Enhancing Corn Yield in a Winter Cereal Rye Cover Crop System in Northwest Iowa

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.

Download Full-text

Precision planting impacts on winter cereal rye growth, nutrient uptake, spring soil temperature and adoption cost

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170520000411 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Amir Sadeghpour ◽

Oladapo Adeyemi ◽

Dane Hunter ◽

Yuan Luo ◽

Shalamar Armstrong

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Uptake ◽

Mississippi River ◽

Cover Crop ◽

N Immobilization ◽

Future Research ◽

Similar Amount ◽

Seeding Rate ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Precision Planting

Abstract Growing winter cereal rye (Secale cereale) (WCR) has been identified as an effective in-field practice to reduce nitrate-N and phosphorus (P) losses to Upper Mississippi River Basin, USA. In the Midwestern USA, growers are reluctant to plant WCR especially prior to corn (Zea mays L.) due to N immobilization and establishment issues. Precision planting of WCR or ‘skipping the corn row’ (STCR) can minimize some issues associated with WCR ahead of corn while reducing cover crop seed costs. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ‘STCR’ vs normal planting of WCR at full seeding rate (NP) on WCR biomass, nutrient uptake and composition in three site-yrs (ARC2019, ARC2020, BRC2020). Our results indicated no differences in cover crop dry matter biomass production between the STCR (2.40 Mg ha−1) and NP (2.41 Mg ha−1) supported by similar normalized difference vegetative index and plant height for both treatments. Phosphorus, potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) accumulation in aboveground biomass was only influenced by site-yr and both STCR and NP removed similar amount of P, K, Ca and Mg indicating STCR could be as effective as NP in accumulating nutrients. Aboveground carbon (C) content (1086.26 kg h−1 average over the two treatments) was similar between the two treatments and only influenced by site-yr differences. Lignin, lignin:N and C:N ratios were higher in STCR than NP in one out of three site-yrs (ARC2019) indicating greater chance of N immobilization when WCR was planted later than usual. Implementing STCR saved $8.4 ha−1 for growers and could incentivize growers to adopt this practice. Future research should evaluate corn response to STCR compared with NP and assess if soil quality declines by STCR practice over time.

Download Full-text

Biomass production of 12 winter cereal cover crop cultivars and their effect on subsequent no-till corn yield

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation ◽

10.2489/jswc.70.6.353 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 70 (6) ◽

pp. 353-364 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

T. C. Kaspar ◽

M. G. Bakker

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

No Till

Download Full-text

An Analysis of the Economic Effects of Cover Crop Use on Farm Net Returns per Acre in Central Indiana

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12125104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 5104

Author(s):

Megan N. Hughes ◽

Michael R. Langemeier

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Stochastic Modelling ◽

Economic Effects ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Annual Ryegrass ◽

Crop Species ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Net Returns ◽

The Impact

Utilizing cover crop treatments can have significant agronomic benefits for a farm enterprise. However, implementing this technology introduces additional costs. Data were obtained from a Central Indiana case farm to evaluate the relationship between applied nitrogen and corn yield, and how this relationship is impacted by introducing three different species of cover crops: annual ryegrass, cereal rye, and an oats and radish blend. The resulting information was then translated into a partial budget so that the effects on net returns could be analyzed using historical prices and stochastic modelling. The results showed that the impact on net returns per acre varied among cover crop species. The implementation of annual ryegrass resulted in a negative change to net returns. Conversely, implementing cereal rye or an oats and radish blend resulted in a positive change to net returns, with the largest net benefits accruing to the oats and radish blend.

Download Full-text

Cover Crop Rotation Effects on Growth and Development, Seedling Disease, and Yield of Corn and Soybean

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-09-19-1904-re ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 104 (3) ◽

pp. 677-687 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jyotsna Acharya ◽

Thomas B. Moorman ◽

Thomas C. Kaspar ◽

Andrew W. Lenssen ◽

Alison E. Robertson

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Root Disease ◽

Winter Rye ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Soybean Seedlings ◽

Seedling Roots

The effects of winter cover crops on root disease and growth of corn and soybeans are poorly understood. A 3-year field experiment investigated the effect of winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and winter camelina (Camelina sativa [L.] Crantz), used either in all three years or in rotation with each other, on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max. [L.] Merr.) growth, root disease, and yield. Corn following a cover crop of camelina had reduced root disease, a lower Pythium population in seedling roots, and greater growth and yields compared with corn following a rye cover crop. Camelina and rye cover crops before soybean had either a positive or no effect on soybean growth and development, root disease, and yield. Moreover, Pythium clade B populations were greater in corn seedlings after a rye cover crop compared with those following a camelina cover crop, whereas clade F populations were greater on soybean seedlings following a camelina cover crop compared with seedlings following a rye cover crop. A winter camelina cover crop grown before corn had less-negative effects on corn seedling growth, root disease, and final yield than a winter rye cover crop before corn. Neither cover crop had negative effects on soybean, and the cover crop in the preceding spring had no measurable effects on either corn or soybean.

Download Full-text

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

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-04-21-0836-re ◽

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.

Download Full-text

Effect of cereal rye and canola on winter and summer annual weed emergence in corn

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2020.51 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 787-793

Author(s):

Stephanie A. DeSimini ◽

Kevin D. Gibson ◽

Shalamar D. Armstrong ◽

Marcelo Zimmer ◽

Lucas O.R. Maia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Crop Species ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Giant Ragweed ◽

Corn Grain ◽

Corn Grain Yield

AbstractField experiments were conducted in 2017 and 2018 at two locations in Indiana to evaluate the influence of cover crop species, termination timing, and herbicide treatment on winter and summer annual weed suppression and corn yield. Cereal rye and canola cover crops were terminated early or late (2 wk before or after corn planting) with a glyphosate- or glufosinate-based herbicide program. Canola and cereal rye reduced total weed biomass collected at termination by up to 74% and 91%, in comparison to fallow, respectively. Canola reduced horseweed density by up to 56% at termination and 57% at POST application compared to fallow. Cereal rye reduced horseweed density by up to 59% at termination and 87% at POST application compared to fallow. Canola did not reduce giant ragweed density at termination in comparison to fallow. Cereal rye reduced giant ragweed density by up to 66% at termination and 62% at POST application. Termination timing had little to no effect on weed biomass and density reduction in comparison to the effect of cover crop species. Cereal rye reduced corn grain yield at both locations in comparison to fallow, especially for the late-termination timing. Corn grain yield reduction up to 49% (4,770 kg ha–1) was recorded for cereal rye terminated late in comparison to fallow terminated late. Canola did not reduce corn grain yield in comparison to fallow within termination timing; however, late-terminated canola reduced corn grain yield by up to 21% (2,980 kg ha–1) in comparison to early-terminated fallow. Cereal rye can suppress giant ragweed emergence, whereas canola is not as effective at suppressing large-seeded broadleaves such as giant ragweed. These results also indicate that early-terminated cover crops can often result in higher corn grain yields than late-terminated cover crops in an integrated weed management program.

Download Full-text