The Self-Seeding of Anthemis arvensis L. for Cover Crop in Olive Groves under Intense Rabbit Grazing

Cover crops can be an effective means to protect soil and reduce risks of erosion in olive groves. However, for this protection to be significant, the vegetation must attain a significant amount of ground cover, which is estimated to be at least 30% during the rainy season. In olive groves on degraded soils, which occupy large surface areas in the olive-growing areas of the Mediterranean region, the establishment of cover crops may be an arduous challenge, particularly in areas with a high density of rabbits. In this study, we have selected two olive orchards with scarce natural vegetation located in Andalusia (southern Spain), in which rabbit populations intensively forage the cover crops, to test whether the self-seeding of an unpalatable species corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis L.; A. arvensis for short) could achieve sufficient coverage for soil protection, in the year following that in which the broadcast-seeding was carried out for the implementation of cover crops. The hand broadcast-seeding of A. arvensis was carried out on sixteen elementary plots in the lanes of the two olive orchards in the autumn of 2015, and seed germination in the subsequent self-seeding took place in the autumn of 2016. The plant height and A. arvensis ground cover in these plots were measured throughout the two growth cycles, and aerial biomass was measured at maturity. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the maximum plant height between the two growth cycles (mean ± SD of 21.2 ± 1.6 cm), while the ground cover was significantly greater in the case of self-seeding, especially during the winter (37.2 ± 8.1 and 9.3 ± 6.7% for self-seeding and broadcast-seeding, respectively), and aerial biomass at maturity had more than doubled (99.7 and 43.9 g m−2, respectively). These data suggest that this unpalatable species could establish an effective herbaceous cover by means of self-seeding in olive groves on degraded soils that are being overgrazed owing to the high pressure of rabbits. Despite the poor establishment in the broadcast-seeding year, our findings indicate that A. arvensis might be an alternative cover crop that could help the sustainability of these threatened olive groves. Its high seed production (2000 to 4000 seeds per plant), and an early emergence just after the first autumn rains, should result in an increased ground cover by A. arvensis during the rainy season in the subsequent years of self-seeding. This, therefore, could contribute to soil conservation, in addition to providing other benefits of increased biodiversity and improvement for agricultural landscapes.

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Detecting Cover Crop End-Of-Season Using VENµS and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12213524 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (21) ◽

pp. 3524

Author(s):

Feng Gao ◽

Martha C. Anderson ◽

W. Dean Hively

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Time Series ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Absolute Difference ◽

Sentinel 2

Cover crops are planted during the off-season to protect the soil and improve watershed management. The ability to map cover crop termination dates over agricultural landscapes is essential for quantifying conservation practice implementation, and enabling estimation of biomass accumulation during the active cover period. Remote sensing detection of end-of-season (termination) for cover crops has been limited by the lack of high spatial and temporal resolution observations and methods. In this paper, a new within-season termination (WIST) algorithm was developed to map cover crop termination dates using the Vegetation and Environment monitoring New Micro Satellite (VENµS) imagery (5 m, 2 days revisit). The WIST algorithm first detects the downward trend (senescent period) in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series and then refines the estimate to the two dates with the most rapid rate of decrease in NDVI during the senescent period. The WIST algorithm was assessed using farm operation records for experimental fields at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). The crop termination dates extracted from VENµS and Sentinel-2 time-series in 2019 and 2020 were compared to the recorded termination operation dates. The results show that the termination dates detected from the VENµS time-series (aggregated to 10 m) agree with the recorded harvest dates with a mean absolute difference of 2 days and uncertainty of 4 days. The operational Sentinel-2 time-series (10 m, 4–5 days revisit) also detected termination dates at BARC but had 7% missing and 10% false detections due to less frequent temporal observations. Near-real-time simulation using the VENµS time-series shows that the average lag times of termination detection are about 4 days for VENµS and 8 days for Sentinel-2, not including satellite data latency. The study demonstrates the potential for operational mapping of cover crop termination using high temporal and spatial resolution remote sensing data.

