Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) differentially respond to soil management practices in feed and forage systems in transition to organic management

AbstractWe conducted a 3-yr cropping systems experiment in central Pennsylvania, USA, to determine the effects of initial cover crop species, tillage and resulting environmental variables on the activity–density (A–D), species richness, community composition and guild composition of carabid beetles (Carabidae: Coleoptera) during the transition from conventional to organic production. We compared four systems in a factorial combination of a mixed perennial sod (timothy, Phleum pratense L.) and legumes (red clover, Trifolium pratense L.) or annual cereal grain (cereal rye, Secale cereale L.) followed by a legume (hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Roth) as initial cover crops, and soil management using full tillage (moldboard plow) or reduced tillage (chisel plow) implemented in soybeans followed by maize in the subsequent year. The experiment was established twice, first in autumn 2003 (S1) and again in autumn 2004 (S2) in an adjacent field, in a randomized complete-block design with four replicates in each Start. We collected a total of 2181 adult carabid beetles. Approximately 65% of the carabid beetles collected were from six species. Indicator Species Analysis showed that several carabid species were indicative of treatment, e.g., Poecilus chalcites was a strong indicator for treatments with an initial cereal rye cover crop. Eleven environmental variables explained variation in carabid A–D, richness and the A–D of species categorized by size class and dominant trophic behavior, respectively, but varied in significance and direction among guilds. Soil moisture was a significant effect for total carabid A–D in both S1 and S2. Redundancy analyses revealed some similar and some idiosyncratic responses among informative species for the cover crop×tillage treatments through the 3-yr rotation. The most consistent factors that distinguished species assemblages among years and treatments were the number and intensity of soil disturbances and perennial weed density. The consistent occurrence of soil disturbance indicators in multivariate analyses suggests that future studies that aim to compare the effects of nominal soil management treatments on carabid beetles and other soil-associated arthropods should quantify frequency and intensity of disturbance associated with crop management practices.

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Cover Crop Effectiveness Varies in Cover Crop-Based Rotational Tillage Organic Soybean Systems Depending on Species and Environment

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9060319 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 319 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Vincent-Caboud ◽

Léa Vereecke ◽

Erin Silva ◽

Joséphine Peigné

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Future Research ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Cereal Grain ◽

Crop Biomass

Organic farming relies heavily on tillage for weed management, however, intensive soil disturbance can have detrimental impacts on soil quality. Cover crop-based rotational tillage (CCBRT), a practice that reduces the need for tillage and cultivation through the creation of cover crop mulches, has emerged as an alternative weed management practice in organic cropping systems. In this study, CCBRT systems using cereal rye and triticale grain species are evaluated with organic soybean directly seeded into a rolled cover crop. Cover crop biomass, weed biomass, and soybean yields were evaluated to assess the effects of cereal rye and winter triticale cover crops on weed suppression and yields. From 2016 to 2018, trials were conducted at six locations in Wisconsin, USA, and Southern France. While cover crop biomass did not differ among the cereal grain species tested, the use of cereal rye as the cover crop resulted in higher soybean yields (2.7 t ha−1 vs. 2.2 t ha−1) and greater weed suppression, both at soybean emergence (231 vs. 577 kg ha−1 of weed biomass) and just prior to soybean harvest (1178 vs. 1545 kg ha−1). On four out of six sites, cover crop biomass was lower than the reported optimal (<8000 kg ha−1) needed to suppress weeds throughout soybean season. Environmental conditions, in tandem with agronomic decisions (e.g., seeding dates, cultivar, planters, etc.), influenced the ability of the cover crop to suppress weeds regardless of the species used. In a changing climate, future research should focus on establishing flexible decision support tools based on multi-tactic cover crop management to ensure more consistent results with respect to cover crop growth, weed suppression, and crop yields.

