Winter cover crops effects on soil properties and sweet corn yield in semi‐arid irrigated systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-106
Author(s):  
Eric Antosh ◽  
John Idowu ◽  
Brian Schutte ◽  
Erik Lehnhoff
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Effects of Different Cover Crops on Sweet Corn and Bell Pepper Production

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 601D-601
Author(s):  
N.K. Damayanthi Ranwala ◽  
Kathy Brock ◽  
Chris L. Ray ◽  
Katie Greene ◽  
Dennis R. Decoteau
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Vegetable Crops ◽  
Crimson Clover ◽  
Companion Crop ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops

Rye and crimson clover as winter cover crops and red clover as a companion crop were evaluated in sweet corn and bell pepper production systems in South Carolina. Winter cover crops were planted in fall and incorporated into the soil 3 weeks prior to planting vegetable crops. Red clover was overseeded with the vegetable crops. There were no significant differences among treatments for corn yield. Marketable number and weight of bell peppers were significantly higher in both winter cover crops compared to red clover and fallow (control) treatments. Number of cull peppers (smaller peppers than USDA grades) were lower in both cover crops compared to other treatments. Lack of response in red clover compared to the fallow treatment may be due to the lower emergence of red clover when used as a companion crop with bell pepper. Marketable bell pepper yield was higher in the late harvest compared to the early harvest in all the treatments.

Effects of Cover Crops and Tillage on Sweet Corn Production

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 476d-476
Author(s):  
Gary R. Cline ◽  
Anthony F. Silvernail
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Winter Rye ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Corn Production ◽  
Total N ◽  
No Till ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops

A split-plot factorial experiment examined effects of tillage and winter cover crops on sweet corn in 1997. Main plots received tillage or no tillage. Cover crops consisted of hairy vetch, winter rye, or a mix, and N treatments consisted of plus or minus N fertilization. Following watermelon not receiving inorganic N, vetch, and mix cover cropsproduced total N yields of ≈90 kg/ha that were more than four times greater than those obtained with rye. However, vetch dry weight yields (2.7 mg/ha) were only about 60% of those obtained in previous years due to winter kill. Following rye winter cover crops, addition of ammonium nitrate to corn greatly increased (P < 0.05) corn yields and foliar N concentrations compared to treatments not receiving N. Following vetch, corn yields obtained in tilled treatments without N fertilization equaled those obtained with N fertilization. However, yields obtained from unfertilized no-till treatments were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than yields of N-fertilized treatments. Available soil N was significantly (P < 0.05) greater following vetch compared to rye after corn planting. No significant effects of tillage on sweet corn plant densities or yields were detected. It was concluded that no-tillage sweet corn was successful, and N fixed by vetch was able to sustain sweet corn production in tilled treatments but not in no-till treatments.In previous years normal, higher-yielding vetch cover crops were able to sustain sweet corn in both tilled and no-till treatments.

Winter cover crops influence on cotton yield and selected soil properties

1994 ◽  
Vol 25 (19-20) ◽  
pp. 3087-3100 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. Keisling ◽  
H. D. Scott ◽  
B. A. Waddle ◽  
W. Williams ◽  
R. E. Frans
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops

scholarly journals Winter Cover Crops and Nitrogen Management in Sweet Corn and Broccoli Rotations

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 664-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Z. Burket ◽  
Delbert D. Hemphill ◽  
Richard P. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Fertilizer N ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops ◽  
Residual Fertilizer N ◽  
Winter Fallow

Cover crops hold potential to improve soil quality, to recover residual fertilizer N in the soil after a summer crop that otherwise might leach to the groundwater, and to be a source of N for subsequently planted vegetable crops. The objective of this 5-year study was to determine the N uptake by winter cover crops and its effect on summer vegetable productivity. Winter cover crops [red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale L. var. Wheeler), a cereal rye/Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L.) mix, or a winter fallow control] were in a rotation with alternate years of sweet corn (Zea mays L. cv. Jubilee) and broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Botrytis Group cv. Gem). The subplots were N rate (zero, intermediate, and as recommended for vegetable crop). Summer relay plantings of red clover or cereal rye were also used to gain early establishment of the cover crop. Cereal rye cover crops recovered residual fertilizer N at an average of 40 kg·ha-1 following the recommended N rates, but after 5 years of cropping, there was no evidence that the N conserved by the cereal rye cover crop would permit a reduction in inorganic N inputs to maintain yields. Intermediate rates of N applied to summer crops in combination with winter cover crops containing legumes produced vegetable yields similar to those with recommended rates of N in combination with winter fallow or cereal rye cover crops. There was a consistent trend (P < 0.12) for cereal rye cover crops to cause a small decrease in broccoli yields as compared to winter fallow.

scholarly journals Muskmelon and Sweet Corn Production with Legume Cover Crops

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1222-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harbans L. Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Lupinus Albus ◽  
White Lupin ◽  
Hairy Vetch ◽  
Specialty Crops ◽  
Legume Cover Crops ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops ◽  
And Control

Winter legume cover crops have been successfully used to meet N needs of many summer crops, but they are not being used extensively in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region, especially for specialty crops such as muskmelon and sweet corn. The objective of these studies was to determine the potential of winter legume cover crops in meeting N needs of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) and sweet corn (Zea mays L.). Comparisons of performances of muskmelon and sweet corn, grown after lupin (Lupinus albus L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.), Austrian winter pea ([AWP] Pisum arvense L.), and control fertilized with 112 kg N ha–1, and unfertilized control were made during 1999, 2000, and 2001. The interactions between cover crop treatments and years were, generally, significant. The muskmelon fruit yields were 53.6, 45.0, 23.1, 13.0, and 5.6 Mg·ha–1 during 1999; 27.8, 26.3, 8.6, 5.8, and 2.2 Mg·ha–1 during 2000; and 41.1, 39.9, 25.5, 21.4, and 2.1 Mg·ha–1 during 2001 respectively for lupin, hairy vetch, AWP, 112 kg N ha–1, and control. Similar results were obtained for number and size of muskmelon fruits. The sweet corn ear yields (Mg·ha–1) were 8.5, 5.6, 3.1, 1.5, and 0.7 during 1999; 5.2, 3.9, 4.0, 4.8, and 1.2 during 2000; and 2.6, 2.4, 1.9, 2.0, and 0.9 during 2001, respectively for lupin, hairy vetch, AWP, 112 kg N ha–1, and control. White lupin and hairy vetch, as winter cover crops, were superior than AWP and 112 kg N ha–1 for sweet corn ear number and size, and plant height. These results demonstrated that winter legume crops, especially lupin and hairy vetch, can be excellent winter cover crops for meeting N needs of muskmelon and sweet corn.

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