Cover Crop Mixture Effects on Maize, Soybean, and Wheat Yield in Rotation

Hunter, Mitchell C.; Schipanski, Meagan; Burgess, Macdonald H.; LaChance, James C.; Bradley, Brosi A.; Barbercheck, Mary E.; Kaye, Jason P.; Mortensen, David A.

doi:10.2134/ael2018.10.0051

Cited by 52 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Therefore, soybean yields varied from year to year, but were not influenced by the presence of cover crops. This is consistent with previous research which has found soybean yields to be more resilient to a cereal rye cover crop than corn (Hunter et al., 2019; Singer & Kohler, 2005). Least squares mean soybean yield for each treatment and year are reported in Table 4.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The spring of 2017 was characterized by warmer than average temperatures and above average precipitation (Table 1), resulting in ideal growing conditions for the cereal rye cover crop. While previous literature is mixed with respect to the impact of cover crops on corn yield, our finding that cereal rye before corn may reduce corn yield in some years is certainly not unique (Hunter et al., 2019; Krueger, Ochsner, Porter, & Baker, 2011; Marcillo & Miguez, 2017; Singer & Kohler, 2005). Adaptive N fertilizer management and improved cover crop management, including species selection, the timing of cover crop termination, cover crop biomass removal, etc., may mitigate potential cash crop yield impacts.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

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Short‐run net returns to a cereal rye cover crop mix in a midwest corn–soybean rotation

et al. 2020

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Unsubstantiated economic returns are a major contributor to producers' reluctance to adopt cover crops. The objective of this study is to evaluate the direct short-run net returns to the producer of implementing a predominantly cereal rye (Secale cereal L.) cover crop mix into a Midwest corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Experimental agronomic data from field experiments in Lexington,

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

Short‐run net returns to a cereal rye cover crop mix in a midwest corn–soybean rotation

et al. 2020

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“…Cover crops had no impact on soybean or wheat yields [35], so here we focus on CC impacts on N supply to maize. Maize was harvested for silage at 60–70% moisture from two subsamples of crop row at least 5.3 m in length.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing nitrogen through cover crop species selection in the U.S. mid-Atlantic

et al. 2019

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Cover crops have the potential to be agricultural nitrogen (N) regulators that reduce leaching through soils and then deliver N to subsequent cash crops. Yet, regulating N in this way has proven difficult because the few cover crop species that are well-studied excel at either reducing N leaching or increasing N supply to cash crops, but they fail to excel at both simultaneously. We hypothesized that mixed species cover crop stands might balance the N fixing and N scavenging capabilities of individual species. We tested six cover crop monocultures and four mixtures for their effects on N cycling in an organically managed maize-soybean-wheat feed grain rotation in Pennsylvania, USA. For three years, we used a suite of integrated approaches to quantify N dynamics, including extractable soil inorganic N, buried anion exchange resins, bucket lysimeters, and plant N uptake. All cover crop species, including legume monocultures, reduced N leaching compared to fallow plots. Cereal rye monocultures reduced N leaching to buried resins by 90% relative to fallow; notably, mixtures with just a low seeding rate of rye did almost as well. Austrian winter pea monocultures increased N uptake in maize silage by 40 kg N ha -1 relative to fallow, and conversely rye monocultures decreased N uptake into maize silage by 40 kg N ha -1 relative to fallow. Importantly, cover crop mixtures had larger impacts on leaching reduction than on maize N uptake, when compared to fallow plots. For example, a three-species mixture of pea, red clover, and rye had similar maize N uptake to fallow plots, but leaching rates were 80% lower in this mixture than fallow plots. Our results show clearly that cover crop species selection and mixture design can substantially mitigate tradeoffs between N retention and N supply to cash crops, providing a powerful tool for managing N in temperate cropping systems.

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“…Cover crop research has evaluated CC effects on soil quality 13 – 14 , 16 – 17 and crop production 16 , 18 – 22 . Long-term studies are needed to assess the potential of CCs to sequester C 4 , 23 – 25 and have primarily focused on evaluating the amount of soil C sequestered with CCs than control 26 – 28 rather than the change in SOC stock 29 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative impact of cover crops on soil carbon sequestration and profitability in a temperate humid climate

Chahal

Vyn

Mayers

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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planting and termination, CC species, and cropping system, duration of the experiment), quantity and quality of CC residues, and the climatic conditions 15. Therefore, assessment of SOC storage in response to CC treatments is needed for various production systems. Cover crop research has evaluated CC effects on soil quality 13-14,16-17 and crop production 16,18-22. Long-term studies are needed to assess the potential of CCs to sequester C 4,23-25 and have primarily focused on evaluating the amount of soil C sequestered with CCs than control 26-28 rather than the change in SOC stock 29. Consistent with aforementioned long-term studies, we evaluated the differences in surface SOC storage with and without CCs in our experiment. Soil organic C represents a stable pool of soil C, which is rarely impacted by the seasonal variation due to climatic conditions 30. It takes several years (≥ 6-years) to detect changes in SOC stocks due to CCs 23,29 and therefore, long-term studies are needed to provide a quantitative evidence about CC effects on SOC storage. The results from the long-term trials assist growers in making improved decisions about selecting appropriate CCs for enhancing agroecosystem services, primary productivity and profit margins. Evidence in the literature regarding the impacts of CCs on crop yields is inconclusive, as there is considerable variability in results across studies. For example, while some studies have found that CCs positively affect subsequent crop yields 31,32 , other studies have found no significant effect 33,34 or even decreased yields 35,36. There is even less evidence regarding impacts of CCs on profit margins. For example, Schomberg et al. 37 reported that returns for cotton in the southern USA were higher with winter CCs, while Flower et al. 38 observed lower profit margins with CCs in a cereal rotation in Australia. Due to the lack of studies discussing CC impacts on profit margins, two recent studies have highlighted the need for additional research on the long-term economic returns from CCs 23,39. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the cumulative effects of CC on soil C sequestration, primary productivity, and profit margins, and (ii) determine if current and projected C prices may be an effective strategy for incentivising the quantity of soil C sequestered by CCs. To meet these objectives, a long-term CC experiment located at Ridgetown, Ontario Canada, established in 2007 and repeated at an adjacent site in 2008 was utilized 13-14,18-20,40. Previously in this experiment, CC treatment effects on N fertility, crop productivity, and soil quality have indicated enhancements with CCs compared to the no cover crop control (no-CC) 13-14,18-20,40. The Ridgetown experiment is one of the very few longest running CC trials making direct comparisons among CCs in North America. This provides a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the CC-induced effects on soil C storage across different CC treatments. In addition, by evaluating the economics of CCing combined wit...

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Cover Crop Mixture Effects on Maize, Soybean, and Wheat Yield in Rotation

Cited by 52 publications

References 26 publications

Short‐run net returns to a cereal rye cover crop mix in a midwest corn–soybean rotation

Short‐run net returns to a cereal rye cover crop mix in a midwest corn–soybean rotation

Managing nitrogen through cover crop species selection in the U.S. mid-Atlantic

Cumulative impact of cover crops on soil carbon sequestration and profitability in a temperate humid climate

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