Abstract
Nutrient losses and soil erosion after soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) harvest are common in the US Upper Midwest. Cover crops need to provide adequate growth and cover to prevent soil degradation throughout the winter and early spring months. The objective of this study was to determine the establishment of intersown cover crops and their impacts on a soybean-wheat rotation. Four cover crops—winter camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz), winter pea (Pisum sativum ssp. arvense (L.) Poir), winter rye (Secale cereale L.), and radish (Raphanus sativus L.)—were directly sown at the R4 and R6 stages of soybean at two locations, Prosper and Fargo, ND in 2016–2017. Cover crops above ground biomass in the fall ranged from 0.4 to 3.0 Mg ha−1 and N accumulation ranged from 28.7 to 73.2 kg ha−1. Winter camelina and winter rye reduced subsequent spring wheat yield compared with the no cover crop treatment. Fall soil residual NO3-N levels were lowest where cover crops were sown compared with the check. Spring NO3-N levels were lowest in winter camelina and winter rye compared with all the other cover crops and the check. Results indicated intersowing cover crops have no impact on soybean yield, and show potential to mitigate soil nitrate losses in areas that grow soybean as a cash crop.
Highlights
Global food security depends on world food supply, which comes mainly from rainfed productions areas in temperate climates
The analysis of variance was significant only for the environment by sowing date by cover crop interaction for fall cover crop biomass yield, but not significant for cover crop spring biomass yield (Table 3). This significant interaction is the result of radish producing the highest amount of biomass overall, at 3.04 Mg ha−1 in Prosper 2016 at the R4 sowing date, while in other environments and dates, it was the lowest yielding of all cover crops (Table 4)
Lack of rainfall after drilling for two or three weeks’ limited emergence. This is similar to the findings of Sandler et al [18] where lack of rain in the early parts of establishment led to decreased biomass yield in radish intersown into soybean
Summary
Global food security depends on world food supply, which comes mainly from rainfed productions areas in temperate climates. The USA is the world’s leading producer of many crops, including maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean. Most of these crops are grown using conventional tillage in areas where the soil is left exposed with no protection during the winter months, which can lead to soil erosion, by wind and water. The lack of soil coverage with left over plant biomass, or “residue”, following a soybean harvest across the US Upper Midwest is a concern. Soybean does not produce adequate amounts of residue to cover and protect the soil from erosion especially when fall and winter precipitation in the form of snow is low. Soil and nutrients are lost due to wind and water erosion
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