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Cover crop and tillage intensities alter ground-dwelling arthropod communities during the transition to organic production

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170515000290 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 361-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Randa Jabbour ◽

Tara Pisani-Gareau ◽

Richard G. Smith ◽

Christina Mullen ◽

Mary Barbercheck

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Organic Production ◽

Arthropod Community ◽

Legacy Effects ◽

Arthropod Communities ◽

Legacy Effect ◽

Cereal Grain ◽

Activity Density ◽

Soil Arthropod

AbstractWe conducted a cropping systems experiment in central Pennsylvania, USA, to determine the effects of initial cover crop species and soil management on the abundance and composition of the ground-dwelling arthropod community. We hypothesized that we would detect legacy effects of the cover crops planted in year 1 of a 3-yr crop sequence on the arthropod community in the subsequent 2 yrs, and that these effects would be influenced by the intensity of tillage. We compared four systems in a factorial combination of perennial sod and legumes or annual cereal grain and legume as initial cover crops and moldboard or chisel plow tillage implemented in soybeans followed by maize in the subsequent 2 yrs. The entire experiment was initiated twice in adjacent locations, starting in 2003 (Start 1) and 2004 (Start 2). We quantified soil arthropod activity-density and community composition and identified all arthropods to order or family, and the ground and tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to species. In Start 1, but not Start 2, arthropod activity-density increased with each year following implementation of organic management. We observed few legacy effects of cover crop or tillage intensity on arthropod activity-density. The composition of the soil arthropod community was primarily defined by the initial cover crop in the first year, and by the interaction between cover crop and tillage intensity in the second and third year. A legacy effect associated with a yr-1 cover crop of cereal rye was observed for Scarabaeidae beetles and Formicidae (ants) in yr 2 and Carabidae beetles in yr 3 of Start 1, but not Start 2. Weed indicators contributed significantly to the variation in the soil arthropod community that was explained by the environment in yr 2 in Start 1, and in yr 3 in both Starts. Our observations support the concept that both immediate and legacy effects of management shape arthropod communities during the organic transition period, suggesting that transitioning systems could be managed in ways that conserve or enhance natural enemy populations.

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Low Carryover Risk of Corn and Soybean Herbicides Across Soil Management Practices and Environments

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2021.97 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Kolby R. Grint ◽

Christopher Proctor ◽

Ryan DeWerff ◽

Daniel H. Smith ◽

Nicholas J. Arneson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crop ◽

Management Practices ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Soil Management ◽

The United States ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Silty Clay ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Herbicide Degradation ◽

No Till

Herbicides with soil-residual activity have the potential for carryover into subsequent crops, resulting in injury to sensitive crops and limiting productivity if severe. The increased use of soil residual herbicides in the United States for management of troublesome weeds in corn and soybean cropping systems has potential to result in more cases of carryover. Soil management practices have different effects on the soil environment, potentially influencing herbicide degradation and likelihood of carryover. Field experiments were conducted at three sites in 2019 and 2020 to determine the effects of corn (clopyralid and mesotrione) and soybean (fomesafen and imazethapyr) herbicides applied in the fall at reduced rates (25% and 50% of labeled rates) and three soil management practices (tillage, no-tillage, and a fall established cereal rye cover crop) on subsequent growth and productivity of the cereal rye cover crop and the soybean and corn crops, respectively. Most response variables (cereal rye biomass and crop canopy cover at cover crop termination in the spring, early season crop stand, and herbicide injury ratings, and crop yield) were not affected by herbicide carryover. Corn yield was lower when soil was managed with a cereal rye cover crop compared to tillage at all three sites while yield was lower for no-till compared to tillage at two sites. Soybean yield was lower when managed with a cereal rye cover crop compared to tillage and no-till at one site. Findings from this research indicate a low carryover risk for these herbicides across site-years when label rotational restrictions are followed and environmental conditions favorable for herbicide degradation exist, regardless of soil management practice on silt loam or silty clay loam soil types in the Midwest U.S. region.

