CROPS
Corn
Soybeans
Wheat
Canola
Field Guide
Pulse
Cotton
Hay & Forage
Horticulture
Yield Data Centre
LIVESTOCK
Swine
Beef
Dairy
Poultry
Equine
EQUIPMENT
Used Farm Equipment
Farm Equipment Dealers
Machinery News
Technology
Cool Tools
OTHER RESOURCES
Ag Industry News
Agriculture Apps
Agriculture Associations and Organizations
Business & Finance
COVID-19 Resources
Farm Auctions
Farm Energy
Farm Real Estate
Farm Safety
Farm Supplies
Farm Videos
Government & Policy
Mental Health
Precision Ag Conferences
Reflections on Farm & Food History
Rural Lifestyle
Weather
Farms.com Group Businesses
Media & Publishing
Careers
Software & Services
Production Farming
Farms.com Home  › News

Long-term Cover Crop Use and Soil Health Study

Oct 13, 2017

Subscribe to our Newsletters
Objectives
  • Determine the effect of continuously using cover crops for 4 or 5 years on soil health, measured as potentially mineralized nitrogen (PMN) and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC).
  • The study site was a continuous corn silage system with fall manure application and no further N added. Treatments included rye as a cover (chemically terminated) or a forage (harvested) crop and no cover crop
  • We measure PMN from soils collected throughout the growing season. The PMN was then compared to the plant N uptake and yield to evaluate seasonal soil N supply.
Results
  • There were no statistical differences in PMN among cover crop treatments at any time point in the 2015 season.
  • PMN for both the no cover crop and rye forage treatments decreased over the growing season, while the PMN for rye cover did not.
  • In 2015, there was a reduction in plant N uptake from no cover to rye as cover treatment and even less in te rye as forage treatment
  • In 2016 the corn in the no cover treatment took up twice as much nitrogen as corn in the rye as forage treatment. Thus rye as a cover or as a forage decreased N uptake and corn yield.
  • Together, this suggests that the plants are taking up different amounts of N and that some factor other than N availability that is causing differences in plant N uptake.
  • There were no statistical differences in POXC among cover crop treatments at any time point in the 2015 or 2016 season.
Figure 1:Rye as a cover plot (left) and rye as a forage crop (right) in June 
 

Figure 2: Rye as a cover plot (left) and no cover plot (right) in June
 

Trending Video

Corteva Agriscience is proud to support #Farm24

Video: Corteva Agriscience is proud to support #Farm24

Corteva Agriscience is proud to support and celebrate British Farming and #Farm24, the UK's biggest agricultural, digital event created to celebrate British farming! This year it takes place from 8th to 9th August 2024 and is again organised by Farmers Guardian and Morrisons.
 
Case IH Steiger tractor sells for top dollar during BigIron auction
Celebrating farmers on National Farmers Day

Business News by Better Farming

General News by Better Farming

Forums by Agriville.com

Grain Prices ›
The Climate and Meat. ›
I thought you guys said.. ›
Canola, Time for a Sale ›
Friday cocktail and end of week chat. ›
The Food Professor: think tank of one. ›
Call to Action Bill C 293 ›

Machinery News by Better Farming

John Deere cotton picker sells for highest price at auction
John Deere cotton picker sells for highest price ... ›

Crop News by Better Farming

New Research Unveils Strategies to Boost Maize Crop Efficiency Through Optimized Light and Nitrogen Distribution
New Research Unveils Strategies to Boost ... ›

Livestock News by Better Farming

Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Inductees
Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame Announces 202... ›

Sponsored Links: 

Highest Yielding Soybeans,  PigCHAMP Grow-Finish,  Precision Agriculture,  Swine Reproduction Software
Subscribe to our Newsletters Download Farms.com Apps Advertise with us
This website uses tracking tools, including cookies. We use these technologies for a variety of reasons, including to recognize new and past website users, to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests.
You agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Access by clicking I agree.