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Chemical Attributes of Soils Subjected to No‐Till Cropping with Rye Cover Crops
Author(s) -
Eckert D. J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1991.03615995005500020019x
Subject(s) - cover crop , no till farming , agronomy , cropping , soil water , environmental science , cover (algebra) , agroforestry , geography , biology , soil science , soil fertility , agriculture , engineering , mechanical engineering , archaeology
Rye ( Secale cereale L.) cover crops are often promoted to supply additional residue in no‐till production situations; however, the effect of inclusion of rye on soil chemical properties is largely unknown. Soils were sampled, 20 cm deep, from four 4‐yr studies in which no‐till corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean ( Glycine max L. Merr.) were grown continuously or in rotation on a Canfield silt loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Fragiudalf) or in rotation only on a Hoytville silty clay (fine, illitic, mesic Mollic Ochraqualf), with and without a winter rye cover crop. Corn had been fertilized each spring with 224 kg N ha −1 as either injected anhydrous ammonia or surface‐broadcast urea‐ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution. All plots sampled showed greater concentrations of organic C, exchangeable K, and Bray‐1 extractable P in the surface 5‐cm increment of soil than deeper in the sampled profile. Exchangeable Ca and Mg concentrations were often less at this depth than deeper in the profile, particularly when N was applied as surface‐broadcast UAN solution. Soil pH was generally lowest in the zone of N application. Addition of the rye cover crop had little effect on the distribution of chemical attributes, other than increasing concentrations of exchangeable K near the soil surface in several comparisons.