Impact Of Cover Crops Research Articles

The Cover Crop Seed Industry: An Indiana Case Study

Winter cover crops are plants used to protect soils during the period between the harvest and establishment of cash crops such as corn and soybeans, effectively providing farm fields with perennial cover. The total cost of cover crops varies considerably from site to site and year to year, yet the single costliest aspect of using cover crops is the cost of seed. Seed cost also tends to be the most volatile component of the cost of cover crop use, subject to complex supply dynamics associated with producing viable seed, storage capacity, and unpredictable regional demand. We conducted a survey of seed dealers who sell cover crop seeds using the state of Indiana as a case study. The majority of the respondents believe that sales for cover crop seeds over the next five years in Indiana will increase. In response to this expected increased demand, seed dealers noted they intend to (in no particular order): increase contracted cover crop seed production and invest in seed handling and storage capacity; increase direct interaction with farmers; become more active with workshops and demonstration field days; and/or create marketing materials that specifically promote the soil health benefits of cover crops. The top three factors seed dealers believed would improve the Indiana cover crop seed market the most were: (1) financial incentives for cover crop use; (2) improved customer knowledge of cover crop management; and tied for (3) reduced seed production costs, and broader support of cover crop usage from commodity groups. The top three topics of publicly funded research most useful to the cover crop industry were: (1) understanding factors that influence farmer cover crop adoption; (2) cover crop impact on field profitability; and (3) understanding long-term soil benefits of cover crops. Seed dealers play a unique role in conservation practices such as cover crops, not just because they are often trusted facilitators of information and guidance, but also because their business actions strongly influence available conservation opportunities, management options, and direct cost to farmers. The respondents to the survey offered their opinions regarding a number of issues that would help their business viability in a sustainable way while promoting farmer adoption of cover crops and their long-term commitment to the practice.

Cover crop and phosphorus fertilizer management impacts on surface water quality from a no-till corn-soybean rotation

Best management practices that reduce potential phosphorus (P) loss and provide flexibility in P fertilizer management are needed to help producers protect water quality while maintaining crop yield. This study examined the impacts of P fertilizer management (no P, fall broadcast P, and spring injected P) and cover crop use on annual concentrations and loads of sediment, total P, and dissolved reactive P (DRP) in edge-of-field runoff from a no-till corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotation in the Central Great Plains, USA, from September 2015 through September 2019. The spring injected P fertilizer treatment generally had 19% less total P and 33% less DRP loss compared to the fall broadcast treatment, confirming the importance of P fertilizer management as a practice for reducing P loss. The addition of a cover crop had an inconsistent effect on total P loss, with no effect in 2016 and 2017, increasing loss in 2018 by 56%, and decreasing it in 2019 by 40%. The inconsistent impact of cover crops on total P loss was related to cover crop effects on sediment loss. Although cover crop impacts on total P losses were inconsistent, the addition of a cover crop increased DRP loss in three of four years. Cover crop use consistently reduced sediment loss, with greater sediment reduction when P fertilizer was applied. Results from this study highlight the benefit of cover crops for reducing sediment loss and the continued need for proper fertilizer management to reduce P loss from agricultural fields.

Contributions of individual cover crop species to rainfed maize production in semi-arid cropping systems

Cover crop (CC) species selection can contribute to reducing soil penetration resistance (brassica species), improved soil nitrogen (N) cycling (legume species), and suppression of weeds (grass species). However, one of the main concerns about including CCs in water-limited environments is soil water use and the consequences to subsequent crops. To determine the effects of individual CC species under water-limited environments, we evaluated fall and spring CC biomass produced, and soil water and N content, penetration resistance, weed density and biomass during the maize growing season, and maize grain yield. The experiment was conducted under a winter wheat-maize-fallow rotation at two locations (North Platte and Grant, NE) during 2016−2017 and 2017−2018 (four site-years). Treatments consisted of seven popular CC species plus a control (fallow), planted after winter wheat harvest. Spring oats, Siberian kale, and purple top turnip produced greater fall biomass, while cereal rye produced the greatest amount of spring biomass. However, cereal rye reduced soil volumetric water content in North Platte 2016−2017 and increased soil penetration resistance from 20–30 cm soil depth across site-years likely due to soil water use. Spring cover crop growth suppressed weeds early in the maize growing season. Due to its aboveground biomass production, cereal rye decreased weed density and biomass by 80 and 88 %, respectively, compared to the fallow treatment. On the other hand, except for brassicas, CCs decreased N levels in the soil during maize growing season, and all CC species reduced maize grain yield up to 30 % compared to fallow (except spring oats). Spring oats can be an alternative to cereal rye as CC species for semi-arid regions. However, since CCs did not promote any maize yield gain, our findings suggest that producers should use caution when incorporating CCs in their cropping systems in water-limited environments. This research provides valuable information on the potential impact of CCs on rainfed maize production, as well as help producers and agronomists develop better CC management programs for cropping systems in semi-arid regions.

