Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics

The agricultural system of the Humid Pampas consists of continuous cropping of soybean and maize under no tillage. This system may loose nitrogen (N) through leaching during the early and final stages of summer crops and during fallow. In this study (2005–2011) we evaluated the effect of fall–winter...

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Autores principales: Restovich, Silvina Beatriz, Andriulo, Adrian Enrique, Portela, Silvina Isabel
Formato: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/7200
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378429011004163
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.12.012
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author Restovich, Silvina Beatriz
Andriulo, Adrian Enrique
Portela, Silvina Isabel
author_browse Andriulo, Adrian Enrique
Portela, Silvina Isabel
Restovich, Silvina Beatriz
author_facet Restovich, Silvina Beatriz
Andriulo, Adrian Enrique
Portela, Silvina Isabel
author_sort Restovich, Silvina Beatriz
collection INTA Digital
description The agricultural system of the Humid Pampas consists of continuous cropping of soybean and maize under no tillage. This system may loose nitrogen (N) through leaching during the early and final stages of summer crops and during fallow. In this study (2005–2011) we evaluated the effect of fall–winter species (rescue grass, ryegrass, oats, barley, vetch, rape seed and forage radish) and a mixture of vetch and oats used as cover crops on water and N dynamics and main crop yield. Above-ground biomass production and N uptake by cover crops ranged from 1.1 to 11.9 Mg ha−1 and from 17 to 223 kg N ha−1, respectively, depending on sowing and killing dates and on the preceding crop. At killing, soil nitrate content in treatments with cover crops was 50–90% lower than in the control, reducing spring N leaching risk. When preceding maize, cover crops were killed in winter or early spring and their low C/N ratio (12–38) favored N release through residue decomposition. Vetch and rape seed as predecessors of fertilized maize increased residual N by ≈50 kg NO3-N compared to the control, posing the risk of fall N leaching. When preceding soybean, cover crops were killed in spring and, although their C/N ratios were higher (13–85), crucifers and legumes increased soil nitrate content. Maize yield was related to soil N availability at sowing (control and legumes > crucifers > grasses) which was inversely related to the preceding cover crop C/N ratio at killing. In normal to high rainfall years there were no differences in soybean yield among treatments. Water use by cover crops did not affect the main crop production except during an exceptionally dry year. Best synchronicity between N release from cover crop residues and harvest crop demand was achieved with the oats–vetch mixture before maize and with grasses before soybean.
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institution Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina)
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spelling INTA72002020-05-06T18:21:19Z Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics Restovich, Silvina Beatriz Andriulo, Adrian Enrique Portela, Silvina Isabel Maíz Soja Plantas de Cobertura Cobertura de Suelos Lixiviación Nitratos Residuos Agua Maize Soybeans Cover Plants Land Cover Lixiviation Nitrates Residues Water Región Pampeana Húmeda Cultivos de Cobertura The agricultural system of the Humid Pampas consists of continuous cropping of soybean and maize under no tillage. This system may loose nitrogen (N) through leaching during the early and final stages of summer crops and during fallow. In this study (2005–2011) we evaluated the effect of fall–winter species (rescue grass, ryegrass, oats, barley, vetch, rape seed and forage radish) and a mixture of vetch and oats used as cover crops on water and N dynamics and main crop yield. Above-ground biomass production and N uptake by cover crops ranged from 1.1 to 11.9 Mg ha−1 and from 17 to 223 kg N ha−1, respectively, depending on sowing and killing dates and on the preceding crop. At killing, soil nitrate content in treatments with cover crops was 50–90% lower than in the control, reducing spring N leaching risk. When preceding maize, cover crops were killed in winter or early spring and their low C/N ratio (12–38) favored N release through residue decomposition. Vetch and rape seed as predecessors of fertilized maize increased residual N by ≈50 kg NO3-N compared to the control, posing the risk of fall N leaching. When preceding soybean, cover crops were killed in spring and, although their C/N ratios were higher (13–85), crucifers and legumes increased soil nitrate content. Maize yield was related to soil N availability at sowing (control and legumes > crucifers > grasses) which was inversely related to the preceding cover crop C/N ratio at killing. In normal to high rainfall years there were no differences in soybean yield among treatments. Water use by cover crops did not affect the main crop production except during an exceptionally dry year. Best synchronicity between N release from cover crop residues and harvest crop demand was achieved with the oats–vetch mixture before maize and with grasses before soybean. EEA Pergamino Fil: Restovich, Silvina B. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Laboratorio de Suelos; Argentina Fil: Andriulo, Adrián. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Laboratorio de Suelo; Argentina Fil: Portela, Silvina Isabel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Laboratorio de Suelos; Argentina 2020-05-06T18:11:07Z 2020-05-06T18:11:07Z 2012-03 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/7200 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378429011004163 0378-4290 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.12.012 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Elsevier Field Crops Research 128 (14) : 62-70. ( March 2012)
spellingShingle Maíz
Soja
Plantas de Cobertura
Cobertura de Suelos
Lixiviación
Nitratos
Residuos
Agua
Maize
Soybeans
Cover Plants
Land Cover
Lixiviation
Nitrates
Residues
Water
Región Pampeana Húmeda
Cultivos de Cobertura
Restovich, Silvina Beatriz
Andriulo, Adrian Enrique
Portela, Silvina Isabel
Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title_full Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title_fullStr Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title_full_unstemmed Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title_short Introduction of cover crops in a maize–soybean rotation of the Humid Pampas: Effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
title_sort introduction of cover crops in a maize soybean rotation of the humid pampas effect on nitrogen and water dynamics
topic Maíz
Soja
Plantas de Cobertura
Cobertura de Suelos
Lixiviación
Nitratos
Residuos
Agua
Maize
Soybeans
Cover Plants
Land Cover
Lixiviation
Nitrates
Residues
Water
Región Pampeana Húmeda
Cultivos de Cobertura
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/7200
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378429011004163
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.12.012
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AT portelasilvinaisabel introductionofcovercropsinamaizesoybeanrotationofthehumidpampaseffectonnitrogenandwaterdynamics