Corn and Soil Fertility Responses to Crop Rotation with Low, Medium, or High Inputs

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) grown in annual rotation with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has greater mineral nutrient accumulation and higher yields than corn grown in monoculture. This study was conducted to determine how crop rotation (continuous corn vs. corn rotated with soybean) with different input levels (tillage, herbicide, insecticide, and fertilizer rates varied to achieve high, intermediate, and low treatments) affected corn shoot dry weight, mineral nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) composition at tasseling, pregrowing-season soil fertility (pH, organic matter, NO 3 - N, P, K, and total N), and grain yield on a Vienna loam (fine-loamy, mixed Udic Haploboroll) near Brookings, SD. Crop rotation increased total soil N and NO 3 - -N but decreased P when compared with continuous corn. The high input treatment resulted in higher soil NO 3 - -N levels than either the intermediate or low input treatments. Rotation with intermediate input increased corn shoot dry weight and P, K, and Ca accumulation compared with continuous corn with intermediate input. Grain yield responded differently to input levels within the two rotations. Corn yield following soybean was 32% greater than for continuous corn with intermediate inputs, but with high input levels there was no difference between rotation treatments. These results suggest that the level of inputs provided for corn can affect the crop rotation response.