A meta-analysis on cover crop impact on soil water storage, succeeding crop yield, and water-use efficiency

Cover cropping is practiced to enhance soil health and sustain succeeding crop yield; however, the effect of cover crop on soil water storage, succeeding crop yield, and water-use efficiency (WUE) may not be consistent in all regions. A meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of cover crop on precipitation storage efficiency (PSE, the percent of precipitation that is stored in the soil during the fallow period), soil water storage at succeeding crop planting (SWSP), succeeding crop yield, and WUE from data collected from 117 studies across the world. Cover crop decreased PSE by 33.4% and soil water storage for the whole profile (SWSPT) at soil depth by 13.2%, but increased water storage to a depth of 30 cm (SWSP30) by 6.0% (P < 0.05) compared to no cover crop. Cover crop did not affect succeeding crop yield, but decreased evapotranspiration (ET) by 6.2% and increased WUE by 5.0% (P < 0.05) compared to no cover crop. The effect of cover crop on these parameters varied by soil and climatic conditions of various regions. Leaving cover crop residue at the soil surface or incorporating into the soil reduced PSE, SWSPT, and ET, but increased SWSP30 and WUE compared to residue removal. Maintaining cover crop biomass at 5Mgha−1 and leaving a 20-d interval between cover crop termination and succeeding crop planting, also enhanced PSE and SWSP30. Although cover crop had minimal impact on succeeding crop yield, WUE of succeeding crops can be increased with cover cropping by decreasing evapotranspiration.

Impacts of cover crops and nitrogen fertilization on agricultural soil fungal and bacterial communities

Impacts of cover crops and nitrogen fertilization on agricultural soil fungal and bacterial communities

Enhanced Nutritional Quality of Sweet Maize Kernel in Response to Cover Crops and Bio-Fertilizer

Cover crops (CC) are an important low-input strategy in sustainable agricultural systems. The impact of different CC (common vetch, field pea, winter oats, fodder kale, common vetch + winter oats and field pea + winter oats), organic mulch, control treatment-fallow, and bio-fertilizer (BF) application, on yield and quality of sweet maize kernel was evaluated. CC biomass was higher in mixtures: field pea + winter oats, and common vetch + winter oats, as well as in fodder kale. Kernel yield and its chemical composition varied significantly by CC, BF, year, and their interaction. Organic mulch enhanced the concentration of sugars and glutathione in maize kernel. BF increased kernel yield, the concentration of sugars, vitamin C, Mg, Fe, Zn, and reduced phytate concentration. The highest Mg and Mn concentration in maize kernel was achieved with fodder kale, Zn concentration with common vetch + winter oats + BF, and Fe concentration with winter oats. The same treatments expressed the highest impact on variability in concentration of the phytate, phenolics, and yellow pigment, thus affecting further bio-availability of essential elements. Results indicate that in a semi-arid climate, under rain-fed conditions, CC such as fodder kale and winter oats + common vetch could enhance sweet maize productivity and kernel quality, serving as an important part of a sustainable cropping system, to facilitate food security.

Cover crops in viticulture. A systematic review (2):&lt;br&gt;Implications on vineyard agronomic performance

The present systematic review aims to provide an overview of the impact of cover crops on vegetative growth and the productive parameters of vineyards.A systematic review was made on Scopus-index journals dating from 1999 to 2018. The selection was made at the same time by two different researchers, who selected a total of 272 published papers related to cover crops in vineyards. Each article was categorised according to its theme and a metadata database was created, considering all relevant information from an agronomic point of view for each article.It can be concluded from the review that the use of cover crops can reduce vine vegetative growth, which in turn can help keep the incidence of fungal diseases (like grey mould) at a low level. In general, this practice does not have a clear effect on vineyard yield or grape juice parameters, like total soluble solids (TSS) or titratable acidity (TA). Cover crops can decrease vineyard pests to a certain extent, especially Cicadellidae. Cover crops can sometimes sporadically cause water stress in the vineyard, but only during the summer months.This review allowed us to summarise available information on cover crops and their effects on vineyard agronomic performance in a systematic way. Such information can be used to help select the most suitable cover, based on specific vineyard objectives and growing conditions.

