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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421724
Research Project: Agronomic and Engineering Solutions for Conventional and Organic Conservation Agricultural Systems in the Southeastern U.S.

Location: Soil Dynamics Research

Title: Assessing long-term impacts of cover crops and no-tillage on soil organic matter in Virginia's Coastal Plain

Author
item HAYMAKER, JOSEPH - Virginia Tech
item REITER, MARK - Virginia Tech
item WOLTERS, BETHANY - University Of Tennessee
item MASON, JOHN - Virginia Tech
item STEWART, RYAN - Virginia Tech
item Balkcom, Kipling

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2024
Publication Date: 11/13/2024
Citation: Haymaker, J.R., Reiter, M.S., Wolters, B., Mason, J., Stewart, R., Balkcom, K.S. 2024. Assessing long-term impacts of cover crops and no-tillage on soil organic matter in Virginia's Coastal Plain [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Meetings, San Antonio, TX Nov. 10-13-2024.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This long-term study investigates the benefits of transitioning from intensively tilled vegetable production to no-till corn and soybean cultivation with cover crops. Initiated in fall 2014, the study evaluates 12 crop rotations, ranging from conventional tillage with no cover crops (CT-NC) to no-till systems with monoculture and multispecies cover crops. The goal was to assess the impact of these systems on soil quality and cash crop yields. From 2016 to 2023, soil organic matter (SOM) content increased by 45% (from 6.9 to 10.0 g kg-1) across all cover crop treatments at 0-15 cm depth. The NT-NC controls showed a 36% increase (from 6.4 to 8.7 g kg-1), while the CT-NC control also increased by 36% (from 6.1 to 8.3 g kg-1). An increase in SOM for the CT-NC treatment was expected, given the reduced tillage compared to prior vegetable production practices. In 2023, SOM was also measured at 0-5 cm depth to better assess changes, with CT-NC control having the lowest SOM content at 11.0 g kg-1, while the NT-NC controls ranged from 11.2 to 11.9 g kg-1. The cover crop treatments showed the highest SOM levels at 0-5 cm depth, ranging from 14.5 to 18.2 g kg-1, significantly outperforming both no-till controls. These results demonstrate that integrating cover crops with no-till systems can significantly enhance SOM, creating a synergistic boost to soil health and carbon sequestration, and highlighting the long-term potential of these practices to improve soil quality and support sustainable crop production in sandy Coastal Plain soils.