Summer Cover Crop and Management System affect Lettuce and Cantaloupe Production System

Wang, Guangyao; Ngouajio, Mathieu; McGiffen, Milton E.; Hutchinson, Chad M.

doi:10.2134/agronj2008.0012

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Therefore, farming systems with long, warm growing seasons and/or dry conditions may benefit the most from utilizing warm-season cover crops which can tolerate and even thrive in these environments. In the U.S., these areas include the sub-tropical Southern region, the Great Plains drylands, and the Southwestern low desert (Creamer and Baldwin 2000;Moyer et al 2000;Wang et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-term nitrogen mineralization from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems

et al. 2015

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Background and aims Further understanding the factors which influence cover crop decomposition is needed to tailor management practices to achieve production and environmental stewardship goals. Methods Short-term N min from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems was assessed with a variety of field and lab-based measures including: residue biochemical composition, extractable inorganic N, ion-exchange resin membranes, potential C min and N min . Results Residue biochemical composition and environmental conditions appeared to be the primary factors affecting short-term N min in our study. Legume-dominated cover crops demonstrated greater potential N min than grass cover crops with higher C:N ratios. However even cover crops with C:N ratios >40:1 were predicted to result in mean net N min rather than immobilization. Sorghumsudangrass demonstrated a greater ability to moderate nitrate loss from the top 0-15 cm of soil over the fall season compared to the other cover crops evaluated. Conclusions The difference in potential N min of low and high C:N ratio cover crops was not as appreciable as expected. Our data suggests that the microbial community reduced its carbon use efficiency (CUE) due to suboptimal soil moisture. Further investigation into the impacts of soil moisture on residue decomposition in agroecosystems is needed to better understand and manage short-term C and N cycling.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-term nitrogen mineralization from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems

et al. 2015

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“…The soil at the research site is a Coachella sandy loam (coarse-silty, mixed, calcareous, hyperthermic Typic Torrifluvent). Mean daily temperature during the winter growing season varies from 11 o C to 23 o C (Wang et al, 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A total of sixteen undisturbed and sixteen disturbed soil samples were collected and used to examine the correlation between total soil carbon and soil microscopic properties. A larger number of replicates was later sampled and used in an analysis of variance of cropping system effects on soil and crop nutrient status and yield (Wang et al, 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of cover crops, incorporation of plant residues, addition of manure, and decreased intensity of tillage can all increase soil organic matter content. In addition to organic matter buildup, changing crop management practices can lead to a cascade of changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, including increased pH, increased soil aeration, and increased soil microorganism activity (Parr and Willson, 1980;Macrae and Mehuys, 1987;Astier et al, 1994;Drinkwater et al, 1995;Roe, 1998;Cuevas et al, 2000;Magdoff and Van Es, 2000), all of which have important consequences for crop production (Hutchinson and McGiffen, 2000;Bronick and Lal, 2005;Wang et al, 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

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The effect of total carbon on microscopic soil properties and implications for crop production

Lebron¹,

McGiffen²,

Suarez³

2012

Journal of Arid Land

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Soil structure is a dynamic property affected by physical, chemical, and microbiological processes. Addition of organic matter to soils and the use of different management practices have been reported to impact soil structure and crop production. Moderation in soil temperature and increases in microbial activity and soil water retention are often suggested as reasons for the rise in crop yield when organic matter is added to the soil. Less is known about the direct effect of changes in soil structure on crop production. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of summer cover crop and in-season management system on soil structure. The experiment was a nested design with summer cover crop as the main plot and management system as the subplot. Summer cover crop treatments included cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) incorporated into the soil in the fall (CI), cowpea used as mulch in the fall (CM), sudangrass (Sorghum vulgare) incorporated into the soil in the fall (S), and dry fallow or bare ground (B). Management systems were organic (ORG) and conventional (CNV) systems. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and cantaloupes (Cucumis melo L.) were cultivated in rotation in the plots for three consecutive years using the same cover crops and management systems for each plot. Disturbed and undisturbed soil cores were collected at the end of the third year and used for laboratory experiments to measure physical, chemical, and hydraulic properties. Image analysis was used to quantify soil structure properties using a scanning electron microscope on thin sections prepared from the undisturbed soil cores. We found that total soil carbon was correlated with porosity, saturation percentage, and pore roughness. Pore roughness was correlated with crop production in general and with marketable production in particular. We found that the higher the complexity of the pore space, the more water retained in the soil, which may increase soil water residence and reduce plant water stress.

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“…Hand weeding can be effective at removing weeds, but it is dependent on the availability and affordability of a large labor pool (Taylor et al 2012). The use of nonchemical weed control methods, such as cover crops (Kosterna 2014; Monday et al 2015; Wang et al 2008) and soil solarization (Ozores-Hampton et al 2012; Reddy 2013), may not provide many growers with sufficient economic returns (Wang et al 2009). Herbicides available for use in cucurbits, which are relatively limited in number, often have a narrow control spectrum and lower overall rate ranges to ensure crop safety (Brandenberger et al 2005; Carvalho et al 2022; Figueroa and Kogan 2005; Grey et al 2000; Johnson and Mullinix 2005; Norsworthy and Meister 2007; Webster and Culpepper 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbicide screening for weed control and crop safety in California melon production

et al. 2023

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Weed management in cantaloupe and other melon crops, is important to maximize fruit yield; however, there are few registered herbicides available in California. Several independent herbicide trials were conducted at University of California field stations in Davis (Yolo County), Five Points (Fresno County), and Holtville (Imperial County) from 2013 to 2019 to evaluate both registered and unregistered herbicides and incorporation methods (sprinklers, cultivation, or none) for crop safety and weed control in melons. Although specific treatments varied among locations depending on local practice and research objectives, ethalfluralin and halosulfuron were used in all experiments and bensulide and S-metolachlor were evaluated in 4 of 6 site-years. Additional herbicides included clethodim, clomazone, DCPA, napropamide, pendimethalin, sethoxydim, and sulfentrazone. Among registered herbicides, halosulfuron, halosulfuron + ethalfluralin, and ethalfluralin + bensulide combinations provided consistently beneficial weed control across all site-years compared to the non-treated control. S-metolachlor performed as well as the best of the registered herbicides tested at each site-year; while moderate injury was noted at the Davis location this did not reduce melon yield. The method used to incorporate preplant herbicides had a significant impact on weed control efficacy but varied by location. Mechanical incorporation of preplant herbicides resulted in improved weed control and yield compared to sprinklers. Early season weed control, whether by herbicides or hand weeding, resulted in significant yield increase in most site-years.

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Summer Cover Crop and Management System affect Lettuce and Cantaloupe Production System

Cited by 3 publications

References 28 publications

Short-term nitrogen mineralization from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems

Short-term nitrogen mineralization from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems

The effect of total carbon on microscopic soil properties and implications for crop production

Herbicide screening for weed control and crop safety in California melon production

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