IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v7y2017i4p34-d95076.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/7/4/34/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/7/4/34/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    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. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    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. 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.
    4. Patrick M. Carr, 2017. "Guest Editorial: Conservation Tillage for Organic Farming," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-6, March.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marion Desquilbet & Bruno Dorin & Denis Couvet, 2016. "Land Sharing vs Land Sparing to Conserve Biodiversity: How Agricultural Markets Make the Difference [land-sharing/land-sparing, comment les marchés font la différence]," Post-Print hal-03948463, HAL.
    2. Carlson, Andrea & Greene, Catherine & Raszap Skorbiansky, Sharon & Hitaj, Claudia & Ha, Kim & Cavigelli, Michel & Ferrier, Peyton & McBride, William, 2023. "U.S. Organic Production, Markets, Consumers, and Policy, 2000-21," USDA Miscellaneous 333551, United States Department of Agriculture.
    3. Daniel Hellerstein & Catherine Greene & Maria Bowman, 2017. "Symphony of the Soil [documentary]. Directed, produced, and written by Deborah Koons. Lily Films. 2012," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 99(3), pages 840-842, April.
    4. Jezeer, Rosalien E. & Verweij, Pita A. & Santos, Maria J. & Boot, René G.A., 2017. "Shaded Coffee and Cocoa – Double Dividend for Biodiversity and Small-scale Farmers," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 136-145.
    5. Mollie Chapman & Susanna Klassen & Maayan Kreitzman & Adrian Semmelink & Kelly Sharp & Gerald Singh & Kai M. A. Chan, 2017. "5 Key Challenges and Solutions for Governing Complex Adaptive (Food) Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-30, September.
    6. Radka Redlichová & Gabriela Chmelíková & Ivana Blažková & Eliška Svobodová & Inez Naaki Vanderpuje, 2021. "Organic Food Needs More Land and Direct Energy to Be Produced Compared to Food from Conventional Farming: Empirical Evidence from the Czech Republic," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Hadachek, Jeffrey & Saitone, Tina L. & Sexton, Richard J. & Raszap Skorbiansky, Sharon & Thornsbury, Suzanne & Effland, Anne, 2022. "Organic Feed Grains and Livestock: Factors That Influence Outcomes in Thinly Traded Markets," USDA Miscellaneous 319355, United States Department of Agriculture.
    8. Joseph Kangmennaang & Rachel Bezner Kerr & Esther Lupafya & Laifolo Dakishoni & Mangani Katundu & Isaac Luginaah, 2017. "Impact of a participatory agroecological development project on household wealth and food security in Malawi," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 561-576, June.
    9. Goldstein, Benjamin & Hansen, Steffen Foss & Gjerris, Mickey & Laurent, Alexis & Birkved, Morten, 2016. "Ethical aspects of life cycle assessments of diets," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-151.
    10. de la Riva, Enrique G. & Ulrich, Werner & Batáry, Péter & Baudry, Julia & Beaumelle, Léa & Bucher, Roman & Čerevková, Andrea & Felipe-Lucia, María R. & Gallé, Róbert & Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle & Rembia, 2023. "From functional diversity to human well-being: A conceptual framework for agroecosystem sustainability," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    11. Franklin Egan, J. & Hafla, Aimee & Goslee, Sarah, 2015. "Tradeoffs between production and perennial vegetation in dairy farming systems vary among counties in the northeastern U.S," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 17-28.
    12. Rommel, Jens & Anggraini, Eva, 2018. "Spatially explicit framed field experiments on ecosystem services governance," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 34(PB), pages 201-205.
    13. Jie Zhao & Ji Chen & Damien Beillouin & Hans Lambers & Yadong Yang & Pete Smith & Zhaohai Zeng & Jørgen E. Olesen & Huadong Zang, 2022. "Global systematic review with meta-analysis reveals yield advantage of legume-based rotations and its drivers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Ascui, Francisco & Ball, Alex & Kahn, Lewis & Rowe, James, 2021. "Is operationalising natural capital risk assessment practicable?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    15. Movedi, Ermes & Valiante, Daniele & Colosio, Alessandro & Corengia, Luca & Cossa, Stefano & Confalonieri, Roberto, 2022. "A new approach for modeling crop-weed interaction targeting management support in operational contexts: A case study on the rice weeds barnyardgrass and red rice," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 463(C).
    16. Wang, Linlin & Li, Qiang & Coulter, Jeffrey A. & Xie, Junhong & Luo, Zhuzhu & Zhang, Renzhi & Deng, Xiping & Li, Linglin, 2020. "Winter wheat yield and water use efficiency response to organic fertilization in northern China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    17. Lucia Mancini, 2013. "Conventional, Organic and Polycultural Farming Practices: Material Intensity of Italian Crops and Foodstuffs," Resources, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-23, December.
    18. 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.
    19. Meike Weltin & Silke Hüttel, 2023. "Sustainable Intensification Farming as an Enabler for Farm Eco-Efficiency?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(1), pages 315-342, January.
    20. Atanu Mukherjee & Emmanuel C. Omondi & Paul R. Hepperly & Rita Seidel & Wade P. Heller, 2020. "Impacts of Organic and Conventional Management on the Nutritional Level of Vegetables," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-25, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:7:y:2017:i:4:p:34-:d:95076. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.