Biculture Legume–Cereal Cover Crops for Enhanced Biomass Yield and Carbon and Nitrogen

Sainju, Upendra M.; Whitehead, Wayne F.; Singh, Bharat

doi:10.2134/agronj2004.0274

Cited by 167 publications

(164 citation statements)

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“…The results echo findings by Sebahattin et al (2004), Sainju et al (2005) and Lithourgidis et al (2006), who observed increased cover crop dry weights by combining vetch with the grasses triticale, rye and white oat, respectively. The observed increase in cover crop dry weights with an increase in the white oat component, as well as the reduction of dry matter with an increase in the legume component, was also in agreement with several researchers (Sebahattin et al 2004, Sainju et al 2005, Lithourgidis et al 2006, which further verified the effectiveness of the grass component in providing for the biomass compared to the legume component. The reduction in interspecific competition could explain the increase in the cover crop CCGRs with an increase in white oat proportion.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The similarity of weed suppression by the bicultures and monocultures suggest that biculturing technology does not compromise weed control when compared to sole vetch and non-grazed oat. Vetches are known to fix atmospheric N, hence their inclusion into white oat managed to improve the N uptake by the bicultured treatments to above that of sole oat (Kuo et al 1996, Sainju et al 2005. However, N uptake by these cover crops is a function of the species and amount of biomass accumulated (O'Reilly 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, no single cover crop species can achieve all these benefits on its own. Production of two cover crop species together, usually a legume and a grass, known as biculturing, offers an option that can deliver diverse benefits compared to their monocultures (Sainju et al 2005, Dabney et al 2010). …”

mentioning

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Biomass production, weed suppression, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in white oat (Avena sativaL.) and grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpaL.) cover crop bicultures under an irrigated no-till system

Muzangwa

Chiduza

Muchaonyerwa

2012

South African Journal of Plant and Soil

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Plant and Soil 2012, 29(3&4): 135-141 Printed in South Africa -All rights reserved The Eastern Cape (EC) is one of South Africa's provinces worst affected by soil degradation (Fox and Rowntree 2001, Fatunbi andDube 2008). Poor agricultural practices leave the soil without cover, promoting erosion and loss of nutrient-rich soil particles leading to reduced soil productivity (Laker 2004). In order to increase and stabilise soil productivity, control of soil erosion is essential. One key principle of conservation agriculture (CA) is permanent soil cover, a potential solution to the problem of soil degradation observed in the EC. The proponents of CA suggest the use of cover crops, grown in rotation or intercropped with the main crop, as a way of providing permanent soil cover, increasing aggregate stability and eventually reducing erosion.Cover crops provide several other advantages besides reduction of soil erosion. Some that are cited in the literature include weed suppression, mining of leached nutrients, improved soil organic matter, nitrogen (N) fixation and general improvement in soil fertility (Derpsch 2008). However, no single cover crop species can achieve all these benefits on its own. Production of two cover crop species together, usually a legume and a grass, known as biculturing, offers an option that can deliver diverse benefits Differences have been noted among cover-crop species regarding their growth rate, amount of biomass accumulation, weed suppression and nutrient uptake. Grasses germinate earlier and develop root systems at a faster rate than legumes (Ranells and Wagger 1996), hence may have more effective early season weed control. They also potentially contribute to increases in soil organic matter by supplying higher levels of carbon (C) (Odhiambo and Bomke 2001, Lithourgidis et al. 2006). However, grasses have been observed to provide little N for growth of the follow-on crop and are less economical as they require large amounts of N fertiliser to attain acceptable biomass compared to legumes (Murungu et al. 2010).Conversely, legume species biologically fix N, increasing soil N levels and resulting in yield increases for subsequent crops when N is the limiting factor (Kuo et al. 1996, Crandall et al. 2005. In temperate and tropical environments, vetch (Vicia sativa L.) can accumulate 150-250 kg N ha −1 , replacing about two-thirds of N required for maize (Zea mays L.) production (Crandall et al. 2005). Although both grazing vetch and white oat (Avena sativa L.) can symbiotically interact with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, increasing phosphorus (P) uptake, legumes decompose Biomass production, weed suppression, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in white oat (Avena sativa L.) and grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpa L.) cover crop bicultures under an irrigated no-till system L Muzangwa 1 , C Chiduza 2 * and P Muchaonyerwa 3 Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa * Corresponding author, Cultivation of a multipurpose cover crop is of interest to Eastern Cape farmers ex...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biomass production, weed suppression, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in white oat (Avena sativaL.) and grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpaL.) cover crop bicultures under an irrigated no-till system

Muzangwa

Chiduza

Muchaonyerwa

2012

South African Journal of Plant and Soil

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“…Specific studies have shown that cover crops may boost the management of soilborne pathogens (Larkin, Griffin, & Honeycutt, 2006), remove residual nitrate (NO 3 -) available to leaching, and control root diseases and weeds (Dabney, Delgado, & Reeves, 2001;Sainju, Whitehead, & Singh, 2005). Compared to conventional cropping systems, crop rotations with cover crops have resulted in greater macrofaunal and microbial activity (Mendes, Bandick, Dick, & Bottomley, 1999) which enhance soil health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cover Crop, Reflective Polyethylene Mulch and Biofungicide Effects on Yield and Management of Diseases in Field-Grown Organic Tomato

