The Potential of Inter-seeded Cover Crops for Enhancing Soil Health and Soil Moisture Content in a Row Crop Production System

Project Overview

OS20-133
Project Type: On-Farm Research
Funds awarded in 2020: $20,000.00
Projected End Date: 03/31/2022
Grant Recipient: Clemson University
Region: Southern
State: South Carolina
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Sruthi Narayanan
Email
Clemson University

Information Products

Commodities

  • Agronomic: buckwheat, clovers, corn, radish (oilseed, daikon, forage)

Practices

  • Crop Production: cover crops, intercropping
  • Soil Management: soil quality/health

    Abstract:

    Interest in cover cropping is growing rapidly among row-crop farmers in the Southeast. However, the long cash-crop growing seasons in the Southeast limit the window for successful establishment of fall cover crops. Inter-seeding summer cover crops alongside cash crops could potentially address this challenge. The environmental and economic benefits of an inter-seeded cover crop depend upon cover crop selection and management practices. The objective of this project was to evaluate inter-seeded white clover, buckwheat, pigeon pea, and their mixture on three different planting dates (V4, V7, and V10 growth stages of corn) for their effect on improving soil moisture, enhancing soil health, and impacting silage corn biomass yield. The study was conducted in collaboration with a farmer at Mull Meadow farms in Anderson, SC in 2020 and 2021. We found that cover crops when inter-seeded at V7 or V10 saved more water in the 20 cm soil profile than when they inter-seeded at V4 or compared to no cover crop control. Cover crops when inter-seeded at V10 or V7 growth stages of corn increased the biomass production of corn compared to the no-cover crop control. However, this benefit was not realized when cover crops were inter-seeded at V4 growth stage of corn. Soil health score was higher when cover crops were planted at V7 and V10 corn growth stages compared to V4 and no-cover crop control in both seasons. The results indicate that with careful selection of species and appropriate planting time, inter-seeded cover crops can save water in the soil profile. In addition, V7-V10 appear to be the ideal planting time for cover crop inter-seeding in corn based on soil water conservation, soil health, and corn biomass production.

    Project objectives:

    Evaluate inter-seeded white clover, buckwheat, pigeon pea, and their mixture on three different planting dates (V4, V7, and V10 growth stages of corn) for their effect on improving soil moisture, enhancing soil health, and impacting silage corn biomass yield.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.