Exploring Overwintered Cover Crops as a Soil Management Tool in Upper-midwest High Tunnels

High tunnels are an important season extension tool for horticultural production in cold climates, however maintaining soil health in these intensively managed spaces is challenging. Cover crops are an attractive management tool to address issues such as decreased organic matter, degraded soil structure, increased salinity, and high nitrogen needs. We explored the effect of winter cover crops on soil nutrients, soil health and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) crop yield in high tunnels for 2 years in three locations across Minnesota. Cover crop treatments included red clover (Trifolium pratense) monoculture, Austrian winter pea/winter rye biculture (Pisum sativum/Secale cereale), hairy vetch/winter rye/tillage radish (Vicia villosa/S. cereale/Raphanus sativus) polyculture, and a bare-ground, weeded control. Cover crop treatments were seeded in two planting date treatments: early planted treatments were seeded into a standing bell pepper crop in late Aug/early September and late planted treatments were seeded after bell peppers were removed in mid-September At termination time in early May, all cover crops had successfully overwintered and produced biomass in three Minnesota locations except for Austrian winter pea at the coldest location, zone 3b. Data collected include cover crop and weed biomass, biomass carbon and nitrogen, extractable soil nitrogen, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, permanganate oxidizable carbon, soil pH, soluble salts (EC), and pepper yield. Despite poor legume performance, increases in extractable soil nitrogen and potentially mineralizable nitrogen in the weeks following cover crop residue incorporation were observed. Biomass nitrogen contributions averaged 100 kg·ha−1 N with an observed high of 365 kg·ha−1 N. Cover crops also reduced extractable soil N in a spring sampling relative to the bare ground control, suggesting provision of nitrogen retention ecosystem services.

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The Effect of Cover Crops on the Yield of Spring Barley in Estonia

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture9080172 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 172

Author(s):

Merili Toom ◽

Sirje Tamm ◽

Liina Talgre ◽

Ilmar Tamm ◽

Ülle Tamm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Nitrogen Availability ◽

Spring Barley ◽

Management Tool ◽

Winter Rye ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Hordeum Vulgare L ◽

Crop Species

Using cover crops in fallow periods of crop production is an important management tool for reducing nitrate leaching and therefore improving nitrogen availability for subsequent crops. We estimated the short-term effect of five cover crop species on the yield of successive spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for two years in Estonia. The cover crop species used in the study were winter rye (Secale cereale L.), winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa spp. oleifera L.), forage radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). The results indicated that out of the five tested cover crops, forage radish and hairy vetch increased the yield of subsequent spring barley, whereas the other cover crops had no effect on barley yield. All cover crop species had low C:N ratios (11–17), suggesting that nitrogen (N) was available for barley early in the spring.

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Soybean Relative Maturity, Not Row Spacing, Affected Interseeded Cover Crops Biomass

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11050441 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 441

Author(s):

Hans J. Kandel ◽

Dulan P. Samarappuli ◽

Kory L. Johnson ◽

Marisol T. Berti

Keyword(s):

Spring Wheat ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Plant Density ◽

Row Spacing ◽

Winter Rye ◽

Soybean Yield ◽

Early Maturing ◽

Crop Biomass

Adoption of cover crop interseeding in the northwestern Corn Belt in the USA is limited due to inadequate fall moisture for establishment, short growing season, additional costs, and need for adapted winter-hardy species. This study evaluated three cover crop treatments—no cover crop, winter rye (Secale cereale L.), and winter camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz)—which were interseeded at the R6 soybean growth stage, using two different soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) maturity groups (0.5 vs. 0.9) and two row spacings (30.5 vs. 61 cm). The objective was to evaluate these treatments on cover crop biomass, soil cover, plant density, and soybean yield. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield was also measured the following year. The early-maturing soybean cultivar (0.5 maturity) resulted in increased cover crop biomass and soil cover, with winter rye outperforming winter camelina. However, the early-maturing soybean yielded 2308 kg·ha−1, significantly less compared with the later maturing cultivar (2445 kg·ha−1). Narrow row spacing had higher soybean yield, but row spacing did not affect cover crop growth. Spring wheat should not follow winter rye if rye is terminated right before seeding the wheat. However, wheat planted after winter camelina was no different than when no cover crop was interseeded in soybean. Interseeding cover crops into established soybean is possible, however, cover crop biomass accumulation and soil cover are limited.

