Data from: Interseeded cover crop mixtures influence soil water storage during the corn phase of corn-soybean-wheat no-till cropping systems

Authors: Schomberg, Harry; White, Kathryn; Thompson, Alondra; Mirsky, Steven

Submitted to: Ag Data Commons
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2023
Publication Date: 8/8/2023
Citation: Schomberg, H.H., White, K.E., Thompson, A.I., Mirsky, S.B. 2023. Data from: Interseeded cover crop mixtures influence soil water storage during the corn phase of corn-soybean-wheat no-till cropping systems. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109465.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109465

Interpretive Summary: Cover crops (CC) provide many services including the potential to increase soil water storage by reducing runoff, increasing infiltration, and decreasing evaporation. Interseeding CC into a summer cash crop can increase CC biomass production due to earlier establishment and growth, which is essential for maximizing beneficial services. The effects of interseeded CC on soil water availability to the following corn crop were evaluated by ARS scientists at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD from 2017 to 2020. Results of the study were published in the journal Agricultural Water Management (Schomberg et al., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108167). In brief, the addition of the interseeded CCs increased soil water storage 10 to 20 mm on average. Four-year average corn water use efficiency and yields were greater with a CC compared to without. The potential returns from increased yield were more than sufficient to offset CC establishment cost. Results demonstrate the benefits of interseeded CC in humid regions of the US. Data used in the manuscript are being archived at the USDA National Agricultural Library in the Ag Data Commons repository. Types of data include: metadata about the research methods, a schematic of the crop rotation sequences, a list of the cropping system treatments, soil water and temperature sensor types and placement, and beginning and ending measurement periods; daily soil water (mm) and soil temperature (C) data for the four years used to estimate daily evapotranspiration (ET) and infiltration; weather data including daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures, net solar radiation, and windspeed used to estimate growing degree days and potential ET; and cover crop biomass and corn yields. Data are provided at the replication, treatment, depth, date, and year levels as appropriate. This information will be useful to scientists wanting to use this data in their analyses.

Technical Abstract: These data sets were used to evaluate effects of interseeded cover crops on soil water content during the following corn (Zea mays L.) phase of four no-till corn-soybean-wheat crop rotations at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD from 2017 through 2020. Cover crop (CC) growth and biomass production in the Mid-Atlantic region can be limited when CC are planted in the fall following harvest of double crop soybean due to late fall cool temperatures. Interseeding CC in summer prior to soybean canopy cover can improve establishment and spring biomass production. This practice can also increase the diversity of available CC species, help reduce weed pressure and reduce nutrient losses. This study was initiated to evaluate, during the following corn (Zea mays L.) phase, the effects of interseeded CC on soil temperature, soil water balances, evapotranspiration, infiltration, and yield and water use efficiency of corn. The cropping systems under study were primarily sequences of corn-soybean (Glycine max L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-double crop soybean all planted with no-tillage management. No cover crops (NC) were grown prior to corn in Systems 3 and 4. In System 5, a cover crop (CC) mixture of rye (Secale cereale L.)-hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)-crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) was interseeded into DCS prior to soybean canopy closure. In System 6, red clover (rc, Trifolium pratense L.) was interseeded into wheat in March and rye was planted into rc after wheat harvest in July. Meta information about the study in the Word document file CCSP 2023 AGWAT Metadata.doc describes data collection procedures and methods used to replace errors in the sensor data. Additional background information, including Tables 1 through 4 of the manuscript, are the Excel file CCSP Experiment Setup Info Tables 1 Through 4.xlsx. This file includes a schematic of the crop rotation sequences, a list of the cropping system treatments, soil water and temperature sensor types and placement, and beginning and ending measurement periods. Daily values of profile soil water (mm) and soil temperature (C) for the four years and are included in the Excel file CCSP Soil Temperature And Soil Water By Depth.xlxs. These data were used to estimate daily evapotranspiration (ET) and infiltration as described in the manuscript and in the Word document CCSP 2023 AGWAT Metadata.docx of meta information. Weather data including daily precipitation, max and min temperatures, net solar radiation, and windspeed collected at a nearby weather station are provided in two files; one used to estimate growing degree days CCSP Weather 2017-2002 Rain And Air Temp For GDD.xlxs and the other to calculate potential ET CCSP ET Calc Input Output Data and Meta Info.xlsx. Cover crop biomass (kg/ha) prior to corn planting and corn yields (Mg/ha) for the four years are in the Excel file CCSP Corn Yield Cover Crop Biomass.xlsx. Data are provided at the replication, treatment, depth, date, and year levels as appropriate.