Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of tillage intensity on nitrogen dynamics and productivity in legume-based grain systems

  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In 1988 an experiment was established at the Rodale Institute Experimental Farm to study weed control and nitrogen (N) management in rotations with grain crops and N-fixing green manures under reduced tillage without the use of herbicides. Tillage intensities ranging from moldboard plow (MP) to continuous no-till (NT) were compared. We present results for maize production in 1994, the seventh year of the experiment. Our goal was to further investigate reduced tillage regimes that alternated no-till with different forms of primary tillage in legume-based systems. In the chisel-disc (CD) and MP treatments comparable yields were achieved under so-called organic (weeds controlled with cultivation and green manure N source) and conventional management (weeds controlled with herbicides and mineral N fertilizer applied). Weed competition in these treatments was minimal and the N status of maize plants was essentially the same regardless of the N source (fertilizer or green manure). Of the four organic no-till maize treatments, only the mixed-tillage system with cultivation for weed control (CD-NTc) produced yields comparable to conventional NT maize. The fate of vetch N as well as temporal N dynamics were largely determined by tillage intensity and the handling of the vetch residues at maize planting. Treatments with primary tillage (CD and MP) had extremely high levels of mineral N early in the season and had greater average net N-mineralization, even though N content of hairy vetch in these treatments was equal to or lower than that in treatments with mow-killed vetch. In terms of soil mineral N concentrations, the CD-NTc treatment was similar to the other mow-killed vetch/no-till maize treatments. However, N availability in this treatment was greater, probably due to more complete decomposition of green manure residues. Cultivation for weeds not only helped control weeds but also increased mineralization of the vetch residues, which in turn increased the N supply during the period of maximum N demand by the maize. Carefully designed rotations combining tillage reductions with the use of leguminous N sources can have multiple benefits, including improved timing of N availability, reduced herbicide applications, and improved soil quality in the long term.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brandi-Dohrn F M, Dick R P, Hess M, Kauffman S M, Hemphill Jr. D D and Selker J S 1997 Nitrate leaching under a cereal rye cover crop. J. Environ. Qual. 26. 181–188.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter S R, Caraco N F, Correll, D L, Howarth R W, Sharpley A N and Smith V H 1998 Non-point pollution of surface waters with phosphorus and nitrogen. Eco. App. 8, 559–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creamer N G, Bennett M A, Stinner B R and Cardina J 1996 A comparison of four processing tomato production systems differing in cover-crop and chemical inputs. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 121, 559–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doran JW1980 Soil microbial and biochemical changes associated with reduced tillage. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 765–771.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drinkwater L E, Cambardella C A and Rice C W 1996 Potentially mineralizable N as an indicator of active soil N. In Handbook of Methods for Assessment of Soil Quality. Eds. J Doran and A J Jones. pp 217–230. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, WI.