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Under-vine cover crops: impact on weed development, yield and grape composition

OENO One ◽

10.20870/oeno-one.2020.54.4.4149 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (4) ◽

pp. 975-983

Author(s):

Javier Abad ◽

Marín Diana ◽

Santesteban L. Gonzaga ◽

Cibriáin José Félix ◽

Sagüés Ana

Keyword(s):

Water Stress ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Drip Irrigation ◽

Vegetative Growth ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Management Tool ◽

Second Year ◽

Semi Arid

This study aims to evaluate the interest of using an under-vine cover crop as a sustainable management tool replacing herbicides or tillage to control weeds, evaluating its effects on yield and berry parameters in a semi-arid climate. The performance of Trifolium fragiferum as an under-vine cover crop was evaluated in 2018 and 2019 in a Merlot vineyard in Traibuenas (Navarra, Spain). This trial showed that the soil under the vines was covered by 80 % of the cover crop in August 2018 and 100 % in Aug 2019, with clover (T. fragiferum) comprising around 26 % and 70 % of the cover crop surface, respectively. The presence of the cover crop only reduced the number of shoots in the second year, although both years there was an increment in water stress. Neither yield, cluster weight nor berry weight were affected by the presence of the under-vine cover crop. Similarly, no changes in grape composition were observed. The use of T. fragiferum-like cover crops under the vine allows for better control of weeds, provided a good installation is achieved. In the first two years, this cover crop reduced vegetative growth and increased water deficit slightly. However, no changes in yield and grape composition were observed.In a context of herbicide suppression and search for sustainable management, under-vine clover cover crops constitute a viable alternative in semi-arid regions provided drip irrigation can be applied.

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Investigating tarps to facilitate organic no-till cabbage production with high-residue cover crops

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170518000509 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 227-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Natalie P Lounsbury ◽

Nicholas D Warren ◽

Seamus D Wolfe ◽

Richard G Smith

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

Soil Temperature ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Nutrient Availability ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Winter Rye ◽

No Till ◽

Crop Biomass

AbstractHigh-residue cover crops can facilitate organic no-till vegetable production when cover crop biomass production is sufficient to suppress weeds (>8000 kg ha−1), and cash crop growth is not limited by soil temperature, nutrient availability, or cover crop regrowth. In cool climates, however, both cover crop biomass production and soil temperature can be limiting for organic no-till. In addition, successful termination of cover crops can be a challenge, particularly when cover crops are grown as mixtures. We tested whether reusable plastic tarps, an increasingly popular tool for small-scale vegetable farmers, could be used to augment organic no-till cover crop termination and weed suppression. We no-till transplanted cabbage into a winter rye (Secale cereale L.)-hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop mulch that was terminated with either a roller-crimper alone or a roller-crimper plus black or clear tarps. Tarps were applied for durations of 2, 4 and 5 weeks. Across tarp durations, black tarps increased the mean cabbage head weight by 58% compared with the no tarp treatment. This was likely due to a combination of improved weed suppression and nutrient availability. Although soil nutrients and biological activity were not directly measured, remaining cover crop mulch in the black tarp treatments was reduced by more than 1100 kg ha−1 when tarps were removed compared with clear and no tarp treatments. We interpret this as an indirect measurement of biological activity perhaps accelerated by lower daily soil temperature fluctuations and more constant volumetric water content under black tarps. The edges of both tarp types were held down, rather than buried, but moisture losses from the clear tarps were greater and this may have affected the efficacy of clear tarps. Plastic tarps effectively killed the vetch cover crop, whereas it readily regrew in the crimped but uncovered plots. However, emergence of large and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) appeared to be enhanced in the clear tarp treatment. Although this experiment was limited to a single site-year in New Hampshire, it shows that use of black tarps can overcome some of the obstacles to implementing cover crop-based no-till vegetable productions in northern climates.

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The Perceived Benefits, Challenges, and Environmental Effects of Cover Crop Implementation in South Carolina

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10090372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 372

Author(s):

Lucas Clay ◽

Katharine Perkins ◽

Marzieh Motallebi ◽

Alejandro Plastina ◽

Bhupinder Singh Farmaha

Keyword(s):

South Carolina ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Management Practice ◽

Soil Health ◽

Education Level ◽

Limited Information ◽

Best Management ◽

Row Crop ◽

The Impact

Cover crops are becoming more accepted as a viable best management practice because of their ability to provide important environmental and soil health benefits. Because of these benefits, many land managers are strongly encouraging the use of cover crops. Additionally, there is limited information on farmers′ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of implementing cover crops. Many farmers state that they do not have enough money or time to implement cover crops. In an attempt to gather more data about the adoption rate and perceptions of cover crops in South Carolina, a survey was sent to 3000 row crop farmers across the state. Farmers were asked whether they implement cover crops and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges associated with implementation. Furthermore, questions were asked regarding the impact of row cropping on their environment to gauge farmer′s education level on environmental impacts. Responses showed many people are implementing cover crops; however, there are still differences in perceptions about benefits and challenges between those who are adopting cover crops and those who are not. This research assesses these differences and aims to provide a baseline for focusing cover crop programs to tackle these certain challenges and promote the benefits.