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Nitrogen cycling, profit margins and sweet corn yield under fall cover crop systems

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss2011-065 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 92 (2) ◽

pp. 353-365 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Kelsey A. O'Reilly ◽

John D. Lauzon ◽

Richard J. Vyn ◽

Laura L. Van Eerd

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Cycling ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Best Management Practices ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Management Practices ◽

Sweet Corn ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Available N ◽

Profit Margins ◽

Cereal Rye

O'Reilly, K. A., Lauzon, J. D., Vyn, R. J. and Van Eerd, L. L. 2012. Nitrogen cycling, profit margins and sweet corn yield under fall cover crop systems. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 353–365. In order to improve N best management practices in southwestern Ontario vegetable farming, the effect of cover crops on N dynamics in the fall and spring prior to sweet corn planting and during sweet corn season was assessed. The experiment was a split plot design in a fresh green pea – cover crop – sweet corn rotation that took place over 2 site-years at Bothwell and Ridgetown in 2006–2007 and 2007–2008, respectively. The main plot factor was fall cover crop type with five treatments including oat (Avena sativa L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), oilseed radish (OSR; Raphanus sativus L. var. oleoferus Metzg Stokes), mixture OSR plus cereal rye (OSR&rye) and a no cover crop control. Compared with no cover crop, sweet corn profit margins were higher by $450 ha−1 for oat at Bothwell and $1300 and $760 ha−1 for OSR and OSR&rye, respectively, at Ridgetown. By comparing plant available N over the cover crop season, the cover crops tested were more effective at preventing N loss at Bothwell than at Ridgetown likely due to higher precipitation and sandier soil at Bothwell. Despite differences in site characteristics, cover crops did not result in increased plant available N compared with no-cover during the sweet corn season at either site, indicating that these cover crops will not provide an N credit to the following crop and growers should not modify N fertilizer applications based on cover crops.

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Organic Farming and Cover-Crop Management Reduce Pest Predation in Austrian Vineyards

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030220 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 220

Author(s):

Jo Marie Reiff ◽

Sebastian Kolb ◽

Martin H. Entling ◽

Thomas Herndl ◽

Stefan Möth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Farming ◽

Pest Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Management Practices ◽

Integrated Management ◽

Lobesia Botrana ◽

Management Options ◽

Natural Pest Control ◽

Predation Rates

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to enhance predator abundance and, therefore, natural pest control. We examined the effect of organic versus integrated management, cover-crop diversity in the vineyard inter-rows, and landscape composition on the natural pest control of Lobesia botrana eggs and pupae. Predation of L. botrana pupae was reduced by organic farming and species-poor cover-crops by about 10%. Predation rates of L. botrana eggs did not differ significantly in any of the studied management options. Dominant predators were earwigs (Forficulidae), bush crickets (Tettigoniidae), and ants (Formicidae). Negative effects of organic viticulture are most likely related to the negative nontarget effects on arthropods related to the frequent sulfur and copper applications in combination with the avoidance of strongly damaging insecticides by integrated winegrowers. While a 10% difference in predation rates on a single pest stage is unlikely to have strong practical implications, our results show that the assumed effectiveness of environmentally friendly agriculture needs to be evaluated for specific crops and regions.

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Effects of Cover Crops, Compost, and Vermicompost on Strawberry Yields and Nitrogen Availability in North Carolina

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech03447-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 604-613 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

John E. Beck ◽

Michelle S. Schroeder-Moreno ◽

Gina E. Fernandez ◽

Julie M. Grossman ◽

Nancy G. Creamer

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

Organic Production ◽

Organic N ◽

N Availability ◽

Soil N

Summer cover crop rotations, compost, and vermicompost additions can be important strategies for transition to organic production that can provide various benefits to crop yields, nitrogen (N) availability, and overall soil health, yet are underused in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) production in North Carolina. This study was aimed at evaluating six summer cover crop treatments including pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), soybean (Glycine max), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), pearl millet/soybean combination, pearl millet/cowpea combination, and a no cover crop control, with and without vermicompost additions for their effects on strawberry growth, yields, nutrient uptake, weeds, and soil inorganic nitrate-nitrogen and ammonium-nitrogen in a 2-year field experiment. Compost was additionally applied before seeding cover crops and preplant N fertilizer was reduced by 67% to account for organic N additions. Although all cover crops (with compost) increased soil N levels during strawberry growth compared with the no cover crop treatment, cover crops did not impact strawberry yields in the first year of the study. In the 2nd year, pearl millet cover crop treatments reduced total and marketable strawberry yields, and soybean treatments reduced marketable strawberry yields when compared with the no cover crop treatment, whereas vermicompost additions increased strawberry biomass and yields. Results from this study suggest that vermicompost additions can be important sustainable soil management strategies for transitional and certified organic strawberry production. Summer cover crops integrated with composts can provide considerable soil N, reducing fertilizer needs, but have variable responses on strawberry depending on the specific cover crop species or combination. Moreover, these practices are suitable for both organic and conventional strawberry growers and will benefit from longer-term studies that assess these practices individually and in combination and other benefits in addition to yields.