  • Drinkwater L E, Wagoner M W and Sarrantonio M 1998 Legumebased systems have reduced losses of nitrogen and carbon. Nature 396, 262–265.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drinkwater L E, Workneh F, Letourneau D K, van Bruggen A H C and Shennan C 1995 Fundamental differences in organic and conventional agroecosystems in California. Ecol. Applic. 5, 1098–1112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groffman P M, Hendrix P F and Crossley Jr. D A 1987 Nitrogen dynamics in conventional and no-tillage agroecosystems with inorganic fertilizer or legume nitrogen inputs. Plant Soil 97, 315–332.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gumtang R J, Pampolino M F, Tuong T P and Bucao D 1999 Groundwater dynamics and quality under intensive cropping systems. Expl. Agric. 35, 153–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinkle M K 1985 Conservation vs. conventional tilage: ecological and environmental considerations In A Systems Approach to Conservation Tillage. Ed. F. M. D'Itri. pp 299–313. Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanwar, R S and Baker J L 1991 Long-term effects of tillage and reduced chemical application on the quality of subsurface drainage and shallow groundwater. In Eds. Proceedings of the Conference on Environmentally Sound Agriculture, April, 1991, Orlando, Florida. A B Bottcher, K L Campbell and WD Graham. Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanwar, R S, Baker J L and Baker D G 1988 Tillage and split N-Fertilization effects on subsurface drainage water quality and crop yields. Transactions of the ASAE 31, 453–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kells J J and Meggitt W F 1985 Conservation tillage and weed control. In A Systems Approach to Conservation Tillage. Ed. F. M. D'Itri. pp 123–129. Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuo S, Sainju U M and Jellum E J 1996 Winter cover crop effects on soil organic carbon and carbohydrate in soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61, 145–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R, Logan T J, Eckert D J, Dick W A and Shipitalo M J 1994 Conservation tillage in the corn belt of the United States. In Conservation Tillage in Temperate Agroecosystems. Ed.M R Carter. pp 74–114. Lewis Publishers, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaRue, T A and Patterson T G 1985 How much nitrogen do legumes fix? Adv. Agronomy. 34, 15–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebhardt WC, Andrews RW, Culik MN, Harwood R R, Janke R R, Radke J K and Rieger Schwartz S L 1989 Crop production during conversion from conventional to low-input methods. Agron. J. 81, 150–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCracken D V, Smith M S, Grove J H, MacKown C T and Blevins R L 1994 Nitrate leaching as influenced by cover cropping and nitrogen source. Soil Sci. Soc. Mn. J. 58, 1476–1483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGuire A M, Bryant D C and Denison R F 1998 Wheat yields, nitrogen uptake, and soil moisture following winter legume cover crop vs. fallow. Agron. J. 90, 404–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meisinger J J, Bandel V A, Stanford G and Legg J O 1985 Nitrogen utilization of corn under minimal tillage and moldboard plow tillage. I. Four year results using labeled N fertilizer on an Atlantic Coastal Plain soil. Agron. J. 77, 602–611. 113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell W H and Teel M R 1977 Winter annual cover crop for no-till corn production. Agron. J. 69, 569–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neely C L, McVay K A and Hargrove W L 1987 Nitrogen contribution of winter legumes to no-till corn and grain sorghum. In The Role of Legumes in Conservation Tillage Systems. Ed. J F Power. pp 48–49, Proc. of Natl. Conf., Univ. of Georgia, Athens, April 27- 29, dy1987, Soil Conserv. Soc. of Am., Ankeny, IA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papastylianou, I and Danso S K A 1991 Nitrogen fixation and transfer in vetch and vetch-oats mixtures. Soil Biol. Biochem. 23, 447–452.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips S H and Young HM1973 No-Tillage Farming. pp 123–138. Reiman Associates, Milwaukee, WI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power J F, Doran J Wand Wilhelm W W 1986 Uptake of nitrogen from soil, fertilizer and crop residues by no-till corn and soybean. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50, 137–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Power J F (Ed.) 1987 The role of legumes in conservation tillage systems. Proc. of Natl. Conf, Univ. of GA, Athens, April 27- 29, 1987. Soil Conserv. Soc. of Am., Ankeny, IA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power J F, Doran J W and Koerner P T 1991 Hairy vetch as a winter cover crop for dryland corn production. J. Prod. Agr. 4, 62–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powlson, D S 1980 Effect of cultivation on the mineralization of nitrogen in soil. Plant Soil 57, 151–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Randall G W and Bandel V A 1987 Overview of nitrogen management for conservation tillage systems. In Effects of Conservation Tillage on Groundwater Quality Nitrates and Pesticides. Ecs. T J Logan, J M Davidson, J L Baker and M R Overcast. Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reganold J P, Eliott L F and Unger Y L 1987 Long-term effects of organic and conventional farming on soil erosion. Nature 330, 370–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reganold J P, Palmer A S, Lockhart J C and Macgregor A N 1993 Soil quality and financial performance of biodynamic and conventional farms in New Zealand. Science 260, 344–349.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberson E B, Sang S and Firestone M K 1991 Cover crop management of polysaccharide mediated aggregation in an orchard soil.Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55, 734–739.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarrantonio M 1991 Methodologies for Screening Soil Improving Legumes. Rodale Institute Research Center, Kutztown, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarrantonio M and Scott T W1988 Tillage effects on availability of nitrogen to corn following a winter green manure crop. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52, 1661–1668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stayer KW and Brinsfield R B 1998 Using cereal grain winter cover crops to reduce groundwater nitrate contamination in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain. Soil and Water Cons. 53, 230–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stivers L J and Shennan C 1991 Meeting the nitrogen needs of processing tomatoes through winter cover cropping. J. Prod. Agric. 4, 330–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teasdale J R 1993 Interaction of light, soil moistures, and temperature with weed suppression by hairy vetch residue. Weed Sci. 41, 46–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Temple S R, Friedman D B, Somasco 0, Ferris H, Scow K and Klonsky K 1994 An interdisciplinary, experiment station-based participatory comparison of alternative crop management systems for California's Sacramento Valley. Am. J. Alt. Ag. 9, 64–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Touchton J T, Gardner W A, Hargrove W L and Duncan R R 1982 Reseeding crimson clover as a N source for no-tillage grain sorghum production. Agron. J. 74, 283–287.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Touchton J T, Rickerl D H, Walker R H and Snipes C E 1984 Winter legumes as a nitrogen source for no-tillage cotton. Soil Till. Res. 4, 391–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varco J J, Frye W W, Smith M S and MacKown C T 1989 Tillage effect on nitrogen recovery by corn from a nitrogen-15 labeled legume cover crop. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53, 822–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vans E, Pietila L and Koikkalainen K 1996 Comparison of conventional, integrated and organic potato production in field experiments in Finland. Acta Agric. Scand., Sect. B, Soil and Plant Sci. 46, 41–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagoner P, Longnecker L R and Janke R R 1993 The low-input reduced tillage trial at the Rodale Institute Research Center, 1998–1991. Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. R.R. Janke

    Present address: Department of Horticulture, Plant Science Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-5908, USA; Current address: Department of Horticulture, 2014 Throckmorton Plant Science Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rodale Institute, 611 Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA, 19530, USA

    L.E. Drinkwater, R.R. Janke & L. Rossoni-Longnecker

Authors
  1. L.E. Drinkwater
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R.R. Janke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Rossoni-Longnecker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Drinkwater, L., Janke, R. & Rossoni-Longnecker, L. Effects of tillage intensity on nitrogen dynamics and productivity in legume-based grain systems. Plant and Soil 227, 99–113 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026569715168

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026569715168

Search

Navigation