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Study of C, N, P and K Release from Residues of Newly Proposed Cover Crops in a Spanish Olive Grove

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10071041 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1041 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonio Rodríguez-Lizana ◽

Miguel Ángel Repullo-Ruibérriz de Torres ◽

Rosa Carbonell-Bojollo ◽

Manuel Moreno-García ◽

Rafaela Ordóñez-Fernández

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Brachypodium Distachyon ◽

Nutrient Release ◽

Grab Sampling ◽

P Release ◽

Olive Groves ◽

C And N

Cover crops (CC)s are increasingly employed by farmers in olive groves. Spontaneous soil cover is the most commonly used CC. Its continuous utilization changes ruderal flora. It is necessary to study new CCs. Living CCs provide C and nutrients to soil during decomposition. Information on this issue in olive groves is scarce. A 4-year field study involving grab sampling of Brachypodium distachyon, Sinapis alba and spontaneous CC residues was conducted to study C and nutrient release from cover crop residues. Throughout the decomposition cycles, C, N and P release accounted for 40 to 58% of the C, N and P amounts in the residues after mowing. Most K was released (80–90%). Expressed in kg per hectare, the release of C and N in Brachypodium (C: 4602, N: 181, P: 29, K: 231) and Sinapis (C: 4806, N: 152, P: 18, K: 195) was greater than that in spontaneous CC (C: 3115, N: 138, P: 21, K: 256). The opposite results were observed for K. The Rickman model, employed to estimate the amount of C, N and P in residues, yielded a good match between the simulated and measured values. In comparison to spontaneous CC, the newly proposed CCs have a higher potential to provide soil with C and N.

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Comparison of the Allelopathic Potential of Leguminous Summer Cover Crops: Cowpea, Sunn Hemp, and Velvetbean

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.42.2.289 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 289-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Michael J. Adler ◽

Carlene A. Chase

Keyword(s):

Plant Height ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Bell Pepper ◽

Weed Species ◽

Crop Species ◽

Allelopathic Potential ◽

Sunn Hemp ◽

Germination And Growth

The phytotoxicity of aqueous foliar extracts and ground dried residues of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. cv. Iron Clay], and velvetbean [Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Merr.] to crop and weed germination and growth was evaluated to compare the allelopathic potential of the cover crops. By 14 days after treatment (DAT), goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.] germination with 5% aqueous extracts of all cover crops (w/v fresh weight basis) was similar and greater than 75% of control. However, with the 10% extracts, goosegrass germination was lowest with cowpea extract, intermediate with velvetbean extract, and highest with sunn hemp extract. Livid amaranth (Amaranthus lividus L.) germination declined to ≈50% with cowpea and sunn hemp extracts and even lower to 22% with velvetbean extract. The suppression of livid amaranth germination was greater with the 10% extracts than the 5% extracts. Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) germination was unaffected by velvetbean extract, inhibited more by the 5% cowpea extract than the 10% extract, and was also sensitive to the 10% sunn hemp extract. All cover crop extracts resulted in an initial delay in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) germination, but by 14 DAT, inhibition of germination was apparent only with cowpea extract. The phytotoxicity of ground dried residues of the three cover crops on germination, plant height, and dry weight of goosegrass, smooth amaranth (A. hybridus L.), bell pepper, and tomato was evaluated in greenhouse studies. Goosegrass germination was inhibited in a similar manner by residues of the three cover crops to 80% or less of control. Smooth amaranth germination, plant height, and dry biomass were more sensitive to sunn hemp residues than to cowpea and velvetbean residues. Bell pepper germination, plant height, and dry weight were greater than 90% of control except for dry weight with cowpea residue, which was only 78% of control. The greatest effect of cover crop residue on tomato occurred with dry weight, because dry weights with cowpea and sunn hemp were only 76% and 69% of control, respectively, and lower than with velvetbean. There was more evidence of cover crop phytotoxicity with the weed species than with the crop species and cowpea extracts and residue affected all species more consistently than those of sunn hemp and velvetbean.

