scholarly journals Enhancing Corn Yield in a Winter Cereal Rye Cover Cropping System

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swetabh Patel ◽  
John Lundvall ◽  
John Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
Cropping System ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Cover Cropping

scholarly journals The Potential for Cereal Rye Cover Crops to Host Corn Seedling Pathogens

2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (6) ◽  
pp. 591-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew G. Bakker ◽  
Jyotsna Acharya ◽  
Thomas B. Moorman ◽  
Alison E. Robertson ◽  
Thomas C. Kaspar
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Conservation Practice ◽  
Seedling Disease ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
Corn Seedling

Cover cropping is a prevalent conservation practice that offers substantial benefits to soil and water quality. However, winter cereal cover crops preceding corn may diminish beneficial rotation effects because two grass species are grown in succession. Here, we show that rye cover crops host pathogens capable of causing corn seedling disease. We isolated Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, Pythium sylvaticum, and P. torulosum from roots of rye and demonstrate their pathogenicity on corn seedlings. Over 2 years, we quantified the densities of these organisms in rye roots from several field experiments and at various intervals of time after rye cover crops were terminated. Pathogen load in rye roots differed among fields and among years for particular fields. Each of the four pathogen species increased in density over time on roots of herbicide-terminated rye in at least one field site, suggesting the broad potential for rye cover crops to elevate corn seedling pathogen densities. The radicles of corn seedlings planted following a rye cover crop had higher pathogen densities compared with seedlings following a winter fallow. Management practices that limit seedling disease may be required to allow corn yields to respond positively to improvements in soil quality brought about by cover cropping.

Effect of planting into a green winter cereal rye cover crop on growth and development, seedling disease and yield of corn

Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyotsna Acharya ◽  
Thomas B Moorman ◽  
Thomas C Kaspar ◽  
Andrew W. Lenssen ◽  
Stefan NA Gailans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Root Disease ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Cold Temperatures ◽  
Seedling Disease ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Seedling Root

Terminating winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crops (CCs) 10 or more days before planting corn is recommended to minimize seedling disease and potential yield loss. In Iowa, cold temperatures and frequent precipitation can prevent farmers from following that recommendation and sometimes forcing them to plant corn while the rye plants are still green, referred to as planting green (PG). A field trial was established to evaluate the effect of rye termination shortly before or after corn planting on growth, seedling root disease, and yield of corn. A rye CC was terminated 17 and 3 days before planting (DBP), and 6 and 12 days after planting (DAP) corn; corn planted following no rye was included as a control. Rye biomass, C:N ratio, and N accumulation increased when terminated 6 or 12 DAP corn compared with rye terminated 17 or 3 DBP corn. Corn seedlings were taller from the PG treatments. More radicle root rot was observed when rye was terminated 3 DBP, 6 DAP, and 12 DAP corn than for the 17 DBP treatment and the no-rye control. Generally, greater Pythium Clade B populations were detected on radicles and seminal roots of corn from the PG treatments. Corn populations, ears, or barren plants were not affected by the treatments. In both years, the no-rye control had the greatest corn yield and the 12 DAP treatment had the lowest yield. Our results suggest that PG increased corn seedling root disease and contributed to reduced corn yield.

scholarly journals Effect of 6-Methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA) on Pythium species and corn seedling growth and disease.

Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyotsna Acharya ◽  
Thomas C Kaspar ◽  
Alison E Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Root Rot ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Mycelial Growth ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Pythium Species ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Corn Seedling

Corn yield reduction following a cereal rye cover crop has been attributed to, amongst other factors, allelochemicals released from decomposing cereal rye residue. The allelopathic effect of 6-Methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA) was evaluated on corn seedling growth, mycelial growth of seven pathogenic species of Pythium and root rot of corn seedlings caused by Pythium species at 13 °C, 16 °C, and room temperature (22-23) °C using a plate assay. Mycelial growth of all Pythium spp. tested was slower with 0.25 mg/ml of MBOA compared to 0.125 mg/ml and 0.0625 mg/ml of MBOA and check (DV8 ++ with 0.5% DMSO). Therefore, no further tests were done with MBOA at 0.25 mg/ml. In general, MBOA reduced corn radicle length and did not cause root rot across all temperatures. However, greater root rot severity in corn was observed on corn seedlings grown in the presence of Pythium lutarium and P. oopapillum on media amended with MBOA compared to the check at all temperatures. Similarly, more root rot caused by P. torulosum, and P. spinosum was observed when MBOA was present at 16 °C compared to the check with no MBOA. These data suggest that corn seedling disease caused by Pythium species could be more severe when corn is planted following a cover crop of winter cereal rye due to the presence of allelochemicals that are released from the cover crop.

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