Hostname: page-component-8678677fb7-7wlfr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-10-13T19:55:33.101Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

No-till seeded spinach after winterkilled cover crops in an organic production system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2014

Natalie P. Lounsbury  and
Ray R. Weil
Natalie P. Lounsbury*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
Ray R. Weil
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
*
* Corresponding author: nplounsbury@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Organic no-till (NT) management strategies generally employ high-residue cover crops that act as weed-suppressing mulch. In temperate, humid regions such as the mid-Atlantic USA, high-residue winter cover crops can hinder early spring field work and immobilize nutrients for cash crops. This makes the integration of cover crops into rotations difficult for farmers, who traditionally rely on tillage to prepare seedbeds for early spring vegetables. Our objectives were to address two separate but related goals of reducing tillage and integrating winter cover crops into early spring vegetable rotations by investigating the feasibility of NT seeding spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), an early spring vegetable, into winterkilled cover crops. We conducted a four site-year field study in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of Maryland, USA, comparing seedbed conditions and spinach performance after forage radish (FR) (Raphanus sativus L.), a low-residue, winterkilled cover crop, spring oat (Avena sativa L.), the traditional winterkilled cover crop in the area, a mixture of radish and oat, and a no cover crop (NC) treatment. NT seeded spinach after FR had higher yields than all other cover crop and tillage treatments in one site year and was equal to the highest yielding treatments in two site years. Yield for NT spinach after FR was as high as 19 Mg ha−1 fresh weight, whereas the highest yield for spinach seeded into a rototilled seedbed after NC was 10 Mg ha−1. NT seeding spring spinach after a winterkilled radish cover crop is feasible and provides an alternative to both high-residue cover crops and spring tillage.

Keywords

nitrogen synchronizationnutrient cyclingorganic no-tillsoil temperaturesoil moisturesoil tilthweed suppressionspinachlow-residue