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Effect of cover crops in olive groves on Cicadomorpha communities

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2020182-15991 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. e0303

Author(s):

Antonio J. Carpio ◽

Marta Solana ◽

Francisco S. Tortosa ◽

Jesús Castro

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Structural Complexity ◽

Study Plot ◽

Song Birds ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Olive Groves ◽

Insect Predation ◽

Positive Effect

Aim of study: To identify the environmental variables that affect the Cicadomorpha communities and the role played by cover crops in olive groves by comparing olive orchards with cover crop to those with bare ground.Area of study: Córdoba, Spain.Material and methods: Two study plots, one with cover crop and the other with bare ground, were delimited in three areas of olives orchards. Three passive samplings (May, June and July) were performed in each study plot to estimate the abundance and the species richness of potential Cicadomorphas vectors of Xylella fastidiosa. In each sampling, eight yellow sticky traps (22 × 35 cm) were randomly distributed in each study plot (n = 144 traps).Main results: The Cicadomorpha communities were mainly affected by landscape variables (such as the total surface and the distance to remnants of natural vegetation) and environmental variables (such as the temperature, moisture or ETo), whereas cover crops played a secondary role in the abundance of the Cicadomorpha.Research highlights: The results of the study suggest that Cicadomorpha richness and abundance depend on the structural complexity provided by cover crops (positive effect) and live hedges (negative effect), which may be owing to the higher food abundance and shelter when cover crops are present, whereas higher insect predation may occur close to hedges, probably owing to insectivorous song birds.

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Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Karabenguk (Mucuna pruriens) sebagai Tanaman Penutup Tanah pada Dua Musim Berbeda

Caraka Tani Journal of Sustainable Agriculture ◽

10.20961/carakatani.v19i1.20452 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 18

Author(s):

Supriyono Supriyono ◽

Tohari Tohari ◽

Abdul Syukur ◽

Didik Indradewa

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Dry Season ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Mucuna Pruriens ◽

Velvet Bean ◽

Two Factors

This research does to known: 1) the effect of season, 2) the effect of cover crop kind and organic fertilizer, and 3) the interaction of two factors on growth and yield of velvet bean as cover crops. This research was conducted in Tancep, Ngawen, Gunungkidul at 170 m usl, litosol, 5-17 cm level of soil tillage, 9-10o elevation level, was started at December 2002 and finished at August 2003.This research design was factorial-RCBD, 1st factor was planting season on 2 level, rainy and dry seasons, 2nd factor was cover crop kind on 6 levels, rase and putih gunungkidul velvet bean, Cm and Cp as conventional cover crops, rase and putih gunungkidul with organic fertilizer velvet bean. Per planting hole with 1 plant for velvet bean and 10 plant for coventional cover crop.The result of this research were: 1st, velvet bean growth on rainy season very high than dry season, 2nd vegetative growth rate on velvet bean higher than conventional cover crop, 3rd without fertilizer, velvet bean have some growth and yield comparing by fertilizer velvet bean and 4th some yield variable, dry season was indicated better than rainy season.

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Weeds in Cover Crops: Context and Management Considerations

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11030193 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 193

Author(s):

Barbara Baraibar ◽

Charles M. White ◽

Mitchell C. Hunter ◽

Denise M. Finney ◽

Mary E. Barbercheck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Case Studies ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Health ◽

Ground Cover ◽

The United States ◽

Service Provisioning ◽

Herbicide Resistant

Cover crops are increasingly being adopted to provide multiple ecosystem services such as improving soil health, managing nutrients, and decreasing soil erosion. It is not uncommon for weeds to emerge in and become a part of a cover crop plant community. Since the role of cover cropping is to supplement ecosystem service provisioning, we were interested in assessing the impacts of weeds on such provisioning. To our knowledge, no research has examined how weeds in cover crops may impact the provision of ecosystem services and disservices. Here, we review services and disservices associated with weeds in annual agroecosystems and present two case studies from the United States to illustrate how weeds growing in fall-planted cover crops can provide ground cover, decrease potential soil losses, and effectively manage nitrogen. We argue that in certain circumstances, weeds in cover crops can enhance ecosystem service provisioning. In other circumstances, such as in the case of herbicide-resistant weeds, cover crops should be managed to limit weed biomass and fecundity. Based on our case studies and review of the current literature, we conclude that the extent to which weeds should be allowed to grow in a cover crop is largely context-dependent.