Impact of cover crops in inter-rows of hop gardens on reducing soil loss due to water erosion

Soil degradation caused by water erosion in sloping hop gardens is definitely a serious issue because the space in inter-rows is without plant residues for most of the year in traditional cultivation. Cover crops in inter-rows of hop gardens and their efficiency in soil conservation are assessed in this article. There is only little research available in this area, and our data bring unique information on water erosion in hop gardens. Technologies with different types of cover crops were always compared with the conventional cultivation. The research was conducted within the years 2016–2020. A field rainfall simulator was used to determine the soil conservation effectiveness of selected technologies. The simulated rainfall was performed in two stages of cover crops growth with the main aim to measure the overall soil loss. The outcomes from the measurements confirmed that cover crops in inter-rows of hop gardens protect the soil surface from falling raindrops and significantly (P-value &amp;lt; 0.05) reduce soil loss. It can be concluded that this technology had a soil conservation effect already one month after sowing, and it is a basis for sustainable agricultural management on sloping hop gardens.

Advancing on‐farm research with UAVs: Cover crop effects on crop growth and yield

AbstractMore on‐farm research is necessary to determine the practical benefits and drawbacks of cover crops at the field‐scale. The objective of this study was to advance the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms for evaluating the effects of cover crop biomass on crop growth and grain yield in two corn (Zea mays L.) fields and two soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields in Illinois. Experiments were 17–29 ha in size with cover crop and non‐cover crop treatment strips replicated four times. Flights were conducted with a multispectral sensor at three early‐ to mid‐season crop growth stages. On the same day, 40 biomass samples were collected to ground‐truth reflectance data. Results indicated that normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) could predict crop biomass (V3–V10 in corn, V5–R1 in soybean) with moderate accuracy (R2 = .40–.64) using an exponential model in corn and a linear regression model in soybean. Cover crops significantly (p &lt; .1) reduced early‐ to mid‐season corn and soybean NDVI at several sampling events, yet no yield penalty was detected across fields. Correlations between cover crops, crop growth, and grain yield were low and inconsistent when using NDVI maps and estimated biomass and N uptake maps. This study highlights an opportunity for utilizing high‐resolution datasets in on‐farm experiments to investigate the impact of cover crops on crop growth and yield on a field‐specific basis.

Large-scale farmer-led experiment demonstrates positive impact of cover crops on multiple soil health indicators

Cover crops are touted for their potential agronomic and environmental benefits, and are currently incentivized through state, federal and private investment in the USA. There is a need to quantify the impact of on-farm use of cover crops at spatial (2-5 years) and temporal (regional-to-national) scales aligned with such investment programmes. Here we report soil health data from a farmer-led trial of cover crops on 1,522 strip-years, from 78 farms across 9 US states over 5 years. We found that up to 5 years of cover crop use had small but increasing impacts on four of six selected soil health indicators, with active carbon concentration responding the most rapidly. Soil texture, the length of time a field was in the trial and a farm-level random effect were also strongly related to soil health properties. Our results fit with evidence from controlled trials and suggest that the use of cover crops can begin to influence soil health within several years after adoption.