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Cover Crops Suppression of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in Cotton

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2017.97 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 60-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Matheus G. Palhano ◽

Jason K. Norsworthy ◽

Tom Barber

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Palmer Amaranth ◽

Cotton Yield ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Seed Cotton ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Seed Cotton Yield ◽

Weed Emergence

AbstractWith the recent confirmation of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-resistant Palmer amaranth in the US South, concern is increasing about the sustainability of weed management in cotton production systems. Cover crops can help to alleviate this problem, as they can suppress weed emergence via allelochemicals and/or a physical residue barrier. Field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center to evaluate various cover crops for suppressing weed emergence and protecting cotton yield. In both years, cereal rye and wheat had the highest biomass production, whereas the amount of biomass present in spring did not differ among the remaining cover crops. All cover crops initially diminished Palmer amaranth emergence. However, cereal rye provided the greatest suppression, with 83% less emergence than in no cover crop plots. Physical suppression of Palmer amaranth and other weeds with cereal residues is probably the greatest contributor to reducing weed emergence. Seed cotton yield in the legume and rapeseed cover crop plots were similar when compared with the no cover crop treatment. The seed cotton yield collected from cereal cover crop plots was lower than from other treatments due to decreased cotton stand.

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Evaluation of Chemical Termination Options for Cover Crops

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2017.113 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 227-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Matheus G. Palhano ◽

Jason K. Norsworthy ◽

Tom Barber

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Yield Potential ◽

Crop Acreage ◽

Potential Cost ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Crimson Clover ◽

Legume Cover Crops ◽

And Control

AbstractCover crop acreage has substantially increased over the last few years due to the intent of growers to capitalize on federal conservation payments and incorporate sustainable practices into agricultural systems. Despite all the known benefits, widespread adoption of cover crops still remains limited due to potential cost and management requirements. Cover crop termination is crucial, because a poorly controlled cover crop can become a weed and lessen the yield potential of the current cash crop. A field study was conducted in fall 2015 and 2016 at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville to evaluate preplant herbicide options for terminating cover crops. Glyphosate-containing treatments controlled 97% to 100% of cereal rye and wheat, but glyphosate alone controlled less than 57% of legume cover crops. The most effective way to control hairy vetch, Austrian winterpea, and crimson clover with glyphosate resulted from mixtures of glyphosate with glufosinate, 2,4-D, and dicamba. Higher rates of auxin herbicides improved control in these mixtures. Glufosinate alone or in mixture controlled legume cover crops 81% or more. Paraquat plus metribuzin was effective in terminating both cereal and legume cover crops, with control of cereal cover crops ranging from 87% to 97% and control of legumes ranging from 90% to 96%. None of these herbicides or mixtures adequately controlled rapeseed.

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Long-term evaluation of cover crops on soil and runoff losses under trafficked conditions in olive orchards

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-606 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jose Alfonso Gomez ◽

