Cover crops and landscape positions mediate corn–soybean production. Issue 2 (12th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Gurbir; Dhakal, Madhav; Kaur, Gurpreet; Schoonover, Jon E.; Williard, Karl W. J.
• Is Part Of: Agrosystems, geosciences & environment. Volume 5:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-04-12
• Subjects: Agriculture -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Soil science -- Periodicals; Food science -- Periodicals; Food science; Agriculture; Agriculture -- Environmental aspects; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.1002/agg2.20249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2639-6696

Abstract

Abstract: Ecosystem services and cash crop benefits provided by cover crops (CCs) can be affected by temporal and spatial variability of CC performances as influenced by topographic position of the field. A watershed‐scale study was initiated in 2015 to assess the influence of crop rotations [cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)–soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]–hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth.)–corn ( Zea mays L.) (CC) and winter‐fallow soybean–winter‐fallow corn (NoCC)] and topography (i.e., shoulder, backslope, and footslope) on corn and soybean productivity in southern Illinois. Cereal rye increased soybean yield by 0.29 Mg ha ‐1 at the shoulder position, but it reduced yield by 0.44 Mg ha ‐1 at the footslope position when compared with the NoCC treatments. At the footslope position, every 1 Mg ha ‐1 increase in cereal rye biomass increased soybean yield by 0.87 Mg ha ‐1 . Soybean yield was negatively related to the cereal rye biomass at the shoulder and backslope positions. Within the CC rotation, corn yield was greater at the shoulder and backslope positions than at the footslope. Hairy vetch biomass affected corn yield positively within each landscape position. Cover cropping did not improve soybean and corn yield at the footslope position. Site‐specific CC management is critical if the landscape has significant variability in soil characteristics. Core Ideas: Topographic variations may affect cover crop and cash crops production. Cover crops produced more biomass and retained more N at the shoulder and backslope positions. Cereal rye increased the soybean yield at shoulder but not at backslope and footslope. Hairy vetch increased the corn yield except at the footslope position.