Benefits of Cover Crops for Soil Health

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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Soil organic matter quality and weed diversity in coffee plantation area submitted to weed control and cover crops management

Soil and Tillage Research ◽

10.1016/j.still.2015.06.005 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 153 ◽

pp. 169-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Bruno Henrique Martins ◽

Cezar Francisco Araujo-Junior ◽

Mario Miyazawa ◽

Karen Mayara Vieira ◽

Debora M.B.P. Milori

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Coffee Plantation ◽

Organic Matter Quality ◽

Weed Diversity ◽

Soil Organic Matter Quality

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Cover Crop Benefits for South Florida Commercial Vegetable Producers

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-ss461-2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 2006 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Yuncong Li ◽

Edward A. Hanlon ◽

Waldemar Klassen ◽

Qingren Wang ◽

Teresa Olczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Production Systems ◽

South Florida ◽

Vegetable Production ◽

Science Department ◽

Nutrient Conservation ◽

Soil And Water

SL-242, an 8-page illustrated fact sheet by Y. Li, E. A. Hanlon, W. Klassen, Q. Wang, T. Olczyk, and I. V. Ezenwa, describes how and why to use cover crops in South Florida vegetable production systems, and identifies several cover crops that work in Florida's climate, that contribute to nutrient conservation, and whose biomass can be incorporated to improve soil organic matter. Published by the UF Soil and Water Science Department, June 2006. SL-242/SS461: Cover Crop Benefits for South Florida Commercial Vegetable Producers (ufl.edu)

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Introduction of legume cover crops practice in intensive grain corn crop system to mitigate soil threats in the Mediterranean region

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-6199 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anne Karine Boulet ◽

Carlos Alarcão ◽

Carla Ferreira ◽

Adelcia Veiga ◽

Lara Campos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Mediterranean Region ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Matter Content ◽

High Biomass ◽

Soil Organic Matter Content ◽

Legume Cover Crops

In Portugal, grain corn is the main cereal produced, comprising 56% of total cereal yield. It is grown in intensive monoculture cropping systems that may have negative effects on soil quality, affecting long-term fertility and productivity, and therefore the sustainability of production. A promising management practice to mitigate soil degradation is to grow a cover crop during the usual fallow period. This study examined in which extend six species of legume cover crops (forage pea (pisum sativum L), yellow lupin (lupinus luteus), crimson clover (trifolium incarnatum), balansa clover (trifolium michelianum), persian clover (trifolium suaveolens), and arrowleaf clover (trifolium vesiculosum) are suitable to mitigate soil threats in grain corn systems specifically in the Mediterranean region. Specific objectives were to identify the effectiveness of the legume 6 species in improving soil fertility (i.e., soil organic matter content), mitigating nutrient leaching, nutrient recycling, and weed control. The study was performed in the lower Mondego valley in central Portugal. It covered two autumn to spring periods of cover crop cultivation, and assessed changes in soil fertility, dry biomass yield of legumes and weeds, and their associated nutrient content (total nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium).In general, the six legume cover crops (LCC) species showed good adaptation to Mediterranean conditions, yielding large amounts of biomass (up to 8 ton/ha for clovers species). At the short term, LCC incorporation into the soil had no clear effect in soil organic matter content. The median uptake of NPK macronutrients for all species was high respectively 176-20-172 kg/ha, due to their generally high biomass production, highlighting their great potential to mitigate nutrient leaching. The capacity of the LCC to provide green manure services enabled a median reduction of 40% of N, 60% of P, and 100% of K supplied by mineral fertilizers necessary to attain a corn grain yield of 12t/ha. LCC showed a good effectiveness in weeds control, although only in the second year of the study. Three clover species (crimson, balansa, arrowleaf) performed best in terms of weed control maintaining weed production below 0.5 ton/ha, vs 3-4 ton/ha in control plots, due to early establishment and/or high biomass production in later growth stages, and avoiding the first application of herbicide in pre-emergent herbicide for grain corn cultivation.

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A cover crop and no-tillage system for enhancing soil health by increasing soil organic matter in soybean cultivation

Soil and Tillage Research ◽

10.1016/j.still.2020.104749 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 205 ◽

pp. 104749

Author(s):

Heppy Suci Wulanningtyas ◽

Yingting Gong ◽

Peiran Li ◽

Nobuo Sakagami ◽

Junko Nishiwaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Health ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tillage System

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Effect of Clay, Soil Organic Matter, and Soil pH on Initial and Residual Weed Control with Flumioxazin

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071326 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1326

Author(s):

Calvin F. Glaspie ◽

Eric A. L. Jones ◽

Donald Penner ◽

John A. Pawlak ◽

Wesley J. Everman

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Weed Control ◽

Soil Ph ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Amaranthus Retroflexus ◽

