Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Grazing Cover Crops On Animal Performance And Soybean Production, J. Brett Rushing, Rocky Lemus, J. G. Maples, J. C. Lyles

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Grazing cover crops has the potential to offset costs incurred with cover crop establishment, thus incentivizing management adoption. Information regarding cover crop species in combination with grazing and their subsequent effects on soybean production is limited. A field trial was conducted in Newton, MS from 2019 to 2021 to assess these effects. Cover crop treatments included oats (O), O + crimson clover (OC), and OC + radish (OCR) were applied in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Cover crops differed in nutritive analysis; O had significantly lower mean CP, but greater total daily nutrients (TDN). Weaned beef steers …

Corn Silage Yield And Quality, And Soil Health Metrics After Fall Cover Crop Grazing, J. D. King, K. A. Cassida, R. Erhardt, E. Burns, S. Snapp, M. Singh, C. Difonzo, A. Garmyn, S. Gruss, C. Macaluso

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Integrated crop-livestock systems can potentially produce more product per unit of land with minimal impacts on soil health and cash crop quality. In the Upper Midwest there is an opportunity to graze fall cover crops (CC) after winter wheat in a corn-wheat rotation. In East Lansing, Michigan, two CC treatments: 1) a pure brassica mixture (PURE), and 2) a complex mixture containing legumes, warm and cool season grasses, and brassicas (MIX) were planted after wheat, and grazed by lambs in the fall seasons of 2019 to 2021. The following year, soil health, corn yield and quality were measured from plots …

Extending The Grazing Season Through The Use Of Cover Crops, D. D. Harmon

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The use of cover crops in integrated crop-livestock systems is not a novel approach but has increased in popularity over the last few years due to the renewed interest in soil conservation, nutrient cycling, and water conservation. Moreover, cool-season annual forages have the ability to extend the grazing season, reduce the need for stored or bought supplemental feedstuffs, and as a result, lower winter-feeding costs. Small grain cover crops, legumes, forbes, and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) vary in their growth distribution and can be planted alone in monocultures or planted in mixtures to take advantage of the individual …

Productivity And Variability Of Pastures And Cover Crops In Lowland Rice-Pasture Rotations In Uruguay, Walter Ayala, J. Terra

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Adding Value To Crop Production Systems By Integrating Forage Cover Crop Grazing, Robert B. Mitchell, Daren D. Redfearn, Kenneth P. Vogel, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Galen Erickson, P. Steven Baenziger, Bruce E. Anderson, Mary E. Drewnoski, Jay Parsons, Steven D. Masterson, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In addition to their value as cereal grains, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) are important cool-season annual forages and cover crops. Yearling steer (Bos taurus) performance was compared in the spring following autumn establishment as for age cover crops after soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grain harvest. Replicated pastures (0.4 ha) were no-till seeded in three consecutive years into soybean stubble in autumn, fertilized, and grazed the following spring near Ithaca, Nebraska, USA. Each pasture (n = 3) was continuously stocked in spring with four yearling steers (380 ± 38 kg) for …

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Maize No-Till Agroecosystems In Southern Brazil Based On A Long-Term Experiment, Guilherme Rosa Da Silva, Adam J. Liska, Cimelio Bayer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Brazilian agriculture is constantly questioned concerning its environmental impacts, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This research study used data from a 34-year field experiment to estimate the life cycle GHG emissions intensity of maize production for grain in farming systems under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) combined with Gramineae (oat) and legume (vetch) cover crops in southern Brazil. We applied the Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator for modeling the “field-to-farm gate” emissions with measured annual soil N₂O and CH₄ emissions data. For net CO₂ emissions, increases in soil organic C (SOC) were applied as a proxy, …

Short-Term Soil Organic Matter And Carbon Responses To Contrasting Grazing Intensities In Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, Erick R. Da Silva Santos, Jose C. B. Dubeux, B. G. C. Homem, Cheryl L. Mackowiak, Lynn E. Sollenberger, D. Wright

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Combining integrated crop-livestock systems under no-till management may improve soil organic matter (SOM) build up and improve soil C sequestration. Grazing cover crops appears as a possibility to combine crops and livestock in a farm system. Further SOM and soil C increase can be achieved by adding perennial grasses into crop rotations. However, the effect of grazing intensity in such systems are not fully understood. This 2-yr study investigated short-term effects of cropping system [winter cover crops-summer cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and winter cover crops-summer bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flüggé) rotations], grazing intensity (no grazing, heavy, moderate, and light …

Allelopathy Of Faba Bean Cover Crop To Durum Wheat Under A Semi-Arid Environment, Oussama Oueslati, Arwa Zammali, Raed Hamdi, Ahlem Dhahri, Chaima Melliti, Moncef Ben Hammouda, Robert Kremer

