Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T22:58:23.850Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nitrogen contribution of rye–hairy vetch cover crop mixtures to organically grown sweet corn

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2012

Andrew Lawson ,
Ann Marie Fortuna ,
Craig Cogger ,
Andy Bary  and
Tami Stubbs
Andrew Lawson
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6420, USA.
Ann Marie Fortuna*
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6420, USA.
Craig Cogger
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA, USA.
Andy Bary
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA, USA.
Tami Stubbs
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6420, USA.
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Organic cropping systems that utilize winter grown cereal–legume cover crop mixtures can increase plant available nitrogen (N) to a subsequent cash crop, but the rate of N release is uncertain due to variations in residue composition and environmental conditions. A study was conducted to evaluate N availability from rye (Secale cereale L.)–hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop mixtures and to measure the response of organically grown sweet corn (Zea mays L.) to N provided by cover crop mixtures. Nitrogen availability from pure rye, pure hairy vetch, and rye–vetch mixtures was estimated using laboratory incubation with controlled temperature and soil moisture. Sweet corn N response was determined in a 2-year field experiment in western Washington with three cover crop treatments as main plots (50:50 rye–vetch seed mixture planted mid September, planted early October, and none) and four feather meal N rates as subplots (0, 56, 112 and 168 kg available N ha−1). Pure hairy vetch and a 75% rye–25% hairy vetch biomass mixture (R75V25) released similar amounts of N over 70 days in the laboratory incubation. But, the initial release of N from the (R75V25) treatment was nearly 70% lower, which may result in N release that is better timed with crop uptake. Cover crops in the field were dominated by rye and contained 34–76 kg ha−1 total N with C:N ranging from 18 to 27. Although time of planting and management of cover crop quality improved N uptake in sweet corn, cover crops provided only supplemental plant available N in this system.

Keywords

C:Ncover cropsgrowing degree dayshairy vetchnitrogen mineralizationnitrogen uptakeryesweet corn yield
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2013 , pp. 59 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Sainju, U.M., Whitehead, W.F., and Singh, B.P. 2005. Biculture legume–cereal cover crops for enhanced biomass yield and carbon and nitrogen. Agronomy Journal 97:1403–1412.Google Scholar
2Fortuna, A., Blevins, R.L., Frye, W.W., Grove, J.H., and Cornelius, P.L. 2008. Sustaining soil quality with legumes in no-tillage systems. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 39:1680–1699.Google Scholar
3Griffin, T., Liebman, M., and Jemison, J. 2000. Cover crops for sweet corn production in a short-season environment. Agronomy Journal 92:144–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Teasdale, J.R., Abdul-Baki, A.A., and Park, Y.B. 2008. Sweet corn production and efficiency of nitrogen use in high cover crop residue. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 28:559–565.Google Scholar
5Cherr, C.M., Scholberg, J.M.S., and McSorley, R. 2006. Green manure approaches to crop production: a synthesis. Agronomy Journal 98:302–319.Google Scholar
6Sustainable Agriculture Network. 2007. Managing Cover Crops Profitably. 2nd ed.Sustainable Agriculture Publications, Burlington, VT.Google Scholar
7Mosjidis, J.A. and Zhang, X. 1995. Seed germination and root growth of several Vicia species at different temperatures. Seed Science and Technology 23:749–759.Google Scholar
8Creamer, N.G., Bennett, M.A., and Stinner, B.R. 1997. Evaluation of cover crop mixtures for use in vegetable production systems. HortScience 32:866–870.Google Scholar
9Gaskell, M. 2006. Organic nitrogen sources for vegetable crops. HortScience 41:957.Google Scholar
10Björkman, T. and Shail, J.W. 2008. Cornell cover crop guide for hairy vetch. Cornell University. Ver. 1.100716.Google Scholar
11Grubinger, V. 2010. Winter Rye: A Reliable Cover Crop. University of Vermont Extension. Available at Web site http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/winterrye.html (accessed November 5, 2010).Google Scholar
12Ranells, N.N. and Wagger, M.G. 1996. Nitrogen release from grass and legume cover crop monocultures and bicultures. Agronomy Journal 88:777–782.Google Scholar
