Cover Crops Have Negligible Impact on Soil Water in Nebraska Maize–Soybean Rotation

Authors

J. Burdette Barker, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Derek M. Heeren, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Katja Koehler-Cole, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Charles Shapiro, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Humberto Blanco-Canqui, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Roger W. Elmore, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Christopher A. Proctor, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Suat Irmak, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Charles A. Francis, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tim M. Shaver, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Ali T. Mohammed, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

8-2018

Citation

Agronomy Journal (2018) 110: 1-1

doi: 10.2134/agronj2017.12.0739

Comments

Copyright © 2018, American Society of Agronomy. Used by permission

Abstract

One perceived cost of integrating winter cover cropping in maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation systems is the potential negative impact on soil water storage available for primary crop production. The objective of this 3-year study was to evaluate the effects of winter cover crops on soil water storage and cover crop biomass production following no-till maize and soybean rotations. Locations were near Brule (west-central), Clay Center (south-central), Concord (northeast), and Mead (east-central), Nebraska, United States. Treatments included crop residue only (no cover crop) and a multi-species cover crop mix, both broadcast-seeded before primary crop harvest and drilled following harvest. Pre-harvest broadcast-seeded cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was also included in the last year of the study because rye was observed to be the dominant component of the mix in spring biomass samples. Soil water content was monitored using neutron probe or gravimetric techniques. Mean aboveground cover crop biomass ranged from practically 0 to ~3,200 kg ha^–1 across locations and cover crop treatments. Differences in the change in soil water storage between autumn and spring among treatments occurred in 4 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the top 0.3 m of soil and 3 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the 1.2-m soil profile. However, these differences were small (profile). In conclusion, winter cover crops did not have an effect on soil water content that would impact maize and soybean crop production.