Organic Supplemental Nitrogen Sources for Field Corn Production after a Hairy Vetch Cover Crop

Abstract

Legume cover crops and organic amendments in combination could meet corn (Zea mays L.) nitrogen (N) needs while optimizing phosphorus (P) inputs. In a 2‐yr field study, we characterized the N‐mineralization dynamics and impacts on corn grain yield of feather meal (FM), poultry litter (PL), pelletized PL (PPL), and a PPL‐FM blend (PFMB) with or without a hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop. The four amendments, which differed substantially in chemical and laboratory N‐release characteristics, provided corn yield benefits only when vetch biomass was low. In 2010, vetch produced 4630 kg biomass ha−1 and increased corn grain yield from 8.7 to 13.3 Mg ha−1 compared with a no‐vetch treatment. Vetch alone supplied sufficient N to achieve maximum corn yield as determined using an ammonium nitrate fertilizer response curve embedded within the organic amendment experiment. In 2009, vetch produced only 1551 kg ha−1 and provided no benefit to corn yield. Three of the organic amendments (all but PPL) increased corn yield by 1.8 to 2.3 Mg ha−1 whether vetch was present or not. Phosphorus inputs from amendments were similar to, or lower than, P removal in corn grain harvest, indicating that amendments would not result in soil P accumulation at these application rates. Amendment costs differed substantially such that economic returns using PL would be considerably greater than with PPL, PFMB, or FM. Results show that considering legume cover crop biomass is critical to determining organic amendment applications. Impact of organic amendments on corn grain yield depends on vetch biomass production. Organic amendments did not increase corn yield when vetch biomass was >4500 kg ha−1. Vetch provided no benefit to corn yield when biomass was <1600 kg ha−1. Organic amendments increased corn yield when vetch biomass was <1600 kg ha−1. Amendments applied at 45 kg N ha−1 did not raise concerns about residual P.

Poultry Feather Meal Application in Organic Flue‐Cured Tobacco Production

“…Vann et al (2017) and Spargo et al (2016) report similar organic field corn (Zea mays L.) yield when feather meal and pelletized poultry litter were applied at equivalent rates of total N. Similar results were observed by Wild et al (2011) in organic rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. Gaskell (1999) determined that early bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var.…”

“…Examples of these practices are the use of herbicides for weed suppression and synthetic suckercides for axillary bud control (Fisher, 2014). Similar approaches to organic research have been used where questions of limited scope were asked and where determination of organic yields under completely organic management was not the goal (Mischler et al, 2010;Spargo et al, 2016).…”

Cover Crop-Based, Organic Rotational No-Till Corn and Soybean Production Systems in the Mid-Atlantic United States

“…Hairy vetch can supply over 180 kg ha −1 of plant N from the shoots alone, with over 90 kg ha −1 of that being plant available [48,52,58,59]. Previous studies have suggested that a monoculture of hairy vetch can supply the full N requirements of a corn crop on heavier soils that have a long history of manure and legume use [60], which can be attributed to the high N supplying capacity of the soil supplementing the legume-based fertility. Local recommendations are that producers not rely on a cover crop alone to meet corn N demand.…”

Adaptação Dos Princípios Da Compostagem Laminar Ao Plantio Direto

“…Em resíduos de aveia-preta, o triturador proporciona 43,1% mais cobertura do solo em relação à média dos manejos da cultura com palha dessecada, gradeada ou com rolo faca (Trogello et al, 2013). Desta forma, o efeito da adubação verde foi sinérgico com o da adubação orgânica, vindo de encontro com os resultados obtidos por Spargo et al (2016), que observaram nas produtividades de grãos de milho interação (P < 0,05) entre cultivo anterior de ervilhaca peluda e adubação com cama de aviário em ano com produtividade de 4,6 Mg ha -1 de MVPA, mas não observaram interação entre estes fatores (P > 0,15) em ano que a fabaceae produziu pouco, 1,5 Mg ha -1 de MVPA.…”

“…Acúmulos de P no solo com a aplicação de cama de aviário não foram minimizadas com o cultivo de ervilhaca peluda, e também não afetou (P > 0,05) as produtividades subsequentes de milho doce, porém, não há evidências de interações negativas entre estes dois insumos (ALSUP; KAHN;PAYTON, 2002). Com relação à gestão integrada do N orgânico, aumentos (P < 0,05) nas produtividades de grãos (18,4%), biomassa (22,3%) e absorção de N (68,2%), mas também de nitrato (NO3 -) na profundidade de 0 a 30 cm do solo (50,0%), foram observados com a aplicação de cama de aviário após cultivo de ervilhaca peluda em relação à aplicação do adubo orgânico sem o cultivo anterior da fabaceae (SPARGO et al, 2016).…”