13Kuo, S. and Sainju, U.M. 1998. Nitrogen mineralization and availability of mixed leguminous and non-leguminous cover crop residues in soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 26:346–353.Google Scholar
14Brennan, E.B., Boyd, N.S., Smith, R.F., and Foster, P. 2011. Comparison of rye and legume–rye cover crop mixtures for vegetable production in California. Agronomy Journal 103:449–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Cline, G.R. and Silvernail, A.F. 2002. Effects of cover crops, nitrogen, and tillage on sweet corn. HortTechnology 12:118–125.Google Scholar
16Lawson, A.J. 2010. Evaluating fall cover crop mixtures for biomass production, residue quality, and weed suppression. MS thesis, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.Google Scholar
17Kuo, S. and Jellum, E.J. 2002. Influence of winter cover crop and residue management on soil nitrogen availability and corn. Agronomy Journal 94:501–508.Google Scholar
18Giacomini, S.J., Recous, S., Mary, B., and Aita, C. 2007. Simulating the effects of N availability, straw particle size and location in soil on C and N mineralization. Plant and Soil 301:289–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Snapp, S.S. and Borden, H. 2005. Enhanced nitrogen mineralization in mowed or glyphosate treated cover crops compared to direct incorporation. Plant and Soil 270:101–112.Google Scholar
20Wagger, M.G., Cabrera, M.L., and Rannels, N.N. 1998. Nitrogen and carbon cycling in relation to cover crop residue quality. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 53:214–218.Google Scholar
21Davidson, E.A. and Janssens, I.A. 2006. Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change. Nature 440:165–173.Google Scholar
22Curtin, R.D. and Campbell, C.A. 2008. Mineralizable nitrogen. In Carter, M.R. and Gregorich, E. (eds). Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis. CRP Press, Boca Raton, FL. p. 599–606.Google Scholar
23Honeycutt, C.W. and Potaro, L.J. 1990. Field-evaluation of heat units for predicting crop residue carbon and nitrogen mineralization. Plant and Soil 125:213–220.Google Scholar
24Ruffo, M.L. and Bolero, G.A. 2003. Modeling rye and hairy vetch residue decomposition as a function of degree-days and decomposition-days. Agronomy Journal 95:900–907.Google Scholar
25Cookson, W.R., Cornforth, I.S., and Rowarth, J.S. 2002. Winter soil temperature (2–15 °C) effects on nitrogen transformations in clover green manure amended or unamended soils; a laboratory and field study. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 34:1401–1415.Google Scholar
26Wang, C.H., Wan, S.Q., Xing, X.R., Zhang, L., and Han, X.G. 2006. Temperature and soil moisture interactively affected soil net N mineralization in temperate grassland in Northern China. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 38:1101–1110.Google Scholar
27Kruse, J.S., Kissel, D.E., and Cabrera, M.L. 2004. Effects of drying and rewetting on carbon and nitrogen mineralization in soils and incorporated residues. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 69:247–256.Google Scholar
28Quemada, M. and Cabrera, M.L. 1997. Temperature and moisture effects on C and N mineralization from surface applied clover residue. Plant and Soil 189:127–137.Google Scholar
29Torbert, H.A., Reeves, D.W., and Mulvaney, R.L. 1996. Winter legume cover crop benefits to corn: Rotation vs fixed-nitrogen effects. Agronomy Journal 88:527–535.Google Scholar
30Vaughan, J.D. and Evanylo, G.K. 1998. Corn response to cover crop species, spring desiccation time, and residue management. Agronomy Journal 90:536–544.Google Scholar
31Carrera, L.M., Abdul-Baki, A.A., and Teasdale, J.R. 2004. Cover crop management and weed suppression in no-tillage sweet corn production. Hortscience 39:1262–1266.Google Scholar
32Zotarelli, L., Avila, L., Scholberg, M.S., and Alves, B.J.R. 2009. Benefits of vetch and rye cover crops to sweet corn under no-tillage. Agronomy Journal 101:252–260.Google Scholar
33Jensen, L.S., Salo, T., Palmason, F., Breland, T.A., Henriksen, T.M., Stenberg, B., Pedersen, A., Lundstrom, C., and Esala, M. 2005. Influence of biochemical quality on C and N mineralisation from a broad variety of plant materials in soil. Plant and Soil 273:307–326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34Robertson, G.P., Wedin, D., Groffman, P.M., Blair, J.M., Holland, E., Harris, D., and Nadelhoffer, K. 1999. Soil carbon and nitrogen availability: Nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and soil respiration potentials. In Robertson, G.P., Bledsoe, C.S., Coleman, D.C., and Sollins, P. (eds). Standard Soil Methods for Long-Term Ecological Research. Oxford University Press, New York. p. 258–271.Google Scholar
