Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T02:58:31.429Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Winter cover crops to minimize nitrate losses in intensive lettuce production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

L. E. Jackson ,
L. J. Wyland  and
L. J. Stivers
L. E. Jackson
Affiliation:
Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
L. J. Wyland
Affiliation:
Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
L. J. Stivers
Affiliation:
Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A 2-year study conducted in Salinas, California in 1989–91 showed that soil nitrate (NO3–N) concentrations were reduced by cover crops during a short winter fallow period and that this practice can be compatible with year-round vegetable crop production schedules by planting and incorporating cover crops directly on the beds into which the lettuce crop will be direct seeded in the early spring. Cover crops grown the first year were oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus cv. Renova), white senf mustard (Brassica hirta cv. Martigena), white mustard (Brassica alba), Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia cv. Phaci), rye (Secale cereale cv. Merced) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). Only phacelia and Merced rye were included in the second year. In both years, all of the cover crops depleted soil NO3-N and soil moisture relative to the fallow control. Estimates of cover crop root length, based on core sampling to 60 cm soil depth, averaged 18800 m/m2 after 17 weeks of growth the first year and 12500 m/m2 after 13 weeks of growth the second year. Above-ground dry matter production averaged 449 g/m2 (12·8 g N/m2) the first year and 161 g/m2 (61 g N/m2) during a shorter growing period and under the more adverse growing conditions of the second year. Following cover crop incorporation with a rotary tiller, soil ammonium (NH4-N), N03-N and net mineralizable N (anaerobic incubation) peaked after c. 1 week, then gradually declined for 1 month. Cover-cropped plots sustained higher net mineralizable N levels than the fallow control after incorporation. Nitrate concentrations after spring rains were lower in soils left fallow during winter. The subsequent lettuce crop was not affected by cover crop treatment.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 121 , Issue 1 , August 1993 , pp. 55 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Armstrong, M. (1990). Sugar beet – towards a greener crop. British Sugar Beet Review 58 (3), 20–24.Google Scholar
Bolton, H. Jr, Elliot, L. F., Papendick, R. I. & Bezdicek, D. F. (1985). Soil microbial biomass and selected soil enzyme activities: effect of fertilization and cropping practices. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 17, 297–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruehl, G. W. (1973). Systems and mechanisms of residue possession by pioneer fungal colonists. In Biology and Control of Soil-borne Plant Pathogens (Ed. Bruehl, G. W.), pp. 77–83. St. Paul, MN: American Phytopathological Society.Google Scholar
Carlson, R. M. (1978). Automated separation and conductimetric determination of ammonia and dissolved carbon dioxide. Analytical Chemistry 50, 1528–1532.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carlson, R. M. (1986). Continuous flow reduction of nitrate to ammonium with granular zinc. Analytical Chemistry 58, 1590–1591.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cassman, K. G. & Munns, D. N. (1980). Nitrogen mineralization as affected by soil moisture, temperature, and depth. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44, 1233–1237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Estler, M. (1991). Conservation of soil and water by using a new tillage system for row crops. In Cover Crops for Clean Water (Ed. Hargrove, W. L.), pp. 34–36. Ankeny, IA: Soil Water Conservation Society.Google Scholar
Flocker, W. J., Agamlian, H. & Lugg, J. (1959). Effect of winter cover cropping and subsoiling on some physical properties of Chualar sandy loam. Department of Vegetable Crops Series 100, University of California, Davis, USA.Google Scholar
Goss, M. J., Colbourn, P., Harris, G. L. & Howse, K. R. (1988). Leaching of nitrogen under autumn-sown crops and the effects of tillage. In Nitrogen Efficiency in Agricultural Soils (Eds Jenkinson, D. S. & Smith, K. A.) Vol. 1, pp. 269–282. New York: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Holton, B., Barbour, M. G. & Martens, S. N. (1991). Some aspects of the nitrogen cycle in a Californian strand ecosystem. Madroño 38, 170–184.Google Scholar
Huntington, T. G., Grove, J. H. & Frye, W. W. (1985). Release and recovery of nitrogen from winter annual cover crops in no-till corn production. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 16, 193–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, L. E., Schimel, J. P. & Firestone, M. K. (1989). Short-term partitioning of ammonium and nitrate between plants and microbes in an annual grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 21, 409–415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krober, H. & Beckman, E. O. (1975). Pilzparasitare Schaden an Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschützdienstes 27, 177–180.Google Scholar