Matter Content ◽

Weed Species ◽

Soil Organic Matter Content ◽

Field Soils

Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of soil organic matter content and soil pH on initial and residual weed control with flumioxazin by planting selected weed species in various lab-made and field soils. Initial control was determined by planting weed seeds into various lab-made and field soils treated with flumioxazin (71 g ha−1). Seeds of Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass), Setaria faberi (giant foxtail), Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed), and Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf) were incorporated into the top 1.3 cm of each soil at a density of 100 seeds per pot, respectively. Emerged plants were counted and removed in both treated and non-treated pots two weeks after planting and each following week for six weeks. Flumioxazin control was evaluated by calculating percent emergence of weeds in treated soils compared to the emergence of weeds in non-treated soils. Clay content was not found to affect initial flumioxazin control of any tested weed species. Control of A. theophrasti, E. crus-galli, and S. faberi was reduced as soil organic matter content increased. The control of A. retroflexus was not affected by organic matter. Soil pH below 6 reduced flumioxazin control of A. theophrasti, and S. faberi but did not affect the control of A. retroflexus and E. crus-galli. Flumioxazin residual control was determined by planting selected weed species in various lab-made and field soils 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after treatment. Eight weeks after treatment, flumioxazin gave 0% control of A. theophrasti and S. faberi in all soils tested. Control of A. retroflexus and Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters) was 100% for the duration of the experiment, except when soil organic matter content was greater than 3% or the soil pH 7. Eight weeks after treatment, 0% control was only observed for common A. retroflexus and C. album in organic soil (soil organic matter > 80%) or when soil pH was above 7. Control of A. theophrasti and S. faberi decreased as soil organic matter content and soil pH increased. Similar results were observed when comparing lab-made soils to field soils; however, differences in control were observed between lab-made organic matter soils and field organic matter soils. Results indicate that flumioxazin can provide control ranging from 75–100% for two to six weeks on common weed species.

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Chemical composition of cover crops and soil organic matter pools in no‐tillage systems in the Cerrado

Soil Use and Management ◽

10.1111/sum.12746 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Arminda Moreira de Carvalho ◽

Luana Ramos Passos Ribeiro ◽

Robélio Leandro Marchão ◽

Alexsandra Duarte de Oliveira ◽

Karina Pulrolnik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Cover Crops ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tillage Systems

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Organik Matter: It’s Role in Sustainable Farming of Sugarcane

Perspektif ◽

10.21082/p.v14n1.2015.61-71 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

Djajadi Djajadi

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Green Manure ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Soil Health ◽

High Yield ◽

Cane Yield ◽

Sustainable Farming

ABSTRACTOrganik matter has an important role in determining soil health of sugarcane, i.e. soil capacity to support sugarcane to produce sustainable high yield. Soil organic matter influences soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, so that a consequence of declining soil organic matter is poorer soil fertility and lower yield. This paper has an objective to elucidate the important role of organic matter on sustainable farming of sugarcane. The important role of organic matter in soil fertility has been known for a long time before Green Revolution concept was introduced. With more intensity in sugarcane farming and more increasing of sugar demand, application of organic fertilizer started to be substituted by chemical fertilizer. Using green manure and/or biofertilizer has a chance to be spread out to the farmers due to more practical and more efficient than solid organik fertilizer, such as dung manure or compost. Future research should be focusing on the efectivity of green manure and or biofertilzer sources in improving soil fertility and cane yield, minimizing soil pathogen, reducing soil erosion of sugar cane land monoculture, and improving awareness of farmers about soil degradation as consequences of sugarcane monoculture planting for years.Keywords: Organic matter, sugarcane, soil health sustainable farming Bahan Organik: Peranannya dalam Budidaya Tebu BerkelanjutanABSTRAKBahan organik tanah berperan penting dalam menentukan kesehatan tanah tebu, yaitu kapasitas tanah yang dapat mendukung produksi tebu yang tinggi secara berkelanjutan. Kadar bahan organik tanah mempengaruhi sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah. Paper ini bertujuan untuk menguraikan tentang peranan bahan organik dalam memperbaiki sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah pertanaman tebu. Pentingnya peran bahan oganik tersebut sudah disadari dari dulu, sehingga sebelum revolusi hijau penggunaan pupuk organik sudah umum dilakukan petani. Dengan semakin intensifnya budidaya tebu dan semakin meningkatnya kebutuhan gula, pemanfaatan pupuk organik sudah jarang dilakukan. Diperlukan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan mempertahankan kadar bahan organik pada lahan tebu, antara lain berupa gerakan masal dalam bentuk gerakan nasional melalui program aplikasi bahan organik. Pemanfaatan pupuk hijau dan/atau pupuk hayati berpeluang untuk diterapkan karena lebih praktis dan efisien daripada penambahan pupuk organik padat. Penelitian ke depan perlu difokuskan untuk mengkaji jenis-jenis pupuk organik dan pupuk hayati yang efektif memperbaiki kesuburan, dalam menekan serangan penyakit, meminimalkan erosi pada lahan-lahan tebu monokultur, dan meningkatkan kesadaran petani tebu tentang terjadinya degradasi lahan akibat penanaman tebu yang terus menerus.Kata kunci: Bahan organik, tebu, kesehatan tanah, budidaya berkelanjutan

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Influence of a Rye Cover Crop on the Critical Period for Weed Control in Cotton

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-14-00075.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 346-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Nicholas E. Korres ◽

Jason K. Norsworthy

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Critical Period ◽

Yield Loss ◽

Growing Season ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Weed Density ◽

Presence And Absence ◽

Weed Removal

Cover crops are becoming increasingly common in cotton as a result of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth; hence, a field experiment was conducted in 2009 and 2010 in Marianna, AR, with a rye cover crop used to determine its effects on the critical period for weed control in cotton. Throughout most of the growing season, weed biomass in the presence of a rye cover crop was lesser than that in the absence of a rye cover crop. In 2009, in weeks 2 through 7 after planting, weed biomass was reduced at least twofold in the presence of a rye cover compared with the absence of rye. In 2009, in both presence and absence of a rye cover crop, weed removal needed to begin before weed biomass was 150 g m−2, or approximately 4 wk after planting, to prevent yield loss > 5%. Weed density was less in 2010 than in 2009, so weed removal was not required until 7 wk after planting, at which point weed biomass values were 175 and 385 g m−2in the presence and absence of a cover crop, respectively.

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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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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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