Impact of Cover Crop on Nutrient Losses in an Upland Soil

ABSTRACT Nutrient losses through leaching and surface runoff are the main problems in no-till upland soils in Mississippi. A two-year study was conducted in 2016 and 2017 on an Atwood silt loam soil to evaluate the impact of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop (WCC) in no-till dryland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) received poultry litter (PL) on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses in leached and surface runoff water. Experimental design comprised a split-plot with a 2 × 2 treatment arrangement replicated 3 times. Treatments included WCC and winter fallow (WF) were assigned to the main plots, while PL at the rate of 6.7 and 0 Mg ha−1 was assigned to the subplots. Wheat was planted after harvesting cotton and leachates were collected from October to April using suction cup lysimeters. Surface runoff was collected from the edge of the plots. Nitrate-N concentrations in leachate samples were 45% and 21% less with WCC (9.9 and 17.2 mg L−1) than winter fallow (WF) (18.2 and 22 mg L−1) in the first and second year, respectively. Residual soil NO3-N concentration at the top 15 cm depth before planting cotton was 41% greater with WF than with WCC. In each year, runoff volume and water-soluble P (WP) concentrations were greater with WCC than with WF. It appears that the cover crop utilizes N during its growth period and slowly releases it for the subsequent crops as evidenced by greater cotton dry matter, lint yield, and cotton N uptakes mainly in the first year.

Impact of Cover Crops and Poultry Litter on Selected Soil Properties and Yield in Dryland Soybean Production

Soil biological properties are important for the stabilization and preservation of a good soil structure. Management practices can affect the diversity and population of microorganisms, which could beneficially change soil properties and promote a more sustainable dryland crop production. This study was established near Pontotoc, MS, USA (34°07′ N, 88°59′ W) on an Atwood silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleudalf) to evaluate the impacts of cover crops, planting dates and fertilizer sources (poultry litter, inorganic fertilizer and no fertilizer) on selected biologically related soil properties in a no-tillage, dryland soybean production. Soil analyses included total carbon and nitrogen, permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP), water stable aggregate (WSA) and soil pH. Cover crop production and soybean yield were also determined. The results indicated that the fertilizer source had an impact on total nitrogen, EE-GRSP and soybean yield. Total N was 6% higher with poultry litter at the early planting date compared to no fertilizer (control) (p &lt; 0.0018) and at the late planting date, when total N and EE-GRSP were increased by 11% and 13%, respectively, with poultry litter compared to no fertilizer. Additionally, soil pH was reduced by 0.25 units in the poultry litter-amended treatment. Soybean yield was increased by 68% and 51% in early-planted soybean and 42% and 40% in late-planted soybean with poultry litter and inorganic fertilizer, respectively, compared to no fertilizer. This study revealed that biological soil properties and soybean yield were influenced by poultry litter application. The results showed no significant effects of cover crops over the short time period of the study.

Effect of Rye and Mix Cover Crops on Soil Water and Cotton Yield in a Humid Environment

In recent years, the use of cover crops is becoming a popular technology among growers in many regions of the United States, which is expected to deliver various benefits such as improving soil health, increasing soil organic matter, controlling weeds, and helping conserve soil water and nutrients. Although expecting these benefits seems reasonable, it is challenging to know how much of these benefits to expect under specific situations. The potential effect of cover crops on soil water conservation is especially significant because of the documented impact of soil water on crop yield, especially for dryland cropping systems. Some researchers have found that planting a cover crop tended to increase soil water, while others have reported the opposite effect. Information on the impact of cover crops on soil water in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production systems in South Carolina is currently lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the effect of cover crops on soil water and cotton yield. A field experiment was conducted in South Carolina during winter, spring, and summer of 2015, with three cover crop treatments. The treatments included: 1) rye (Secale cereale L.), planted alone; 2) a mix of six cover crop species; and 3) a control treatment with no-cover. The cover crop was established in the winter, terminated in the spring, and cotton was grown during the summer. Soil water was measured at different depths using capacitance probes and a neutron probe. Our results showed no significant differences in soil water and cotton yield among the cover crop treatments. These results suggest that under the humid conditions of this study, any short-term effect of the cover crop on soil water was masked by timely rain.

Influence of cover crop mixtures on soil health in southeastern crop production systems