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Problems facing farmers practicing conservation agriculture in the semi-arid zone of Tunisia include appropriate cover crop selection, management of allelopathic effects affecting subsequent crop performance, and influence of seasonal variation on allelopathy expression. Allelopathy expressed by faba bean (Vicia faba L.) toward durum wheat [Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn.] was studied using bioassays during three growing seasons. The role of phenols in the expression of such potential was also investigated. Analyses of plant samples at three phenological stages (flowering, fruiting, senescence) revealed that leaves were most inhibitory. Allelopathic potential differed among plant components and phenological stages, with …

Soil Health As Influenced By The Integration Of Cover Crops And Poultry Litter In North-Central Mississippi, Nikitha Reddy Kovvuri

Theses and Dissertations

Soil health-based agricultural management practices are widely promoted to improve soil structure, infiltration and reduce erosion. This study was conducted at two locations in North-Central Mississippi to evaluate the influence of different cover crop species and poultry litter on soil health that can impact crop production, climate change, and resilience. The results indicated that the cover crops showed a little effect on some soil health indicators compared to control treatment. However, in one location, rye, and a mixture of cover crops decreased bulk density and increased available water content and organic matter. The poultry litter had a positive effect on …

Soil Compaction In Cropland Pastures Used For Winter Grazing, B. F. Tracy

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In the northern United States, forage availability on cool season pastures declines rapidly late in the growing season (Moser & Hoveland 1996). To supplement low forage availability in the fall and winter, producers can graze livestock on cropland pastures containing annual cover crops and crop residues. Managed properly, cropland pastures can provide livestock with abundant, high quality forage that lasts long into winter. A potential issue with cropland pastures is that presence of cattle on moist, non sod-bearing soils could lead to severe soil compaction. The objective of this particular study was to determine how winter grazing on cropland pastures …

Do Cover Crop Mixtures Improve Soil Physical Health More Than Monocultures?, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Rationale and Purpose — Adding multispecies cover crop (CC) mixtures could diversify the current simplified crop rotations and enhance soil health more than monoculture CCs. Further, CC mixtures with diverse plant species could adapt better to changing climatic and environmental conditions than monoculture CCs. However, our current understanding of the soil benefits of CC mixtures is still limited. This review discussed whether CC mixtures are better than monoculture CCs to improve soil physical health.

Methods — All studies published up to May 25, 2023, comparing soil physical properties between CC mixtures and their constituents grown as monocultures were searched in …

Winter Cover Crop Performance In The Southern Piedmont Region Of South Carolina, Payton Davis

All Theses

Cover crops (CC) offer in-field and environmental benefits when integrated into cropping systems. Low CC adoption in the southern Piedmont of South Carolina is partially due to the lack of information on CC performance and benefits within the region. To address this, eight winter CC and a fallow/pigweed treatment were investigated for their influence on soil temperature, volumetric water content (VWC), percent cover, biomass, and the occurrence of soil water repellency (SWR). A randomized complete block design experiment was conducted in the fall and winter of 2021-2022 (EXP A) and repeated in 2022-2023 (EXP B). Cover crops minimally influenced soil …

Grazing Cover Crops Improved Soil Health In Dryland Cropping Systems, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Logan M. Simon, Sandra K. Johnson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating cover crops (CCs) in dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption has been slow in the CGP because CCs utilize water that otherwise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Field experiments were conducted from 2015 through 2022 to quantify effects of grazing CCs on soil bulk density, aggregate stability, and chemical properties across western Kansas. At the Kansas State University HB Ranch …

Kansas Field Research 2023

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2021-2023 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2023 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Corn And Soybean Yield As Affected By Cover Crop And Phosphorus Fertilizer Management, Megan A. Bourns, Elaheh Khosh Manzar, Nathan O. Nelson, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Gerard J. Kluitenberg, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi, Elizabeth A. Yeager, Peter J. Tomlinson, Deann R. Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Phosphorus (P) fertilizer additions are often required to meet crop nutrient demands, but over-fertilization can have economic consequences, as well as environmental consequences from agricultural P loss. Therefore, we require management strategies that balance crop P demand and the need to minimize environmental P loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cover crop addition and P fertilizer management strategy [build and maintain (BM), sufficiency (SF), and a zero-P control (CN)] on crop yield of a no-till, corn-soybean system for 2020, 2021, and 2022 crop years for a site near Manhattan, KS. The addition of a …