Gema Guzman

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Management ◽

Ground Vegetation ◽

Small Scale ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Runoff Losses ◽

Hillslope Scale ◽

Soil Losses ◽

Runoff Plots

Maintenance of ground cover vegetation in olive orchards has been shown to reduce soil and runoff losses as compared to bare soil. However, extrapolation of its impact at hillslope scale under different conditions still challenging for several reasons. One is the limited duration of available experiments, usually shorter than 3 years, which can&#180;t capture the annual variability in precipitation typical of Mediterranean type of climate. A second reason is the small scale in which many experiments are carried out, which do not capture all the relevant erosion processes at hillslope scale. A third reason, hardly discussed, is the use of the runoff plots that limits traffic resulting in conditions that might not be fully representative of actual orchards.&#160;For evaluating the effect of temporary cover crops on water erosion processes in olives at hillslope scale, runoff and soil losses have been monitored from 2008 to 2019 in La Conchuela. This is an olive farm located in Southern Spain, where average annual precipitation is 655 mm, on Typic Haploxerert (clay content > 50%). Six runoff plots (14x24 m) delimited by steel beams on concrete foundation were established in a 13.4 % slope, containing 3 rows of 4 trees. This allows normal farm operations. Since 2008-2009, two soil management systems, conventional tillage (CT) and temporary cover crops (CC), were tested. In the two CT plots ground vegetation was controlled by 2-3chisel ploughing passes during the year. CC in the other four plots consisted of sowing manually in mid Fall a grass or a mix with grasses every 1 to 3 years without disturbing the soil surface, been mowed in early Spring. The aim of this cover crop was to be grown up spontaneously from seed produced the previous year. Weeds along the tree rows are controlled by herbicides in both cases.No significant differences were detected (p < 0.05) for the whole period, although CC showed lower runoff and soil losses values. Runoff data ranged from 157.7 &#177; 61.2 to 144.5 &#177; 46.4 mm, and soil losses varied from 24.3 &#177; 9.1 to 16.4 &#177; 7.0 t&#183;ha-1 at the CT and CC treatments respectively. The lack of statistical differences can be explained by the large variability recorded in the measurements at the six plots, especially at the CC due to the specific weather and traffic conditions. Our experiment shows how in a crop, olives, subject to intense traffic during the harvesting season (happening in late fall or early winter, rainy season) and in an orchard on heavy soils, maintenance of a good cover crop is challenging in many years. Our results call for caution when extrapolating the benefits of cover crops in olives from the experimental plots to real world conditions. It also highlights the need for improved soil management under these conditions (e.g. controlled traffic, combination with inert mulch, &#8230;) to improve soil and water conservation in intensively cultivated olive orchards in heavy soils.&#160;

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Integration of residual herbicides with cover crop termination in soybean

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.111 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 11-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Derek M. Whalen ◽

Lovreet S. Shergill ◽

Lyle P. Kinne ◽

Mandy D. Bish ◽

Kevin W. Bradley

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Biomass Accumulation ◽

Field Studies ◽

Italian Ryegrass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Herbicide Treatments ◽

Residual Herbicide ◽

Herbicide Programs

AbstractCover crops have increased in popularity in midwestern U.S. corn and soybean systems in recent years. However, little research has been conducted to evaluate how cover crops and residual herbicides are effectively integrated together for weed control in a soybean production system. Field studies were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate summer annual weed control and to determine the effect of cover crop biomass on residual herbicide reaching the soil. The herbicide treatments consisted of preplant (PP) applications of glyphosate plus 2,4-D with or without sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron at two different timings, 21 and 7 d prior to soybean planting (DPP). Cover crops evaluated included winter vetch, cereal rye, Italian ryegrass, oat, Austrian winter pea, winter wheat, and a winter vetch plus cereal rye mixture. Herbicide treatments were applied to tilled and nontilled soil without cover crop for comparison. The tillage treatment resulted in low weed biomass at all collection intervals after both application timings, which corresponded to tilled soil having the highest sulfentrazone concentration (171 ng g−1) compared with all cover crop treatments. When applied PP, herbicide treatments applied 21 DPP with sulfentrazone had greater weed (93%) and waterhemp (89%) control than when applied 7 DPP (60% and 69%, respectively). When applied POST, herbicide treatments with a residual herbicide resulted in greater weed and waterhemp control at 7 DPP (83% and 77%, respectively) than at 21 DPP (74% and 61%, respectively). Herbicide programs that included a residual herbicide had the highest soybean yields (≥3,403 kg ha−1). Results from this study indicate that residual herbicides can be effectively integrated either PP or POST in conjunction with cover crop termination applications, but termination timing and biomass accumulation will affect the amount of sulfentrazone reaching the soil.

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