Using frost sensitive cover crops for timely nitrogen mineralisation and soil moisture management

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dc.contributor.authorStorr, T.
dc.contributor.authorSimmons, R. W.
dc.contributor.authorHannam, Jacqueline A.
dc.date.accessioned2020-07-09T10:11:32Z
dc.date.available2020-07-09T10:11:32Z
dc.date.issued2020-07-04
dc.description.abstractCover crops can be utilised to lower soil nitrate leaching. However, depending on the species grown and cover crop termination management this may lead to nitrogen (N) immobilisation and/or depletion of soil moisture available to the following cash crop, potentially impacting on crop yields. Cover crop management is also dependent on using herbicides to terminate growth prior to planting the next crop. We used an alternative method for cover crop termination by capitalising on plant senescence by frost in a multi-species cover crop established over-winter between wheat and maize. The cover crops accumulated greater quantities of N than the control. However, upon cover crop senescence due to cold temperatures, the partially terminated cover crop significantly increased topsoil available N from December to late February. This available N in the topsoil could be susceptible to leaching although this was not observed in our study. Cover crops did not have a significant prolonged effect on soil moisture over winter and late spring. The following maize yields were not significantly different between the control and cover crop treatment. Frost sensitive cover crop species could not be reliably terminated under a temperate climate, but provided a continuous supply of soil available N as the plants senesced. Depending on the soil moisture and weather conditions in the spring there could be a N leaching risk although this could be mitigated by establishing early spring crops.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationStorr T, Simmons RW, Hannam JA. (2021) Using frost sensitive cover crops for timely nitrogen mineralisation and soil moisture management. Soil Use and Management, Volume 37, Number 3, July 2021, pp. 427-435en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0266-0032
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12619
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/15540
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherWileyen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/*
dc.subjectgreen manuresen_UK
dc.subjectregenerative agricultureen_UK
dc.subjectsoil healthen_UK
dc.subjectcover cropsen_UK
dc.titleUsing frost sensitive cover crops for timely nitrogen mineralisation and soil moisture managementen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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