Short-Term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties in the Southeastern Argentinean Pampas

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 54; no. 15; pp. 2145 - 2156
• Main Authors: Crespo, Cecilia, Carciochi, Walter D., Cuervo, Matías, Monacchi, Esteban, Commatteo, Jacqueline G., Barbieri, Pablo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 22-08-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aggregate stability; Agricultural practices; Biological properties; Bulk density; carbon; Cover crops; Cropping sequence; Dry matter; Farms; glomalin; infiltration; Nitrogen; Organic carbon; Organic nitrogen; Pampas; Particulate organic carbon; Penetration resistance; Sequences; Shoots; Soil chemistry; Soil degradation; Soil density; Soil depth; Soil improvement; Soil properties; Soils; Sustainability management; Tillage
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2023.2211611

Cover crop (CC) inclusion in cropping sequences could ameliorate negative effects of continuous agriculture on soil properties. The use of CC as a sustainable management tool can reverse the soil degradation process and improve soil health in the short term. The present study evaluated soil properties following short-term cover cropping in on-farm conditions. Three strip-trial experiments were conducted. Treatments were: i) oat (Avena sativa), ii) vetch (Vicia villosa), and iii) control (without CC). Prior to CC chemical termination, shoot and root dry matter (DM) and DM nitrogen accumulation in CC shoot (Nac) were determined. After CC termination, we determined: soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), infiltration (INF), aggregate stability, total and particulate organic carbon (POC), organic nitrogen, nitrogen mineralized in anaerobic incubation (Nan) and soil glomalin. On average across sites, grater shoot, and root DM were determined in oat than vetch, while Nac was greater in vetch. The POC and Nan increased by CC inclusion mainly in 0-5 cm soil depth. Improvements of over 50% in INF (0-20 cm) and 8% in BD (0-5 cm) were determined in CC treatments compared to control. The effects of CC on some soil parameters depended on the previous management practices (i.e. tillage system, crop sequences). In the short-term, CC inclusion improves some soil properties, depending on their sensibility to management practices.