No-Till Corn/Soybean Systems Including Winter Cover Crops: Effects on Soil Properties

• Published in: Soil Science Society of America journal Vol. 70; no. 6; pp. 1936 - 1944
• Main Authors: Villamil, M.B, Bollero, G.A, Darmody, R.G, Simmons, F.W, Bullock, D.G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Soil Science Society of America 01-11-2006; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: aggregate stability; Agricultural practices; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; bulk density; Chemical properties; Chemicals; conservation tillage; Corn; Cover crops; crop rotation; Cropping sequence; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Environmental conditions; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental design; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycine max; Greenhouse effect; Loam soils; nitrate nitrogen; no-tillage; Organic matter; phosphorus; Physical properties; Porosity; Runoff; rye; Secale cereale; Soil analysis; soil chemical properties; Soil organic matter; Soil physical properties; Soil science; Soil surfaces; soil water content; Soils; Soybeans; Studies; Surficial geology; Tillage; Vegetables; Vicia villosa; Winter; Zea mays; Soil science; Earth science
• ISSN: 0361-5995; 1435-0661
• DOI: 10.2136/sssaj2005.0350

The use of winter cover crops (WCC) such as hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), in a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation provides long-term benefits that are generally overlooked. There is a particular lack of information regarding the effects of WCC on soil physical and chemical properties. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of four crop sequences (C/S, corn-fallow/soybean-fallow; C-R/S-R, corn-rye/soybean-rye; C-R/S-V, corn-rye/soybean-vetch; and C-R/S-VR, corn-rye/soybean-vetch and rye) under no-till on several soil physical and chemical properties. Soil chemical properties included soil organic matter (SOM), pH, total nitrogen (TN), nitrates (NO₃-N), and available phosphorus (P). The analyzed soil physical properties analyzed were: water-aggregate stability (WAS), bulk density (D(b)), penetration resistance (PR), total porosity (TP), pore-size distribution, water retention properties, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K(sat)). The experimental design was a split-split-plot where whole-plot treatments (sampling period) had a Latin square design and subplot treatments (crop sequences) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Compared with winter fallow, crop sequences that included WCC provided substantial benefits from the soil productivity standpoint. Specifically, the use of the C-R/S-V or C-R/S-VR increased SOM down to 30 cm. All WCC sequences improved WAS with increases of 9, 13, and 17% for C-R/S-R, C-R/S-V, and C-R/S-VR, respectively. Winter cover crop sequences reduced D(b) and PR of the soil surface and increased total and storage porosity along with plant available water. While the C-R/S-V sequence was the most effective in reducing soil NO₃-N, the C-R/S-R sequence was the most effective in fixing soil P.