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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #146357
Title: USE OF COVER CROPS TO INCREASE CORN EMERGENCE AND FIELD TRAFFICABILITY

Author
item Osborne, Shannon
item Riedell, Walter
item SCHUMACHER, T - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item HUMBURG, D - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Soil/Water Research, Progress Report
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2003
Publication Date: 4/15/2003
Citation: OSBORNE, S.L., RIEDELL, W.E., SCHUMACHER, T.E., HUMBURG, D.S. USE OF COVER CROPS TO INCREASE CORN EMERGENCE AND FIELD TRAFFICABILITY. SOIL/WATER RESEARCH, PROGRESS REPORT. 2003. PR 02-39.

Interpretive Summary: The benefits of no-till soil management include protecting the soil from erosion, improving soil organic matter, and improving soil moisture storage. Although there are many benefits depending on environmental conditions there could be a number of potential problems. One of the potential problems with no-till soil management in eastern South Dakota is the wet and cold soils at the time of planting, delaying time of planting and crop emergence. Cover crops have the potential to utilize excess soil moisture and improve soil conditions. A field experiment was established to evaluate the impact of 14 different cover crop species as well as no cover crop and a conventional tilled treatment on soil conditions prior to planting and the effect on corn yield and quality. The experiment was conducted in a three year crop rotation (soybean/spring wheat-cover crop/corn). Cover crops were planted approximately two weeks after spring wheat and allowed to grow until the following spring. Surviving cover crops were killed prior to corn planting. Cover crop species that survived the winter included hairy vetch, red clover, sweet clover, Alsike clover, slender wheatgrass, and winter ryegrass. The presence of these species increased soil strength and reduced soil moisture. Corn yield for plots grown under red clover, winter ryegrass and no cover crop had yield significantly higher than corn grown after conventional tillage, hairy vetch, and slender wheatgrass. This experiment illustrated the ability of cover crops to utilize excess soil moisture and increase soil strength compared to conventional tillage or no cover crop.

Technical Abstract: The benefits of no-till soil management include protecting the soil from erosion, improving soil organic matter, and improving soil moisture storage. Although there are many benefits depending on environmental conditions there could be a number of potential problems. One of the potential problems with no-till soil management in eastern South Dakota is the wet and cold soils at the time of planting, delaying time of planting and crop emergence. Cover crops have the potential to utilize excess soil moisture and improve soil conditions. A field experiment was established to evaluate the impact of 14 different cover crop species as well as no cover crop and a conventional tilled treatment on soil conditions prior to planting and the effect on corn yield, and quality. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Cover crops evaluated include: Crimson clover, Alsike clover, red clover, sweet clover, annual ryegrass, winter ryegrass, hairy vetch, Carneval field pea, Austrian winter pea, slender wheatgrass, non-dormant alfalfa, sudangrass, buckwheat and barley. All cover crops were planted in early August (following spring wheat harvest) at recommended seeding rates. The following spring all plots were planted to corn. The experiment was conducted in a three year crop rotation (soybean/spring wheat-cover crop/corn). During the course of the experiment, data collection included growing environment (soil temperature, soil bearing strength, bulk density, water content and planting, and vane shear strength), total cover crop biomass, corn emergence, corn growth, and corn grain yield and quality (protein and oil content). Cover crop species that survived the winter included hairy vetch, red clover, sweet clover, Alsike clover, slender wheatgrass, and winter ryegrass. The presence of these species increased soil strength and reduced soil moisture. Corn grown following hairy vetch was the only treatment that exhibited a significant reduction in plant population. Corn yields for plots grown under red clover, winter ryegrass and no cover crop had yield significantly higher than corn grown after conventional tillage, hairy vetch and slender wheatgrass. This experiment illustrated the ability of cover crops to utilize excess soil moisture and increase soil strength compared to conventional tillage or no cover crop.