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No‐Tillage Intercropped Corn Production in Tall Fescue Sod as Affected by Sod‐Control and Nitrogen Fertilization 1
Author(s) -
Wilkinson S. R.,
Devine O. J.,
Belesky D. P.,
Dobson J. W.,
Dawson R. N.
Publication year - 1987
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 - 10.2134/agronj1987.00021962007900040021x
Subject(s) - agronomy , festuca arundinacea , tillage , sowing , loam , forage , conventional tillage , biology , poaceae , soil water , ecology
Conservation tillage methods are needed for grain production on the sloping, erodible soils of the southern Appalachian mountains. The purpose of this study was to determine rainfed no‐till corn ( Zea mays L.) production in viable tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) sods relative to conventional tillage and complete kill no‐tillage systems. Main plot treatments were: (i) conventional tillage of fescue sod in the first year followed by no‐till planted rye in the second and third years (CT); (ii) no‐till planting in completely killed tall fescue, then in killed no‐till planted rye (NT 100 ); (iii) no‐till planting in a 0.41‐m wide killed strip of tall fescue (NT 40 ); and (iv) no‐till planting in a 0.20‐m wide killed strip of tall fescue (NT 20 ). Subplot treatments consisted of 145 or 290 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . Adequacy of mineral nutrition for corn was evaluated by plant analysis. The experiment was conducted on a Tate loam soil (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludult) with a 5 to 15% slope. No‐till corn production (NT 100 ) was highly successful at both N levels and yielded comparable to conventional tillage. Winter‐spring forage production was comparable whether the forage was no‐till planted rye or the remaining viable tall fescue. Competitive effects of a corn crop at 290 kg N ha −1 resulted in less summer forage for fall utilization. NT 40 resulted in slightly reduced corn and forage production and soil erosion control at 290 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . Competition for water, N, and K limited the effectiveness of the NT 20 treatment for no‐till corn production under southern Appalachian conditions.