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Drainage N Loads Under Climate Change with Winter Rye Cover Crop in a Northern Mississippi River Basin Corn-Soybean Rotation

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187630 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7630

Author(s):

Robert Malone ◽

Jurgen Garbrecht ◽

Phillip Busteed ◽

Jerry Hatfield ◽

Dennis Todey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

River Basin ◽

Crop Yield ◽

Mississippi River ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

General Circulation ◽

N Uptake ◽

Winter Rye ◽

Mississippi River Basin

To help reduce future N loads entering the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River 45%, Iowa set the goal of reducing non-point source N loads 41%. Studies show that implementing winter rye cover crops into agricultural systems reduces N loads from subsurface drainage, but its effectiveness in the Mississippi River Basin under expected climate change is uncertain. We used the field-tested Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) to estimate drainage N loads, crop yield, and rye growth in central Iowa corn-soybean rotations. RZWQM scenarios included baseline (BL) observed weather (1991–2011) and ambient CO2 with cover crop and no cover crop treatments (BL_CC and BL_NCC). Scenarios also included projected future temperature and precipitation change (2065–2085) from six general circulation models (GCMs) and elevated CO2 with cover crop and no cover crop treatments (CC and NCC). Average annual drainage N loads under NCC, BL_NCC, CC and BL_CC were 63.6, 47.5, 17.0, and 18.9 kg N ha−1. Winter rye cover crop was more effective at reducing drainage N losses under climate change than under baseline conditions (73 and 60% for future and baseline climate), mostly because the projected temperatures and atmospheric CO2 resulted in greater rye growth and crop N uptake. Annual CC drainage N loads were reduced compared with BL_NCC more than the targeted 41% for 18 to 20 years of the 21-year simulation, depending on the GCM. Under projected climate change, average annual simulated crop yield differences between scenarios with and without winter rye were approximately 0.1 Mg ha−1. These results suggest that implementing winter rye cover crop in a corn-soybean rotation effectively addresses the goal of drainage N load reduction under climate change in a northern Mississippi River Basin agricultural system without affecting cash crop production.

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Do diverse mixtures of cover crop residues alter the soil microbial community and increase soil function?

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-1499 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Xin Shu ◽

Yiran Zou ◽

Liz Shaw ◽

Lindsay Todman ◽

Mark Tibbett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Community ◽

Soil Respiration ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Soil Microbial Community ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Soil Health ◽

Soil Function ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Quaternary Mixture

Cover crops are a contemporary tool to sustainably manage agricultural soils by boosting fertility, suppressing weeds and disease, and benefiting cash crop yields, thus securing future food supply. Due to the different chemical composition of crop residues from different plant families, we hypothesised that a mixture of cover crop residues may have a greater potential to improve soil health than the sum of the parts. Our experiment focused on the impact of four cover crops (clover, sunflower, radish and buckwheat) and their quaternary mixture on soil respiration and the soil microbial community in an 84-day microcosm experiment. On average adding cover crop residues significantly (P < 0.001) increased soil respiration from 29 to 343 &#181;g C g-1 h-1 and microbial biomass from 18 to 60 &#181;g C g-1, compared to the unamended control during 84 days&#8217; incubation. Cover crop addition resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) alteration of the soil microbial community structure compared to that of the control. The quaternary mixture of cover crop residues significantly (P = 0.011) increased soil respiration rate by 23.79 &#181;g C g-1 h-1 during the period 30 to 84 days after residue incorporation, compared to the average of the four individual residues. However, no significant difference in the size of the microbial biomass was found between the mixture and the average of the four individuals, indicating the mixture may invest resources which transit dormant microbial species into a metabolically active state and thus boost microbial respiration. Analysis of similarity of microbial community composition (ANOSIM) demonstrated the mixture significantly (P = 0.001) shifted microbial community structure away from buckwheat (R = 0.847), clover (R = 0.688), radish (R = 0.285) and sunflower (R = 0.785), respectively. This implies cover crop residues provide a niche specialization and differentiation on a selection of microbial communities that favour certain plant compounds. While applying cover crop residues has positive impacts on soil function, we found that applying a mixture of cover crop residues may provide greater potential to select for microorganisms or activate dormant microbial species which result in higher soil function. The outcome of this study will help seed suppliers to design, and farmers to select, novel cover crop mixtures which enhance soil function synergistically, leading to a greater potential to sustainably improve soil health.

