THE EFFECT OF COVER CROPS ON PSNT LEVELS AND CORN YIELDS
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This study examined how different cover crops impacted soil nitrogen levels and subsequent corn yields. Oil seed radish had the highest levels of available nitrogen in the soil (40 mg/kg), followed by cereal rye and annual ryegrass. However, corn yields were highest where there was no cover crop, followed by oil seed radish, likely due to moisture loss from the actively growing grass cover crops during a drought year slowing microbial decomposition of nitrogen.
![THE EFFECT OF COVER CROPS ON PSNT LEVELS AND CORN YIELDS IN WYANDOT COUNTY, OHIO ,[object Object],[object Object],Bruynis,* C. L. 1 , Hoorman, J.J. 2 , Fritz, M.H. 3 1 Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, 109 S. Sandusky Ave., Rm 16, Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351 - [email_address] 2 Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, 3900 Campus Drive, Suite B, Lima, OH 45804 - hoorman.1@osu.edu 3 Manure Management Specialists, Soil and Water Conservation District, 97 Houpt Drive, Suite A, Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351 – mark.fritz@oh.nacdnet.net RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The objective of this research was to determine the ability of annual ryegrass, cereal rye and oil seed radish to take up nitrogen from a summer application of swine manure on wheat stubble fields and release that nitrogen for the following years corn crop. RESEARCH METHODS A demonstration plot was planted on wheat stubble with 4 treatments including annual ryegrass, cereal rye, oil seed radish and no cover and two swine manure applications (5K, and 10K) applied to each treatment (8 plots, 30 feet each by 300 feet). Swine manure was applied on August, 30 2006 and the demonstration plots was drilled on September 6, 2006. Grass cover crops were killed with Glyphosate product on April 7, 2007 prior to plant jointing. Soil pre-side dress nitrate tests (PSNT) were taken on May 24, 2007 and yield tests were taken October 6, 2007.  RESULTS Mean available nitrogen from oil seed radish was significant greater (40 mg/kg) than either cereal rye (32 mg/kg) or annual ryegrass (29 mg/kg) and No cover 921 mg/kg) using an ANOVA statistical method (p<.05). Oil seed radish freezes and dies out during the winter so the nitrogen becomes available as the tuber and plant tissue decomposes. Cereal ryegrass is dormant during the winter and annual ryegrass does not go into dormancy. The spring release of nitrogen is dependant on the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the vegetative biomass and the decomposition rate in the spring and summer. Both annual ryegrass and cereal rye had a higher C:N ratio and a slower release of available nitrogen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was conducted with cooperation of the Crawford, Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot County Soil & Water Conservation Districts and a Great Lakes Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Grant. Annual Ryegrass Cereal Rye Oil Seed Radish AVAILABLE NITROGEN (mg/kg) CORN YIELD (bushels/acre) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/the-effects-of-cover-crops-bruynis-nacaa-poster-1220375131499767-8/85/THE-EFFECT-OF-COVER-CROPS-ON-PSNT-LEVELS-AND-CORN-YIELDS-1-320.jpg)