Ladd, J. N. & Amato, M. (1986). The fate of nitrogen from legume and fertilizer sources in soils successively cropped with wheat under field conditions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 18, 417–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ladd, J. N., Oades, J. M. & Amato, M. (1981). Distribution and recovery of nitrogen from legume residues decomposing in soils sown to wheat in the field. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 13, 251–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamb, J. A., Peterson, G. A. & Fenster, C. R. (1985). Fallow nitrate accumulation in a wheat-fallow rotation as affected by tillage system. Soil Science Society of America Journal 49, 1441–1446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinez, J. & Guiraud, G. (1990). A lysimeter study of the effects of a ryegrass catch crop, during a winter wheat/maize rotation, on nitrate leaching and on the following crop. Journal of Soil Science 41, 5–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meisinger, J. J., Hargrove, W. L., Mikkelsen, R. L., Williams, J. R. & Benson, V. W. (1991). Effects of cover crops on groundwater quality. In Cover Crops for Clean Water (Ed. Hargrove, W. L.), pp. 57–68. Ankeny, IA: Soil Water Conservation Society.Google Scholar
Monterey County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (1988). Nitrates in groundwater, Salinas Valley, California.Google Scholar
Muller, J. C., Denys, D., Morlet, G. & Mariotta, A. (1988). Influence of catch crops on mineral nitrogen leaching and its subsequent plant use. In Nitrogen Efficiency in Agricultural Soils (Eds Jenkinson, D. S. & Smith, K. A.) Vol. 2, pp. 85–98. New York: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Ocio, J. A., Brookes, P. C. & Jenkinson, D. S. (1991). Field incorporation of straw and its effects on soil microbial biomass and soil inorganic N. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 23, 171–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, E. A. (1984). Dynamics of organic matter in soils. Plant and Soil 76, 275–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powlson, D. S. (1988). Measuring and minimising losses of fertilizer nitrogen in arable agriculture. In Nitrogen Efficiency in Agricultural Soils (Eds Jenkinson, D. S. & Smith, K. A.) Vol. 1, pp. 231–245. New York: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Powlson, D. S., Jenkinson, D. S., Pruden, G. & Johnston, A. E. (1985). The effect of straw incorporation on the uptake of nitrogen by winter wheat. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 36, 26–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Radke, J. K., Andrews, R. W., Janke, R. R. & Peters, S. E. (1988). Low-input cropping systems and efficiency of water and nitrogen use. In Cropping Strategies for Efficient Use of Water and Nitrogen (Ed. Hargrove, W. L.), pp. 193–218. Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA and SSSA.Google Scholar
Roberson, E. B., Sarig, S. & Firestone, M. K. (1991). Cover crop management of polysaccharide-mediated aggregation in an orchard soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal 55, 734–739.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, B. W. & Cartwright, B. (1991). Alternative soil and pest management practices for sustainable production of fresh-market cabbage. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 1, 21–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rolston, D. E. (1981). Nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas production in fertilizer loss. In Denitrification, Nitrification, and Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide (Ed. Delwiche, C. C.), pp. 127–149. New York: J. Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Ryden, J. C. & Lund, L. J. (1980). Nature and extent of directly measured denitrification losses from some irrigated vegetable crop production units. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44, 505–511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sas Institute. (1985). SAS User's Guide: Statistics. 5th edn.Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
Schimel, J. P., Jackson, L. E. & Firestone, M. K. (1989). Spatial and temporal effects on plant-microbial competition for inorganic nitrogen in a California annual grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 21, 1059–1066.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schlang, J. (1985). Ziir Populationsentwicklung von Heterodera schachtii unter dem Einfluss von Phacelia tanacetifolia. Mededelingen van de Faculteit Landbouwetenschappen Rijksuniversiteit 50, 774–784.Google Scholar
Schnürer, J., Clarholm, M. & Rosswall, T. (1985). Microbial biomass and activity in an agricultural soil with different organic matter contents. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 17, 611–618.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M. S., Frye, W. W. & Varco, J. J. (1987). Legume winter cover crops. Advances in Soil Science1 7, 95–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tisdall, J. M. & Oades, J. M. (1982). Organic matter and water-stable aggregates in soils. Journal of Soil Science 33, 141–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waring, S. A. & Bremner, J. M. (1964). Ammonium production in soil under waterlogged conditions as an index of nitrogen availability. Nature (London) 201, 951–952.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, W. A. (1966). Management of nonleguminous green manures and crop residues to improve the infiltration rate of an irrigated soil. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 30, 631–634.CrossRefGoogle Scholar