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MANAGEMENT OF COVER CROPS FOR WEED CONTROL BETWEEN PLASTIC MULCH IN PEPPERS (CAPSICUM ANNUUM)

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.28.4.257e ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 257E-257

Author(s):

Francis X. Mangan ◽

Mary Jane Else ◽

Stephen J. Herbert

Keyword(s):

White Clover ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Lolium Multiflorum ◽

Field Research ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Winter Rye ◽

Weed Species ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Crop Species

Field research was conducted in Deerfield, Mass. to study the effects of different cover crop species seeded between plastic mulch on weed pressure and pepper yield. A complete fertilizer was applied before plastic was laid on Sept. 13, 1991. Two cover crop treatments were seeded Sept. 13, 1991: white clover (Trifolium repens) alone and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) in combination with winter rye (Secale cereale). On May 27, 1992 the vetch and rye were mow-killed with the biomass left on the soil surface. Annual rye (Lolium multiflorum) was then seeded on the same day as the third cover crop treatment. The remaining two treatments were a weedy check and a hand-weeded check. Peppers were transplanted into the plastic on May 31. Both the annual rye and clover were mowed three times over the course of the experiment with the biomass left between the plastic mulch. The white clover and annual rye were much more competitive with weed species than the dead mulch of vetch and rye. The three cover crop treatments had pepper yields that were severely depressed compared to the hand-weeded treatment. Among the three cover crop treatments, only the annual rye yielded more peppers than the weedy check.

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Benefits of Cover Crops for Soil Health

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-ag277-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 2007 (20) ◽

Author(s):

Yoana C. Newman ◽

David L. Wright ◽

Cheryl Mackowiak ◽

J.M.S. Scholberg ◽

C. M. Cherr

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Health ◽

Nutrient Release ◽

Fact Sheet ◽

Residue Incorporation

SS-AGR-272, a 4-page fact sheet by Y.C. Newman, D.W. Wright, C. Mackowiak, J.M.S. Scholberg and C.M. Cherr, discusses the benefits of cover crops in agricultural production, the benefits of soil organic matter; how to match cover crop nutrient release with future crop demand; timing and depth of residue incorporation; and erosion, pest and weed control. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agronomy, November 2007. SS AGR 272/AG277: Benefits of Cover Crops for Soil Health (ufl.edu)

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Cover Crops Influence Meadow Vole Presence in Organic Orchards

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/hortsci.19.3.558 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 558-562 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Michel R. Wiman ◽

Elizabeth M. Kirby ◽

David M. Granatstein ◽

Thomas P. Sullivan

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Wood Chip ◽

Subterranean Clover ◽

Meadow Vole ◽

Birdsfoot Trefoil ◽

Bare Ground ◽

Meadow Voles ◽

Sandwich System ◽

Mulch Cover

Living mulch cover crops can improve soil health and build organic matter, yet their use in fruit orchards comes with a risk of encouraging meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), a rodent that can be destructive to fruit trees. Several living mulch cover crop species were assessed in an apple (Malus ×domestica) orchard understory along with wood chip mulch and bare ground. Desired species characteristics were weed competitiveness, low growth habit, nitrogen fixation, and potential rodent repellency. Legume species included birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), medic (Medicago spp.), and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), which were planted in solid stands as well as mixtures. Nonlegume species included sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), and colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis). Meadow vole presence was evaluated in fall and spring with point-intersect and run-length measurements. A legume mix (medic, birdsfoot trefoil, subterranean clover, and colonial bentgrass) had the highest meadow vole presence, with no reduction under the “sandwich” system of tilling either side of the tree trunks while leaving a cover crop in a narrow strip with the trunks. The nonlegume mix [colonial bentgrass, sweet alyssum, creeping thyme, and fivespot (Neomophila maculata)] had similar results. However, the sweet woodruff (planted in the “sandwich” system) had significantly lower presence of meadow voles than the other living mulches. Wood chip mulch, cultivation, and bare ground control were all similar, with very low presence, indicating low risk of meadow vole damage. The results from the sweet woodruff suggest that we need more research on the potential to select living mulches that are nonattractive or repellent to meadow voles for use in orchards.

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