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Growth Response of Calopogonium caeruleum and Centrosema pubescens Ground Cover Crops toward Inoculation of Bradyrhizobium, Aeromonas punctata, and Acaulospora tuberculata

Buletin Plasma Nutfah ◽

10.21082/blpn.v13n1.2007.p43-48 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 43

Author(s):

Happy Widiastuti ◽

NFN Suharyanto

Keyword(s):

Plant Height ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Acid Soil ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Am Fungi ◽

Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria ◽

Biomass N ◽

Number Of Leaves ◽

Phosphate Solubilizing

Planting of leguminous cover crops is a standard practise in preparing land for oil palm and rubber plantations. The synergism capability of Bradyrhizobium, Aeromonas punctata (phosphate solubilizing bacteria) and Acaulospora tuberculata (AM fungi) to increase growth of leguminous cover crops (Calopogonium caeruleum and Centrosema pubescens) was studied in a glass house experiment using polybag (10 x 10 cm) containing acid soil with low level nutrition of Ciomas, Bogor. Research results showed that Bradyrhizobium, A. punctata and A. tuberculata inoculation on C. caeruleum signifycantly enhanced plant height, and number of leaves. However, the treatment did not increase biomass and N, P, and K uptake of plant. Number of nodule were increase when the plant was inoculated with A. tuberculata alone or in combination with Bradyrhizobium and A. punctata. Centrosema pubescens gave good response when inoculated with A. tuberculata. However, dual inoculation of the two bacteria Bradyrhizobium and A. punctata with A. tuberculata signifycantly enhance plant height, plant biomass, N, P, and K plant uptake. AbstrakPenanaman tanaman kacang-kacangan penutup tanah merupakan standar dalam penyiapan lahan pada pengusahaan kelapa sawit dan karet. Kemampuan sinergisme Bradyrhizobium (bakteri penambat N2), Aeromonas punctata (bakteri pelarut fosfat), dan Acaulospora tuberculata (cendawan mikoriza arbuskula) untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan tanaman kacangkacangan penutup tanah (Calopogonium caeruleum dan Centrosema pubescens) dipelajari dalam percobaan rumah kaca menggunakan polibag berukuran 10 x 10 cm berisi tanah Ciomas Bogor yang bereaksi masam dan miskin hara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa inokulasi Bradyrhizobium, A. Punctata, dan A. tuberculata pada C. caeruleum nyata meningkatkan pertumbuhan tinggi tanaman dan jumlah daun. Namun, perlakuan ini tidak meningkatkan biomasa dan serapan N, P, dan K tanaman. Jumlah bintil akar meningkat pada tanaman yang diinokulasi A. tuberculata sendiri atau dalam kombinasinya dengan Bradyrhizobium dan A. punctata. Centrosema pubescens menunjukkan respon yang baik bila diinokulasi dengan A. tuberculata. Bagaimanapun juga inokulasi dua bakteri, yaitu Bradyrhizobium and A. punctata yang disertai A. tuberculata nyata meningkatkan tinggi tanaman, biomasa, serapan N, P, dan K tanaman.

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Economic Impacts of Cover Crops for a Missouri Wheat–Corn–Soybean Rotation

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture9040083 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 83 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhen Cai ◽

Ranjith P. Udawatta ◽

Clark J. Gantzer ◽

Shibu Jose ◽

Larry Godsey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Ground Cover ◽

The United States ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Control Group ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Cost Share ◽

Cash Crop ◽

The Cost

In the United States, agricultural production using row-crop farming has reduced crop diversity. Repeated growing of the same crop in a field reduces soil productivity and increases pests, disease infestations, and weed growth. These negative effects can be mitigated by rotating cash crops with cover crops. Cover crops can improve soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties, provide ground cover, and sequester soil carbon. This study examines the economic profitability for a four-year wheat–corn–soybean study with cover crops by conducting a field experiment involving a control (without cover crops) at the Soil Health Farm in Chariton County, MO, USA. Our findings suggested that economic profitability of the cash crop is negatively affected by the cover crop during the first two years but were positive in the fourth year. The rotation with cover crops obtained the same profit as in the control group if revenue from the cash crop increased by 35% or the cost of the cover crop decreased by 26% in the first year, depending on the cost of seeding the cover crop and terminating it. This study provides insights for policymakers on ways to improve the economic efficiency of cost-share conservation programs.