Nyochembeng¹,

Mankolo²,

Mentreddy³

et al. 2014

JAS

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Organic farming is currently the fastest growing agricultural sector worldwide. However, diseases and weeds are among the major factors limiting its expansion. The use of cover crops has been shown to reduce weeds and minimize soil-borne pathogen populations through increased organic matter deposition, which also improves soil structure and porosity. Reflective and colored plastic mulches have also been shown to reduce vector borne diseases on many vegetable crops, including tomato. Such measures to combat disease depend on other variables and are generally site-specific. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of the winter cover crops, crimson clover, rye, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter peas and reflective polyethylene mulch with or without biofungicides on severity of diseases and fruit yield of tomato. Plant height, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant and the type of foliar and fruit diseases observed including their severity were determined. Tomato fruit rot incidence was significantly lower in tomato plants grown following hairy vetch and Austrian winter pea compared to plants in fallow plots. Reflective polyethylene mulch was significantly (p = 5%) better than control (no mulch) for fruit yield, number of fruits/plant and plant height. However, plants on reflective polyethylene mulch showed significantly more severe bacterial spot disease. Application of spent mushroom compost under polyethylene mulch significantly enhanced tomato fruit yield and number of fruits/plant compared to the biofungicide Root Guardian ® , but increased bacterial spot severity compared to Plant Guardian ® . The results of this study indicated that winter cover crops enhance yields of tomato by minimizing disease while reflective polyethylene mulch and spent mushroom compost are conducive to growth and fruit yield in field-grown organic tomato.

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“…During three years on a sandy loam soil in Georgia, aboveground biomass accumulation was 4.1 ± 1.9 Mg ha -1 (3,660 ± 1,700 lb ac -1 ) for rye, 4.2 ± 1.5 Mg ha -1 (3,750 ± 1,340 lb ac -1 ) for hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and 6.6 ± 1.4 Mg ha -1 (5,890 ± 1,250 lb ac -1 ) for rye combined with vetch (Sainju et al 2005). During four years on a fine sand in Georgia, biomass accumulation was 1.8 ± 0.8 Mg ha -1 (1,610 ± 710 lb ac -1 ) for balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi) and crimson clover, 2.9 ± 1.1 Mg ha -1 (2,590 ± 980 lb ac -1 ) for Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L. ssp.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Does grazing of cover crops impact biologically active soil carbon and nitrogen fractions under inversion or no tillage management?

Franzluebbers¹,

Stuedemann²

2015

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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Cover crops are a key component of conservation cropping systems. They can also be a key component of integrated crop-livestock systems by offering high-quality forage during short periods between cash crops. The impact of cattle grazing on biologically active soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fractions has not received much attention. We investigated the impacts of tillage (conventional disk and no tillage) and cover crop management (ungrazed and grazed) on biologically active soil C and N fractions from biennial sampling during seven years of continuous management. Soil microbial biomass C was unaffected by cover crop management under conventional tillage, but was enhanced with grazing compared with no grazing under no tillage at a depth of 0 to 6 cm (0 to 2.4 in), as well as at 0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 in). The same effect occurred for the flush of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) following rewetting of dried soil during 3 days of incubation at a depth of 0 to 6 cm only, while it occurred for cumulative C mineralization during 24 days of incubation at a depth of 0 to 30 cm only. Grazing effects on net N mineralization during 24 days of incubation and residual soil inorganic N were nonexistent. All biologically active fractions of soil C and N were highly stratified with depth under no tillage and less so under conventional tillage. Cumulative stocks of soil C and N fractions to a depth of 0 to 30 cm were generally not significantly different between cover crop management systems, nor between tillage systems, except for (1) lower soil microbial biomass C with than without grazing under conventional tillage, (2) greater soil microbial biomass C with than without grazing under no tillage, and (3) lower cumulative C mineralization during 24 days under no tillage than under conventional tillage. Grazing of cover crops can be recommended as a strategy to promote greater adoption of cover cropping throughout the southeastern United States.Key words: cover crop management-flush of carbon dioxide-net nitrogen mineralization-no tillage-soil microbial biomass carbon Cover crops are a key component of conservation agricultural systems (Delgado et al. 2011). They protect soil from water and wind erosion during vulnerable fallow periods between successive cash cropping periods. Cover crops also provide considerable carbon (C) input following termination of growth, which contributes to maintenance and increases in soil organic C (Franzluebbers 2010). Belowground C input may be equally important as aboveground C input to soil, since living and dead roots provide readily available sources of food for soil microbial activity to transform nutrients and alter soil structure (Hinsinger et al. 2009).Various cover crops have been grown successfully during the relatively mild winter conditions in the southeastern United States, most notably rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.). During three years on a sandy loam soil in Georgia, aboveground biomass accumulation was 4.1 ± 1.9 M...

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Biculture Legume–Cereal Cover Crops for Enhanced Biomass Yield and Carbon and Nitrogen

Cited by 167 publications

References 41 publications

Biomass production, weed suppression, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in white oat (Avena sativaL.) and grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpaL.) cover crop bicultures under an irrigated no-till system

Biomass production, weed suppression, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in white oat (Avena sativaL.) and grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpaL.) cover crop bicultures under an irrigated no-till system

Cover Crop, Reflective Polyethylene Mulch and Biofungicide Effects on Yield and Management of Diseases in Field-Grown Organic Tomato

Does grazing of cover crops impact biologically active soil carbon and nitrogen fractions under inversion or no tillage management?

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