AbstractThe restoration of soil health is a crucial step to maximize productivity in historically eroded soils of the southeastern United States. Cover crops have been known to improve soil health over time; therefore, studies were conducted from 2017 to 2019 in the Tennessee Valley (TVREC) and Wiregrass (WREC) Research and Extension Center regions of Alabama to examine the impact of cover crops on dynamic soil health indicators. Treatments including fallow, along with monocultures and combinations of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), and Daikon radish (Raphanus sativus L.) were arranged in a randomized complete block design in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)–legume cash crop rotations. Soil health indicators included permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), total C (TC), water stable aggregates (WSA), and soil strength (area under the curve for cone index [AUCCI]). Cover crops did not increase WSA compared with fallow after 2 yr of treatment. At TVREC, POXC in the 10‐to‐15‐cm depth increased 60.6% under crimson clover compared with fallow. At TVREC, TC increased in the top 15 cm of soil after 2 yr of crimson clover, rye–clover, and rye–radish compared with fallow by 14.3, 11.6, and 15.2%, respectively. No differences in AUCCI occurred between treatments in 2018 at either location. In 2019, AUCCI at TVREC was higher under fallow and radish treatments compared with rye and rye–radish, whereas AUCCI at WREC in 2019 was higher under clover‐containing treatments compared with fallow and rye. Overall, some improvements in soil health indicators were observed after 2 yr of cover crop utilization, but long‐term cover crop use may be necessary to observe more consistent soil health changes.

Effectiveness of Cover Crops for Water Pollutant Reduction from Agricultural Areas

HighlightsNitrogen loss reduction due to a cover crop tends to improve with increased cover crop biomass production.Mixed phosphorus loss reduction results in cold climates where freeze-thaw cycles occur and can increase dissolved phosphorus losses.Cereal rye was the primary cover crop studied and tended to provide the most water quality benefits.Abstract. Mitigating nutrient losses from agricultural fields retains these nutrients for subsequent crop production and reduces the risk to downstream water quality. This study evaluated the impact of cover crops, as part of an annual cropping system, on reducing nutrient losses and enhancing water quality. Cover crop literature focusing on water quality was reviewed to determine important factors regarding cover crop performance and cost. Results show that a grass-based cover crop and mixes with grasses tend to increase nitrate loss reduction (40%) compared to legumes (negligible). Biomass growth was also important, with early seeding or growth of a cover crop in areas with increased growing degree days enhancing performance. For phosphorus loss, benefits did not necessarily increase with increasing biomass. Further, dissolved phosphorus concentrations may increase due to freeze-thaw cycles (23%), although overall dissolved phosphorus losses tend to decrease due to less runoff (34%). Cover crop implementation costs ranged from a savings of $25 to $44 ha-1 year-1 before soybeans and corn, respectively, when implementing a cover crop for five straight years to a cost of $193 ha-1 year-1. Including a cover crop in annual crop rotations with adequate time in the fall for germination and growth can reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from production agriculture to help meet water quality goals across the U.S. Keywords: Catch crop, Nitrogen, NRCS, Phosphorus, Practice Code 340, USDA, Water quality.

Soil water dynamics under a warm-season cover crop mixture in continuous wheat

Cover crop technology can potentially benefit monoculture wheat systems in the semi-arid US Southern Great Plains, but the biggest hurdle in such regions where evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation is soil water. Cover crop impact on soil water use and availability is a major cause for concern in water-limited environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of cover crops, grazing, and intercrops on soil water dynamics under rainfed conditions. Seven treatments were evaluated, including conventional tillage (CT) and combinations of no-tillage (NT) with a cover crop mixture, grazed cover crops, and/or cash crop intercropping. The three-year study was conducted on a long-term NT continuous wheat system in the Texas Rolling Plains. Despite dry periods, the cover crop mixture produced 2141 to 3503 kg ha−1 dry herbage mass. Stored soil water was significantly lower within 60 days after planting for cover crop compared to no cover crop treatments. Stored soil water was 22–26% lower in cover crop plots at time of termination. In the final two years of the study, the positive change in stored soil water from cover crop termination to wheat planting was two to four times greater for cover crop treatments compared to non-cover crop treatments. The greater infiltration and water capture after termination has the potential to make up for the loss in soil water that cover crops used.

Integrating Cover Crops as a Source of Carbon for Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation

