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Developing functional relationships between temperature and cover crop species vegetative growth and development
Author(s) -
Munyon Jay W.,
Bheemanahalli Raju,
Walne Charles Hunt,
Reddy K. Raja
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.1002/agj2.20537
Subject(s) - shoot , biology , cover crop , agronomy , sowing , crop , biomass (ecology) , brassica , horticulture
Cover crops planted in the offseason are subjected to uncontrollable weather variables that limit agro‐ecological services through modifications in growth and development. The growth of five cover crop species was investigated in response to an array of day/night temperatures, 17/9, 22/14, 27/19, 32/24, and 37/29 °C. Shoot and root parameters were measured 33 d after planting. Quadratic functions best described most of the root and shoot dynamics in response to increasing temperatures except for a linear response of plant height in crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum ) and mustard ( Brassica juncea ). Temperature minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax), and optimum (Topt) for shoot traits varied from 9.8 to 10.6, 37.5 to 43.2, and 23.9 to 26.5 °C, respectively. The Tmin for root traits varied significantly, ranging from 8.5 to 10.8 °C. Topt and Tmax ranged from 22 to 25.7 and 35.2 to 40.6 °C, respectively. On average, the Topt for root traits was significantly lower than shoot traits in four of five species. Regardless of temperatures, cover crop species recorded higher biomass partitioning to shoot (62%) than to root, with a maximum proportion of biomass partitioned to shoot in crimson clover and Mighty Mustard Pacific Gold (80%) than other species (64–70%). The results of this study will help growers choose mixes of cover crops with the same temperature range to plant in the same climatic conditions during fallow periods. The cardinal temperatures and functional algorithms for growth and developmental traits could be used to develop models for cover crops under different temperature conditions.