Campus Units
Agronomy
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
10-2-2015
Journal or Book Title
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Volume
79
Issue
5
First Page
1482
Last Page
1495
DOI
10.2136/sssaj2015.02.0084
Abstract
Winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop (RCC) has potential to reduce NO3–N loss from corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields. However, RCC effects on annual crop productivity and corn optimal N fertilization requirement are unclear. The objectives were to evaluate corn and soybean yield response to RCC and corn optimal N rate. Treatments were no-RCC and RCC with six fertilizer N rates (0–225 kg N ha-1) applied to corn in a no-till corn–soybean (CS) rotation at four Iowa sites in 2009 through 2011. The RCC biomass and N uptake was low, with a maximum of 1280 kg dry matter (DM) ha-1 and 26 kg N ha-1, respectively. In the no-N control, the RCC reduced soil profile NO3–N by 15 kg N ha-1 only at time of RCC control before corn planting. Corn canopy sensing, plant height, and plant population indicated more N stress, reduced plant stand, and slower growth with RCC. The RCC reduced corn grain yield by 6% at the economic optimum N rate (EONR). The EONR was the same with no-RCC and RCC, but plant N uptake efficiency (PUE) was reduced at low N rates with RCC, but not above the EONR. Soybean yield was not affected by RCC. Results indicate N fertilization rate should be the same with or without RCC. Improvement in RCC systems and management could make RCC a more viable practice within no-till corn and soybean production.
Rights
All open access articles published by ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). This license permits noncommercial copying and redistribution of articles with proper attribution, and prohibits distribution of derivative content.
Copyright Owner
Soil Science Society of America
Copyright Date
2015
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Pantoja, Jose L.; Woli, Krishna P.; Sawyer, John E.; and Barker, Daniel W., "Corn Nitrogen Fertilization Requirement and Corn–Soybean Productivity with a Rye Cover Crop" (2015). Agronomy Publications. 120.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/agron_pubs/120
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Pathology Commons
Comments
This article is from Soil Science Society of America Journal 79 (2015): 1482, doi: 10.2136/sssaj2015.02.0084. Posted with permission.