The adoption of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a biologically-based method for the management of soilborne pests and pathogens at the commercial scale strictly depends on the availability of effective and low-cost sources of carbon (C). A three-phase pot study was conducted to evaluate the performance of twelve cover crop species as alternative sources of C in comparison to molasses. Buckwheat produced the greatest above-ground and total plant dry biomass and accumulated the largest amount of total C. In the second phase, simulating the application of ASD in a pot-in-pot system, molasses-amended soil achieved substantially higher levels of anaerobicity, and lowered soil pH at 3 and 7 days after treatment application compared to soil amended with the cover crops tested. In the third phase of the study, after the ASD simulation, lettuce was planted to assess the impact of cover crops and molasses-based ASD on lettuce yield and quality. The treatments had limited effects on lettuce plant growth and quality as none of the treatments caused plant stunting or phytotoxicity. Tested cover crop species and molasses had a significant impact on the availability of macro and micro-elements in the soil, which in turn influenced the uptake of minerals in lettuce. Fast growing cover crops like buckwheat or oat, capable of accumulating high levels of C in a relatively short time, may represent a viable alternative to substitute or be combined with standard C sources like molasses, which could provide an on-farm C source and reduce cost of application. Further research is needed to assess the performance of cover crops at the field scale and verify their decomposability and efficacy in managing soil-borne pests and pathogens.

Legume Cover Crops as One of the Elements of Strategic Weed Management and Soil Quality Improvement. A Review

The benefits of conservation practices increased the interest of farmers in the cultivation of cover crops (CCs). This review aims to present and analyze the state of the art on the cultivation of legume CCs, including their importance in protecting crops against weeds, as well as their effects on organic matter and nitrogen content in the soil, physical and biological properties of the soil, and its erosion. The multi-purpose character of legume CCs is visible in their positive effect on reducing weed infestation, but also on the soil: reducing its compaction and erosion, improving its structural and hydraulic properties, increasing the content of organic matter and activity of soil microorganisms, or increasing its nitrogen content due to symbiotic N2 fixing. This review demonstrates that a wider use of legume CCs in organic farming is needed. The benefits of legume CCs for successive crops in these cultivation conditions, both in terms of inhibiting weed populations and improving fertility and soil properties, also need to be identified. Further research is also needed to determine the potential impact of legume CCs on the improvement of the quality of degraded soils, or those with less favorable physicochemical properties.

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

Although soil C sequestration with cover crops (CCs) has been linked with the potential of CCs in climate change mitigation, the long-term usage of CCs on soil C storage and farm-based economics have been widely overlooked. Therefore, in a CC experiment established in 2007 in a temperate humid climate, four CCs and a no-CC control were compared to evaluate their potential to sequester C and provide economic returns. Total amount of plant C added to soil with CCs translated into greater soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 10–20 Mg C ha−1 than the no-CC control across both sites. Greater crop yield and reduced yield variability with CCs suggest the long-term potential of CCs in increasing agroecosystem resiliency. Moreover, greater profit margins with CCs in processing vegetable crops but not grain and oilseed crops indicate CC effects on crop profitability are dependent on the production system. Our study results indicated that the loss in profit margins with CC usage in grain and oilseed crops might be overcome with C pricing (at $50 Mg−1) on quantity of C sequestered after 9 years of CCing; thus, providing financial compensation to growers may be a mechanism to encourage CC adoption.

Cover crop and crop residue removal effects on temporal dynamics of soil carbon and nitrogen in a temperate, humid climate.

Quantification of seasonal dynamics of soil C and N pools is crucial to understand the land management practices for enhancing agricultural sustainability. In a cover crop (CC) experiment established in 2007 and repeated at an adjacent site in 2008, we evaluated the medium-term impact of CC (no cover crop control (no-CC), oat (Avena sativa L.), oilseed radish (OSR, Raphanus sativus L. var. oleoferus Metzg. Stokes), winter cereal rye (rye, Secale cereale L.), and a mixture of OSR+Rye) and crop residue management (residue removed (-R) and residue retained (+R)) on soil C and N dynamics and sequestration. Labile and stable fractions of C and N were determined at seven different time points from 0-15 cm depth during tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) growing season in 2015 and 2016 (referred to as site-years). As expected, over the tomato growing season in both site-years, organic C (OC) and total N did not change while the labile C and N fractions changed with greater concentrations observed at 2 weeks after tillage (WAT) and greater treatment differences observed for seven out of eleven soil attributes at tomato harvest. Therefore, 2WAT (early June) and tomato harvest (early September) are reasonably optimum sampling times for soil C and N attributes. Seasonal variation of labile fractions suggested the potential impact of substrate availability from crop residues on soil C and N cycling. Medium-term CC usage enhanced the surface soil C and N storage. Overall, this study highlights the positive and synergistic influences of CCs and maintaining crop residues in increasing both labile and stable fractions of C and N and enhancing soil quality in a temperate humid climate.