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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #113663
Title: NITRATE LEACHING AS INFLUENCED BY COVER CROPS IN LARGE SOIL MONOLITHS

Author
item Logsdon, Sally
item Kaspar, Thomas
item Prueger, John
item Meek, David
item Simmons, Gavin
item Hart, Timothy

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2000
Publication Date: 11/9/2000
Citation: Logsdon, S.D., Kaspar, T.C., Prueger, J.H., Meek, D.W., Simmons, G.T., Hart, T.T. 2000. Nitrate leaching as influenced by cover crops in large soil monoliths. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. CD-ROM. Madison, Wisconsin.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Oat or rye cover crops interseeded during late summer into soybean crop are used to reduce runoff and nitrate leaching. A concern about cover crop use is excess drying of the soil, reducing water available for the following crop. The purpose of this monolith leaching study was to complement a field experiment by providing more complete measurement of the water balance and nitrate lost. For one set of monoliths, drainage was significantly reduced due to oat or rye cover crops for the fall through summer part of the cover crop cycle, and nitrate loss was reduced for most or all of the same time period. There were no significant drainage differences in the other set, but nitrate loss was still reduced for the spring through summer part of the cover crop cycle. The decreased nitrate loss was due not only to decreased drainage under cover crops, but also to lower concentrations of nitrate in the leachate. Although drainage was less under cover crops for one set of samples, the soil water content was only intermittently lower due to cover crops because the soil water was replenished by watering.