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Cover Crop-Based, Organic Rotational No-Till Corn and Soybean Production Systems in the Mid-Atlantic United States

Author

Listed:
  • John M. Wallace

    (Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Alwyn Williams

    (Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

  • Jeffrey A. Liebert

    (Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Victoria J. Ackroyd

    (Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
    Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Rachel A. Vann

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, NC 27695, USA)

  • William S. Curran

    (Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Clair L. Keene

    (Williston Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Williston, ND 58801, USA)

  • Mark J. VanGessel

    (Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Georgetown, DE 19947, USA)

  • Matthew R. Ryan

    (Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Steven B. Mirsky

    (Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

Abstract

Cover crop-based, organic rotational no-till (CCORNT) corn and soybean production is becoming a viable strategy for reducing tillage in organic annual grain systems in the mid-Atlantic, United States. This strategy relies on mechanical termination of cover crops with a roller-crimper and no-till planting corn and soybean into cover crop mulches. Here, we report on recent research that focuses on integrated approaches for crop, nutrient and pest management in CCORNT systems that consider system and regional constraints for adoption in the mid-Atlantic. Our research suggests that no-till planting soybean into roller-crimped cereal rye can produce consistent yields. However, constraints to fertility management have produced less consistent no-till corn yields. Our research shows that grass-legume mixtures can improve N-release synchrony with corn demand and also improve weed suppression. Integration of high-residue inter-row cultivation improves weed control consistency and may reduce reliance on optimizing cover crop biomass accumulation for weed suppression. System-specific strategies are needed to address volunteer cover crops in later rotational phases, which result from incomplete cover crop termination with the roller crimper. The paucity of adequate machinery for optimizing establishment of cash crops into thick residue mulch remains a major constraint on CCORNT adoption. Similarly, breeding efforts are needed to improve cover crop germplasm and develop regionally-adapted varieties.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Wallace & Alwyn Williams & Jeffrey A. Liebert & Victoria J. Ackroyd & Rachel A. Vann & William S. Curran & Clair L. Keene & Mark J. VanGessel & Matthew R. Ryan & Steven B. Mirsky, 2017. "Cover Crop-Based, Organic Rotational No-Till Corn and Soybean Production Systems in the Mid-Atlantic United States," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:7:y:2017:i:4:p:34-:d:95076
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. McBride, William D. & Greene, Catherine & Foreman, Linda & Ali, Mir, 2015. "The Profit Potential of Certified Organic Field Crop Production," Economic Research Report 262208, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Jonathan A. Foley & Navin Ramankutty & Kate A. Brauman & Emily S. Cassidy & James S. Gerber & Matt Johnston & Nathaniel D. Mueller & Christine O’Connell & Deepak K. Ray & Paul C. West & Christian Balz, 2011. "Solutions for a cultivated planet," Nature, Nature, vol. 478(7369), pages 337-342, October.
    3. Wade, Tara & Claassen, Roger & Wallander, Steven, 2015. "Conservation-Practice Adoption Rates Vary Widely by Crop and Region," Economic Information Bulletin 262111, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Verena Seufert & Navin Ramankutty & Jonathan A. Foley, 2012. "Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 485(7397), pages 229-232, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gourav Sharma & Swati Shrestha & Sudip Kunwar & Te-Ming Tseng, 2021. "Crop Diversification for Improved Weed Management: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Daniel P. Roberts & Autar K. Mattoo, 2018. "Sustainable Agriculture—Enhancing Environmental Benefits, Food Nutritional Quality and Building Crop Resilience to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Patrick M. Carr, 2017. "Guest Editorial: Conservation Tillage for Organic Farming," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-6, March.
    4. Gerhard Gramss & Klaus-Dieter Voigt, 2018. "Turnover of Minerals and Organics in the Postharvest Herbage of Annuals and Perennials: Winter Wheat and Goldenrod," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Heather M. Beach & Ken W. Laing & Morris Van De Walle & Ralph C. Martin, 2018. "The Current State and Future Directions of Organic No-Till Farming with Cover Crops in Canada, with Case Study Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, January.
    6. Tejendra Chapagain & Elizabeth A. Lee & Manish N. Raizada, 2020. "The Potential of Multi-Species Mixtures to Diversify Cover Crop Benefits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-16, March.
    7. Kirsten Ann Pearsons & Emmanuel Chiwo Omondi & Brad J. Heins & Gladis Zinati & Andrew Smith & Yichao Rui, 2022. "Reducing Tillage Affects Long-Term Yields but Not Grain Quality of Maize, Soybeans, Oats, and Wheat Produced in Three Contrasting Farming Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, January.
    8. Anna Kocira & Mariola Staniak & Marzena Tomaszewska & Rafał Kornas & Jacek Cymerman & Katarzyna Panasiewicz & Halina Lipińska, 2020. "Legume Cover Crops as One of the Elements of Strategic Weed Management and Soil Quality Improvement. A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-41, September.

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