Information

Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 30 , Issue 5 , October 2015 , pp. 473 - 485
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1 Wolfe, D.W., Topoleski, D.T., Gundersheim, N.A., and Ingall, B.A. 1995. Growth and yield sensitivity of four vegetable crops to soil compaction. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 120:956–963.Google Scholar
2 Stivers-Young, L.J. and Tucker, F.A. 1999. Cover-cropping practices of vegetable producers in Western New York. HortTechnology 9:459–465.Google Scholar
3 Kruidhof, H.M., Bastiaans, L., and Kropff, M.J. 2009. Cover crop residue management for optimizing weed control. Plant and Soil 318:169–184.Google Scholar
4 Creamer, N.G., Bennett, M.A., Stinner, B.R., Cardina, J., and Regnier, E.E. 1996. Mechanisms of weed suppression in cover crop-based production systems. HortScience 31:410–413.Google Scholar
5 Snapp, S.S., Swinton, S.M., Labarta, R., Mutch, D., Black, J.R., Leep, R., Nyiraneza, J., and O'Neil, K. 2005. Evaluating cover crops for benefits, costs and performance within cropping system niches. Agronomy Journal 97:322–332.Google Scholar
6 Weil, R. and Kremen, A. 2007. Thinking across and beyond disciplines to make cover crops pay. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87:551–557.Google Scholar
7 Carr, P.M., Mader, P., Creamer, N.G., and Beeby, J.S. 2012. Conservation tillage strategies in organic agriculture. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27:1–92.Google Scholar
8 Delate, K., Cwach, D., and Chase, C. 2012. Organic no-tillage system effects on soybean, corn and irrigated tomato production and economic performance in Iowa, USA. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27:49–59.Google Scholar
9 Canali, S., Campanelli, G., Ciaccia, C., Leteo, F., Testani, E., and Montemurro, F. 2013. Conservation tillage strategy based on the roller crimper technology for weed control in Mediterranean vegetable organic cropping systems. European Journal of Agronomy 50:11–18.Google Scholar
10 Montemurro, F., Fiore, A., Campanelli, G., Tittarelli, F., Ledda, L., and Canali, S. 2013. Organic fertilization, green manure, and vetch mulch to improve organic zucchini yield and quality. HortScience 48:1027–1033.Google Scholar
11 Mirsky, S.B., Ryan, M.R., Curran, W.S., Teasdale, J.R., Maul, J., Spargo, J.T., Moyer, J., Grantham, A.M., Weber, D., Way, T.R., and Camargo, G.G. 2012. Conservation tillage issues: Cover crop-based organic rotational no-till grain production in the mid-Atlantic region, USA. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27:31–40.Google Scholar
12 Creamer, N.G. and Dabney, S.M. 2002. Killing cover crops mechanically: Review of recent literature and assessment of new research results. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 17:32–40.Google Scholar
13 Morse, R.D. 2000. High-residue, no-till systems for production of organic broccoli. Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, Monroe, Louisiana.Google Scholar
14 Smith, A.N., Reberg-Horton, S.C., Place, G.T., Meijer, A.D., Arellano, C., and Mueller, J.P. 2011. Rolled rye mulch for weed suppression in organic no-tillage soybeans. Weed Science 59:224–231.Google Scholar
15 Teasdale, J.R. and Abdul-Baki, A.A. 1998. Comparison of mixtures vs. monocultures of cover crops for fresh-market tomato production with and without herbicide. HortScience 33:1119–1135.Google Scholar
16 Everts, K.L. 2002. Reduced fungicide applications and host resistance for managing three diseases in pumpkin grown on a no-till cover crop. Plant Disease 86:1134–1141.Google Scholar
17 Abdul-Baki, A.A., Watada, A.E., Teasdale, J.R., and Morse, R.D. 1996. Hairy vetch mulch favorably impacts yield of processing tomatoes. HortScience 31:338–340.Google Scholar
18 Abdul-Baki, A.A., Haynes, K.G., Goth, R.W., and Teasdale, J.R. 2002. Marketable yields of fresh-market tomatoes grown in plastic and hairy vetch mulches. HortScience 37:878–881.Google Scholar
19 Herrero, E.V., Miyao, E.M., Morse, R.D., Campiglia, E., Mitchell, J.P., Lanini, W.T., and Temple, S.R. 2001. Use of cover crop mulches in a no-till furrow-irrigated processing tomato production system. HortTechnology 11:43–48.Google Scholar
20 Hoyt, G.D. 1999. Tillage and cover residue affects on vegetable yields. HortTechnology 9:351–358.Google Scholar
21 Abdul-Baki, A.A. and Teasdale, J.R. 1997. Snap bean production in conventional tillage and in no-till hairy vetch mulch. HortScience 32:1191–1193.Google Scholar
22 Rutledge, A.D. 1999. Experiences with conservation tillage vegetables in Tennessee. HortTechnology 9:366–372.Google Scholar
23 Morse, R.D. 1999. No-till vegetable production––its time is now. HortTechnology 9:373–379.Google Scholar
24 Abdul-Baki, A.A., Morse, R.D., Devine, T.E., and Teasdale, J.R. 1997. Broccoli production in forage soybean and foxtail millet cover crop mulches. HortScience 32:836–839.Google Scholar
