-, paraquat-, or glufosinate-containing treatments were generally most effective on broadleaf cover crop species when applied with 2,4-D or dicamba. Results from this research indicate that proper herbicide selection is crucial to successfully terminate cover crops in the spring.

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Effect of Cover Crop on Farm Profitability and Risk in the Southern High Plains

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11247119 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (24) ◽

pp. 7119

Author(s):

Ram N. Acharya ◽

Rajan Ghimire ◽

Apar GC ◽

Don Blayney

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Soil Health ◽

High Plains ◽

Southern High Plains ◽

Cover Cropping ◽

Secondary Benefits ◽

Farm Profitability ◽

On Farm

Cover cropping has been promoted for improving soil health and environmental quality in the southern High Plains (SHP) region of the United States. The SHP is one of the more productive areas of the country and covers a large landmass, including parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. This region faces challenges in sustainable crop production due to declining water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer, the primary source of water for irrigated crop production. This study examines the impact of integrating cover crops in the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L)-based rotations on farm profitability and risk in the SHP. The study combines experimental yield data with other secondary information, including market prices, to conduct simulation analysis and evaluate the risk involved in introducing cover crops in a wheat-fallow cropping system. The results show that, due to the additional monetary costs involved, none of the cover crop options is economically viable. However, when secondary benefits (erosion control and green nitrogen) or government subsidies are included in the analysis, one of the cover crop options (peas) dominates the fallow alternative. Moreover, when the secondary benefits and a government subsidy are combined, two cover crop alternatives (peas and oats) emerge as more profitable options than leaving land fallow. These results highlight the importance of agricultural research and extension programs that are making a concerted effort to develop more productive farming techniques and increase public awareness about the long-term benefits of adopting soil health management systems such as cover cropping in the SHP region.

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Cover Crops for San Joaquin Valley Row Crop Production Systems

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.494e ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 494e-494

Author(s):

J.P. Mitchell ◽

T.S. Prather ◽

K.J. Hembree ◽

P.B. Goodell ◽

D.M. May ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Late Summer ◽

Dry Weight ◽

San Joaquin Valley ◽

Crop Species ◽

Windows Of Opportunity

There is currently considerable interest in the use of cover crops to improve the productivity and sustainability of agroecosystems in California. Adoption of cover crops into San Joaquin Valley row cropping systems has been slow, however, largely because growth characteristics of potentially suitable cover crop species and mixtures have not been identified for the tight windows of opportunity that exist within the region's intensive rotations, and because of uncertainy about the amount of water required to grow a cover crop. In 1995–96 and 1997–98, we screened 15 potential late-summer and winter cover crop species and mixtures planted monthly from 1 Aug. through 1 Nov. and harvested at 30-day intervals through March. In 1995–96, Sorghum-sudan produced 36,543 lb dry matter/acre and was the highest-producing late-summer species in a December-harvested August planting. Triticale and Merced rye were highest-producing winter species, yielding 19,277 and 10,155 lb dry weight/acre, respectively, during the 5-month period from October to March.

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