Planting Green: Potential Benefits And Disadvantages Of Planting Corn Into Live Cereal Rye Cover Crop, A. Correira, P. Tomlinson, D. Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Although cover crops are typically terminated 2–4 weeks prior to cash crop planting, there may be situations where late-burndown or planting into a living cover crop (planting green) may be necessary or even beneficial. This experiment investigated the effect of cover crop termination date on corn (Zea mays) yield and the presence of beneficial insects. Three different termination dates were tested: 4 weeks prior to planting (brown), 7 to 14 days prior to planting (green-brown), and at planting (green), as well as a check treatment with no cover crop planted. The site year by termination date interaction was …

Nitrogen Transfer From Cover Crops To The Subsequent Grain Crop And The Influence Of Variability In Winter Conditions, Spencer Heuchan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cover crops, which are used to provide ground cover after the harvest of the grain crop, can potentially improve the sustainability of agroecosystems by reducing nutrient losses. However, few data are available to document the extent to which cover crops improve both the retention of soil nitrogen (N) and the transfer of this N to the grain crop. The efficiency of this N transfer may be further influenced by variation in winter soil temperature; for example, reduced snow cover can increase the frequency and intensity of soil freezing, which can affect the survival of cover crops and the timing of …

Effect Of Cover Crops, Grazing And Tillage Practices On Soil Microbial Community Composition, Function, And Soil Health In East Central Mississippi Soybean Production System., Namita Sinha

Theses and Dissertations

Integrating crop and livestock is being considered to improve soil health by carbon sequestration. A two-year study (2019-2021) at CPBES in Newton, MS was aimed to evaluate soil microbial diversity in the warm, humid regions, specifically southeastern USA. Amplicons targeting bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS2 regions were sequenced. Taxonomic assignment and microbial diversity characterization were performed using QIIME2^®. Soil fungal diversity showed significant differences (alpha diversity, p = 0.031 in yr. 2020 and beta diversity, p = 0.037 in yr. 2021). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Mantel test showed significant influence on fungal diversity due to …

Cover Cropping: Sensor-Based Estimations Of Biomass Yield And Nutrient Uptake And Its Impact On Sugarcane Productivity, Hector H. Fajardo Duran

LSU Master's Theses

Sugarcane in Louisiana can be harvested for up to three years from one planting. Soil cultivation along sides of established beds is done for weed control and improve fertilizer use efficiency which increases the risk of soil degradation and yield decline. Planting cover crops (CC) is a soil conservation practice and an effective strategy to improve soil health and nutrient recycling. Limited work has been done on remote sensor-based evaluation of the potential nutrient benefits from cover crops and its effect on nutrient cycling on sugarcane systems. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two planting methods (broadcast …

Cover Crops And Irrigation Impacts On Corn And Soybean Production In The Mid-Southern Usa, Dillon Aaron Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Reducing groundwater withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer is imperative to sustain future irrigated cropping systems in the mid-southern USA. This research was conducted to determine the impacts of cover crops and irrigation sensor thresholds on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) production, water productivity, irrigation water use efficiency, and soil physical properties in the Mississippi Delta. The cover crop treatments included cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-radish (Raphanus sativus L.)-turnip (Brassica rapa L.) mix, and no cover crop. The irrigation thresholds included -40 kPa, -90 kPa, …

Winter Cover Crop Impacts On Weed Dynamics In Eastern And Central Nebraska, Elizabeth Ann Oys

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Reducing tillage in cropping systems causes weed management to be dependent on chemical and cultural methods for weed control. Over time, herbicide-resistant weeds have developed due to the continuous selection pressures from herbicides, particularly in the Midwest Corn Belt. Integrated weed management strategies, such as cover crops, can be used to mitigate some of these issues. Cover crops are primarily known for their soil health benefits, but there is evidence that cover crops can suppress weeds. However, less research has been done at the field-scale level to address cover crop impacts on the weed seedbank and aboveground weeds during the …

Post-Termination Effects Of Cover Crop Monocultures And Mixtures On Soil Inorganic Nitrogen And Microbial Communities On Two Organic Farms In Illinois, Eleanor E. Lucadamo, Ashley A. Holmes, Samuel E. Wortman, Anthony C. Yannarell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cover crops can continue to affect agricultural systems even after they have been terminated by influencing nitrogen dynamics and by altering soil microbial communities. These post-termination effects can influence soil fertility, weed pressure, and the dynamics of potential plant pathogens in the narrow window of time between cover crop termination and cash crop emergence. We evaluated the post-termination effects of 12 different spring-sown cover crop mixtures and monocultures on soil nitrogen and microbial communities on two different organic farms in Central Illinois (on Lawson silt loam soil) and Northern Illinois (on Virgil silt loam soil). In comparison to control plots …

