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Winter cover crop management in the production of organic flue‐cured tobacco
Author(s) -
Hahn Samuel. L.,
Woodley Alex. L.,
Vann Matthew. C.
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/agj2.20656
Subject(s) - cover crop , agronomy , legume , sativum , vicia villosa , biology , cropping system , crop
Legume cover crops are not traditionally used in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) production due to concerns related to unpredictability of N supply and extended mineralization affecting quality of cured tobacco leaf. This study was conducted to determine if cover cropping with legumes could mitigate organic N fertilizer investment in tobacco without compromising yield, value, or quality. In 2018 and 2019, three winter cover crops: hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth) (HV); Austrian winter pea ( Pisum sativum var. arvense L.) (AWP); and crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum L.) (CC), were compared to a no‐cover crop control with typical organic N management in Rocky Mount and Kinston, NC. This study found no significant negative effects (α = .05) from legume cover cropping on yield or value of tobacco. In addition, AWP and HV increased yields between 13 and 37% compared to the no‐cover control. Value (US$ ha −1 ) did not differ from the control in 2018 or 2019 at any location, except at Kinston, where HV increased value 44% in 2019. In‐season soil samples suggest that HV provided N to tobacco up to flowering, however this did not negatively impact quality, yield, or value. Our research did not support grower concerns of prolonged N availability and found evidence that legume cover crops may allow for partial reduction in applied N without compromising the value of the product.