35Van Soest, P.J., Robertson, J.B., and Lewis, B.A. 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74:3583–3597.Google Scholar
36Stubbs, T.L., Kennedy, A.C., and Fortuna, A. 2010. Using NIRS to predict fiber and nutrient content of dryland cereal cultivars. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58:398–403.Google Scholar
37Fortuna, A., Harwood, R.R., Robertson, G.P., Fisk, J.W., and Paul, E.A. 2003. Seasonal changes in nitrification potential associated with application of N fertilizer and compost in maize systems of southwest Michigan. Agriculture Ecosystems and the Environment 97:285–293.Google Scholar
38Gavlak, R.G., Horneck, D.A., and Miller, R.O. 1994. Plant, Soil, and Water Reference Methods for the Western Region. Western Region Extension Publication 125, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.Google Scholar
39Mulvaney, R.L. 1996. Nitrogen – Inorganic forms. In Sparks, D.L. (ed.). Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 3. Chemical Methods. SSSA Book Series No. 5. SSSA and ASA, Madison, WI. p. 1123–1184.Google Scholar
40Gale, E.S., Sullivan, D.M., Cogger, C.G., Bary, A.I., Hemphill, D.D., and Myhre, E.A. 2006. Estimating plant-available nitrogen release from manures, composts, and specialty products. Journal of Environmental Quality 35:2321–2332.Google Scholar
41Mehlich, A. 1984. Mehlich 3 soil test extractant: A modification of Mehlich 2 extractant. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 15:1409–1416.Google Scholar
42Sarrantonio, M. 1991. Soil-Improving Legumes. Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA.Google Scholar
43Andresen, J. 2010. Calculation of Baskerville–Emin (‘BE’) growing degree days. Michigan State University. Available at Web site http://www.maes.msu.edu/nwmihort/be_method.pdf (accessed April 3, 2010).Google Scholar
44Odhiambo, J.J.O. and Bomke, A.A. 2000. Short term nitrogen availability following overwinter cereal/grass and legume cover crop monocultures and mixtures in south coastal British Columbia. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 55:347–354.Google Scholar
45Kuo, S., Sainju, U.M., and Jellum, E.J. 1997. Winter cover cropping influence on nitrogen in soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61:1392–1399.Google Scholar
46Vigil, M.F. and Kissel, D.E. 1991. Equations for estimating the amount of nitrogen mineralized from crop residues. Soil Science Society of America Journal 55:757–761.Google Scholar
47Smith, J.L. and Doran, J.W. 1996. Measurement and use of pH and electrical conductivity for soil quality analysis. In Doran, J.W. and Jones, A. (eds). Methods for Assessing Soil Quality. SSSA Special Publication No. 49. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. p. 169–185.Google Scholar
48Adviento-Borbe, M.A.A., Doran, J.W., Drijber, R.A., and Dobermann, A. 2006. Soil electrical conductivity and water content affect nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions in intensively managed soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 35(6):1999–2010.Google Scholar
49Stamatiadis, S., Doran, J.W., and Kettler, T. 1999. Field and laboratory evaluation of soil quality changes resulting from injection of liquid sewage sludge. Applied Soil Ecology 12:263–272.Google Scholar
50Chaves, B., De Neve, S., Hofman, G., Boeckx, P., and Van Cleemput, O. 2004. Nitrogen mineralization of vegetable root residues and green manures as related to their (bio)chemical composition. European Journal of Agronomy 21:161–170.Google Scholar
51Schomberg, H.H. and Endale, D.M. 2004. Cover crop effects on nitrogen mineralization and availability in conservation tillage cotton. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 40:398–405.Google Scholar
52Marx, E.S., Christensen, N.W., Hart, J., Gangwer, M., Cogger, C.G., and Bary, A.I. 1997. The Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT). EM 8650. Oregon State University Extension Service.Google Scholar
53Oregon State Extension Service. 2004. Sweet Corn for Processing, Commercial Vegetable Production Guides. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Available at Web site http://nwrec.hort.oregonstate.edu/corn-pr.html (accessed October 16, 2010).Google Scholar
54Cogger, C.G., Bary, A.I., Fransen, S.C., and Sullivan, D.M. 2001. Seven years of biosolids vs. inorganic nitrogen applications to tall fescue. Journal of Environmental Quality 30:2188–2194.Google Scholar