Post-Termination Effects Of Cover Crop Monocultures And Mixtures On Soil Inorganic Nitrogen And Microbial Communities On Two Organic Farms In Illinois, Eleanor E. Lucadamo, Ashley A. Holmes, Samuel E. Wortman, Anthony C. Yannarell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cover crops can continue to affect agricultural systems even after they have been terminated by influencing nitrogen dynamics and by altering soil microbial communities. These post-termination effects can influence soil fertility, weed pressure, and the dynamics of potential plant pathogens in the narrow window of time between cover crop termination and cash crop emergence. We evaluated the post-termination effects of 12 different spring-sown cover crop mixtures and monocultures on soil nitrogen and microbial communities on two different organic farms in Central Illinois (on Lawson silt loam soil) and Northern Illinois (on Virgil silt loam soil). In comparison to control plots …

Benefits Of Cover Cropping Systems In Walnut Orchards As Sustainable Agricultural Practice, Ana Medic, Consuelo B. Baez Vega

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

In recent years walnut orchards implemented cover crops in between rows to improve soil’s quality, lessen soil’s erosion, increase organic matter, manage nutrient movement and availability, enhance water retention, and expand microbe, insect, and flora diversity. Commonly selected cover crops in California are from families Poaceae, Brassicaceae, and Fabaceae. Considerations should be made when choosing a particular cover crop mixture to enhance multiple benefits and improve sustainable practices in orchard settings. An experiment was conducted in a walnut orchard to compare functionality and benefits of three systems multi-crop, monocrop, and no vegetation cover crop system. The following components were evaluated: …

Manipulating Species Diversity: Environmental Impacts In Row Crop, Livestock, And Grassland Agroecosystems, Alayna A. Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The diversity of living species in an agroecosystem affects both natural resources and agricultural production efficiency. The rise of managed plant monocultures has allowed agricultural yields to increase over time. However, simplifying agroecosystems affects the capacity of the system to sustainably provide clean air, water, and productive soils essential for continued food and fiber production. This dissertation manipulates species diversity in row crop and forage agroecosystems prevalent in the Eastern United States and tracks the associated environmental and agricultural production consequences.

In row crop agroecosystems, increasing plant diversity with winter cover crops has been suggested as a strategy to increase …

Using Cover Crops To Control Weeds And Improve Soil Health, J. Dille, A. Hewitt, G. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Herbicide-resistant weeds are challenging for producers to control in crop fields. This study explores the potential of cover crops to reduce weed pressure and improve soil health. Cover crops that had good canopy development, including grasses such as ryegrass and wheat, had the best weed control. Soybean yields were similar for all cover crops, though there was a trend towards lower yields for the brassica cover crops, Graza radish and forage collards. Soybeans grown after ryegrass had the highest yields.

Cover Crop Grazing Effects On Soil Compaction Indicators In Western And Central Kansas, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Grazing cover crops (CCs) on no-till (NT) croplands in western and central Kansas could increase the profitability of crop production in these water-limited environments. However, little information exists about potential soil compaction associated with grazing CCs in these cropping systems. From 2019 to 2021, two studies investigated the effects of grazing CCs on soil bulk density and penetration resistance in NT cropping systems. At the Kansas State University HB Ranch near Brownell, KS, CCs grazed with yearling heifers were compared to ungrazed CCs and fallow under NT or occasional tillage (OT). In another study, CCs grazed with yearlings or cow-calf …

Kansas Field Research 2022

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2020-2022 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2022 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.
https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Spring And Summer Cover Crop Effects On Dryland Wheat And Grain Sorghum Yields In Western Kansas, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Incorporating cover crops (CC) to replace fallow in traditional dryland cropping systems in the semi-arid conditions of western Kansas has the potential to enhance soil health, suppress weeds, and increase precipitation use efficiency. The returns from haying or grazing can help cover costs of CC establishment and any reduction in yield from the subsequent grain crop. Two studies were initiated in 2015 and 2016 near Brownell, KS, to investigate dual-purpose spring and summer CC management effects on subsequent grain yields in a three-year no-till (NT) dryland winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow cropping system. Cover crops were planted in early spring between grain …

Soil Health Monitoring And Management In Corn And Soybean Agroecosystems Of The Midwestern U.S., Bradley S. Crookston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Soil health is a concept and condition of the soil where measurable soil properties represent the capacity of a soil fulfilling its intended use, such as producing crops, without constraint to its agro-ecological quality. Soil health assessments are used to estimate the health of a soil by assessing soil biological, chemical, and physical attributes, called soil health indicators, and scoring them on a scale, usually 0 to 100, to guide soil and crop management. However, there are few large-scale analyses of soil health assessment scores and their relationships with crop yield. Understanding how soil health assessments relate to crop yield …