Cover Crop Effect on Subsequent Wheat Yield in the Central Great Plains

Nielsen, D. G.; Lyon, Drew J.; Higgins, Robert K.; Hergert, Gary W.; Holman, Johnathon D.; Vigil, Merle F.

doi:10.2134/agronj2015.0372

Cited by 95 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Moreover, keeping the plot fallow is also the least risky option (σ = 75.70 and CV = 0.50) as compared to all other cover crop options, including the second most profitable option, peas (σ = 63.75 and CV = 0.57). These results are consistent with previous studies, particularly those that report limited direct benefits of using cover crops in the short-term [27,43]. These findings are also consistent with the observed behavior of the farm producers who prefer leaving land fallow rather than planting cover crops in the SHP region.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Effect of Cover Crop on Farm Profitability and Risk in the Southern High Plains

Acharya

Ghimire

et al. 2019

Sustainability

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Cover cropping has been promoted for improving soil health and environmental quality in the southern High Plains (SHP) region of the United States. The SHP is one of the more productive areas of the country and covers a large landmass, including parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. This region faces challenges in sustainable crop production due to declining water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer, the primary source of water for irrigated crop production. This study examines the impact of integrating cover crops in the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L)-based rotations on farm profitability and risk in the SHP. The study combines experimental yield data with other secondary information, including market prices, to conduct simulation analysis and evaluate the risk involved in introducing cover crops in a wheat-fallow cropping system. The results show that, due to the additional monetary costs involved, none of the cover crop options is economically viable. However, when secondary benefits (erosion control and green nitrogen) or government subsidies are included in the analysis, one of the cover crop options (peas) dominates the fallow alternative. Moreover, when the secondary benefits and a government subsidy are combined, two cover crop alternatives (peas and oats) emerge as more profitable options than leaving land fallow. These results highlight the importance of agricultural research and extension programs that are making a concerted effort to develop more productive farming techniques and increase public awareness about the long-term benefits of adopting soil health management systems such as cover cropping in the SHP region.nearly 50 percent [8][9][10][11]. If this trend continues, an additional 40 percent of the irrigated land in some areas of the southern High Plains (SHP) will likely be converted to dryland farming soon. The SHP region covers a vast area (126,470 km 2 ), including parts of New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma, and is one of the most significant dryland cropping areas of the country [12]. Intensive farming and poor soil health management practices in this semiarid environment have depleted 30-60 percent of soil organic carbon (SOC), reduced biodiversity by up to 60 percent, degraded most soil quality attributes, and reduced crop productivity [13][14][15]. Additionally, recent rainfall trends show that more than 60 percent of the precipitation occurs during the fallow period of typical crop-fallow rotation systems, and precipitation storage efficiency during the fallow period is relatively low. Climate change-induced fluctuations in rainfall are expected to make the region much drier and substantially increase crop yield variability [16].Cropping systems under dryland or very limited-irrigated condition often use cereal only rotations, a long fallow-period between crops, repeated tillage for weed control, and dust-mulch effects that may potentially result in higher soil moisture retention. For instance, in the dryland wheat-fallow system, the land is left bare for nine to thirteen months to co...

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Effect of Cover Crop on Farm Profitability and Risk in the Southern High Plains

Acharya

Ghimire

et al. 2019

Sustainability

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“…However, crimson clover was not a good biomass producer in our dryland experiment (DeLaune & Bevers, 2017). This is consistent with previous research on other cash crops that legume cover crops did not reduce yield (Nielsen et al., 2016; Snapp & Surapur, 2018), but may increase yield variation (Ott & Hargrove, 1989).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Net return and risk analysis of winter cover crops in dryland cotton systems

Fan¹,

Liu

DeLaune³

et al. 2020

Agronomy Journal

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Winter cover crop and no-till are two promising conservation practices to reduce soil erosion and promote long-term sustainability. This research evaluates the net returns of two different tillage methods and five cover crop treatments in dryland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production and identifies risk-efficient tillage and cover crop management practices. Four-year field experiments (2013−2016) were conducted for a continuous cotton production system under conventional tillage and no-till without a cover crop, as well as no-till with cover crops including winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), Austrian winter field pea (Pisum sativum L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and mixed cover crops. Results showed no statistical differences in lint yields (P = .98) or net returns (P = .82). No-till with crimson clover decreased yield variation compared to conventional tillage, while hairy vetch and mixed cover crops increased yield variation. The average net returns were US$454 and $461 ha −1 for conventional tillage and no-till without a cover crop, respectively. The average net returns ranged from $346 to $389 ha −1 for the cover crop treatments. Producers have a higher probability of getting a higher net return if switching from conventional tillage to no-till. The risk analysis results showed that no-till without a cover crop was the most preferred practice by risk-neutral, somewhat and rather risk-averse producers. For very and extremely risk-averse producers, no-till with crimson clover was the most preferred management practice.

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“…However, it is important to consider that late-terminated CC could also reduce subsequent crop yields in water-limited regions [24,25,30]. Further, much of the work with CC is confined to rainfed locations [1,7,14,16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Cover Crop Use Allow Increased Levels of Corn Residue Removal for Biofuel in Irrigated and Rainfed Systems?

et al. 2017

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Corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal at high rates can result in negative impacts to soil ecosystem services. The use of cover crops could be a potential strategy to ameliorate any adverse effects of residue removal while allowing greater removal levels. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine changes in water erosion potential, soil organic C (SOC) and total N concentration, and crop yields under early-and lateterminated cover crop (CC) combined with five levels of corn residue removal after 3 years on rainfed and irrigated no-till continuous corn in Nebraska. Treatments were no CC, early-and late-terminated winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CC, and 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% corn residue removal rates. Complete residue removal reduced mean weight diameter (MWD) of water-stable aggregates (5 cm depth) by 29% compared to no removal at the rainfed site only, suggesting increased water erosion risk at rainfed sites. Late-terminated CC significantly increased MWD of water-stable aggregates by 27 to 37% at both sites compared to no CC, but earlyterminated CC had no effect. The increased MWD with late-terminated CC suggests that CC when terminated late can offset residue removal-induced risks of water erosion. Residue removal and CC did not affect SOC and total soil N concentration. Particulate organic matter increased with lateterminated CC at the irrigated site compared to no CC. Complete residue removal increased irrigated grain yield by 9% in 1 year relative to no Ruis et al. in Bioenergy Res 2017 Can Cover Crop Use 2 removal. Late-terminated CC had no effect on corn yield except in 1 year when yield was 8% lower relative to no CC due to low precipitation at corn establishment. Overall, late-terminated CC ameliorates residue removalinduced increases in water erosion potential and could allow greater levels of removal without reducing corn yields in most years, in the short term, under the conditions of this study.

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Cover Crop Effect on Subsequent Wheat Yield in the Central Great Plains

Cited by 95 publications

References 41 publications

Effect of Cover Crop on Farm Profitability and Risk in the Southern High Plains

Effect of Cover Crop on Farm Profitability and Risk in the Southern High Plains

Net return and risk analysis of winter cover crops in dryland cotton systems

Can Cover Crop Use Allow Increased Levels of Corn Residue Removal for Biofuel in Irrigated and Rainfed Systems?

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