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Quantitative characterization of five cover crop species

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859614000811 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 153 (7) ◽

pp. 1174-1185 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

J. RAMIREZ-GARCIA ◽

J. L. GABRIEL ◽

M. ALONSO-AYUSO ◽

M. QUEMADA

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

N Uptake ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Erosion Control ◽

Species Selection ◽

N Fixation ◽

Catch Crop ◽

Crop Species

SUMMARYThe introduction of cover crops in the intercrop period may provide a broad range of ecosystem services derived from the multiple functions they can perform, such as erosion control, recycling of nutrients or forage source. However, the achievement of these services in a particular agrosystem is not always required at the same time or to the same degree. Thus, species selection and definition of targeted objectives is critical when growing cover crops. The goal of the current work was to describe the traits that determine the suitability of five species (barley, rye, triticale, mustard and vetch) for cover cropping. A field trial was established during two seasons (October to April) in Madrid (central Spain). Ground cover and biomass were monitored at regular intervals during each growing season. A Gompertz model characterized ground cover until the decay observed after frosts, while biomass was fitted to Gompertz, logistic and linear-exponential equations. At the end of the experiment, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and fibre (neutral detergent, acid and lignin) contents, and the N fixed by the legume were determined. The grasses reached the highest ground cover (83–99%) and biomass (1226–1928 g/m2) at the end of the experiment. With the highest C:N ratio (27–39) and dietary fibre (527–600 mg/g) and the lowest residue quality (~680 mg/g), grasses were suitable for erosion control, catch crop and fodder. The vetch presented the lowest N uptake (2·4 and 0·7 g N/m2) due to N fixation (9·8 and 1·6 g N/m2) and low biomass accumulation. The mustard presented high N uptake in the warm year and could act as a catch crop, but low fodder capability in both years. The thermal time before reaching 30% ground cover was a good indicator of early coverage species. Variable quantification allowed finding variability among the species and provided information for further decisions involving cover crop selection and management.

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Evaluation of cover crop sensitivity to residual herbicides applied in the previous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] crop

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.10 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 312-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Derek M. Whalen ◽

Mandy D. Bish ◽

Bryan G. Young ◽

Aaron G. Hager ◽

Shawn P. Conley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Crop Species ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Crimson Clover ◽

Crop Establishment ◽

Study Results

AbstractIn recent years, the use of cover crops has increased in U.S. crop production systems. An important aspect of successful cover crop establishment is the preceding crop and herbicide program, because some herbicides have the potential to persist in the soil for several months. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of cover crops to common residual herbicides used in soybean production. The same field experiment was conducted in 2016 in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and repeated in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Missouri in 2017 to evaluate the potential of residual soybean herbicides to carryover and reduce cover crop establishment. Herbicides applied during the soybean growing season included acetochlor; acetochlor plus fomesafen; chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron; fomesafen; fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor; imazethapyr; pyroxasulfone; S-metolachlor; S-metolachlor plus fomesafen; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor; and sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor. Across all herbicide treatments, the sensitivity of cover crops to herbicide residues in the fall, from greatest to least, was forage radish = turnip > annual ryegrass = winter oat = triticale > cereal rye = Austrian winter pea = hairy vetch = wheat > crimson clover. Fomesafen (applied 21 and 42 days after planting [(DAP]); chlorimuron plus thifensulfuron and pyroxasulfone applied 42 DAP; sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor; and sulfentrazone plus S-metolachlor followed by fomesafen plus S-metolachlor followed by acetochlor caused the highest visual ground cover reduction to cover crop species at the fall rating. Study results indicate cover crops are most at risk when following herbicide applications in soybean containing certain active ingredients such as fomesafen, but overall there is a fairly low risk of cover crop injury from residual soybean herbicides applied in the previous soybean crop.

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