Life Sciences Commons^™

Cover Crops And Fertilization Alter Nitrogen Loss In Organic And Conventional Conservation Agriculture Systems, Rebecca E. Shelton, Krista L. Jacobsen, Rebecca L. Mcculley

Horticulture Faculty Publications

Agroecosystem nitrogen (N) loss produces greenhouse gases, induces eutrophication, and is costly for farmers; therefore, conservation agricultural management practices aimed at reducing N loss are increasingly adopted. However, the ecosystem consequences of these practices have not been well-studied. We quantified N loss via leaching, NH₃ volatilization, N₂O emissions, and N retention in plant and soil pools of corn conservation agroecosystems in Kentucky, USA. Three systems were evaluated: (1) an unfertilized, organic system with cover crops hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), or a mix of the two (bi-culture); (2) an organic …