25 Teasdale, J.R. and Mohler, C.L. 1993. Light transmittance, soil temperature, and soil moisture under residue of hairy vetch and rye. Agronomy Journal 85:673–680.Google Scholar
26 Hoyt, G.D., Monks, D.W., and Monaco, T.J. 1994. Conservation tillage for vegetable production. HortTechnology 4:129–135.Google Scholar
27 Schonbeck, M. 2006. Evaluation of frost-killed cover crop mulches for organic no-till production of spring vegetables on small farms: final project report. Organic Farming Research Foundation, Santa Cruz, CA. Available at website http://cfile225.uf.daum.net/attach/154575024939E9380A6ABC (verified July 14, 2014).Google Scholar
28 Lawley, Y.E., Teasdale, J.R., and Weil, R.R. 2012. The mechanism for weed suppression by a forage radish cover crop. Agronomy Journal 104:205–214.Google Scholar
29 Fukuoka, M. 1978 The One Straw Revolution. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA.Google Scholar
30 Kruidhof, H., Bastiaans, L., and Kropff, M. 2008. Ecological weed management by cover cropping: Effects on weed growth in autumn and weed establishment in spring. Weed Research 48:492–502.Google Scholar
31 Stivers-Young, L. 1998. Growth, nitrogen accumulation, and weed suppression by fall cover crops following early harvest of vegetables. HortScience 33:60–63.Google Scholar
32 Kemper, B. and Derpsch, R. 1981. Results of studies made in 1978 and 1979 to control erosion by cover crops and no-tillage techniques in Parana, Brazil. Soil and Tillage Research 1:253–267.Google Scholar
33 Dapaah, H.K. and Vyn, T.J. 1998. Nitrogen fertilization and cover crop effects on soil structural stability and corn performance. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 29:2557–2569.Google Scholar
34 Chen, G. and Weil, R. 2010. Penetration of cover crop roots through compacted soils. Plant and Soil 331:31–43.Google Scholar
35 Williams, S.M. and Weil, R.R. 2004. Crop cover root channels may alleviate soil compaction effects on soybean crop. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68:1403–1409.Google Scholar
36 Dean, J.E. and Weil, R. 2009. Brassica cover crops for nitrogen retention in the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Journal of Environmental Quality 38:520–528.Google Scholar
37 Kristensen, H.L. and Thorup-Kristensen, K. 2004. Root growth and nitrate uptake of three different catch crops in deep soil layers. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68:529–537.Google Scholar
38 Wang, G., Ngouajio, M., and Warncke, D. 2008. Nutrient cycling, weed suppression and onion yield following brassica and sorghum Sudan grass cover crops. HortTechnology 18:68–74.Google Scholar
39 Schomberg, H., Endale, D., Calegari, A., Peixoto, R., Miyazawa, M., and Cabrera, M. 2006. Influence of cover crops on potential nitrogen availability to succeeding crops in a Southern Piedmont soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 42:299–307.Google Scholar
40 Thorup-Kristensen, K., Magid, J., and Jensen, L.S. 2003. Catch crops and green manures as biological tools in nitrogen management in temperate zones. In Sparks, D.L. (ed.). Advances in Agronomy, Vol. 79. Academic Press, London. p. 227–302.Google Scholar
41 Dabney, S.M., Delgado, J.A., Meisinger, J.J., Schomberg, H.H., Liebig, M.A., Kaspar, T., Mitchell, J., and Reeves, W. 2010. Using cover crops and cropping systems for nitrogen management. In Delgado, J.A. and Follett, R.F. (eds). Advances in Nitrogen Management for Water Quality. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA. p. 230–281.Google Scholar
42 Dabney, S.M., Delgado, J.A., and Reeves, D.W. 2001. Using winter cover crops to improve soil and water quality. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32:1221–1250.Google Scholar
43 Magid, J., Henriksen, O., Thorup-Kristensen, K., and Mueller, T. 2001. Disproportionately high N-mineralisation rates from green manures at low temperatures: Implications for modeling and management in cool temperate agro-ecosystems. Plant and Soil 228:73–82.Google Scholar
44 Kremen, A. 2006. Nitrogen mineralization from brassica cover crops. Master's thesis, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.Google Scholar
45 USDA-AMS (US Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Marketing Service). 2013. National Organic Program. Final Rule: 7 CFR Part 205. USDA-AMS, Washington, DC. Available at Web site http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop (verified September 19, 2013).Google Scholar
46 Sims, G.K., Ellsworth, T.R., and Mulvaney, R.L. 1995. Microscale determination of inorganic nitrogen in water and soil extracts. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 26:303–316.Google Scholar
47 McBride, R.A. 2002. Atterberg limits. In Dane, J.H. and Topp, C.G. (eds). Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 4 Physical Methods, Vol 4. SSSA, Madison, WI. p. 389–398.Google Scholar
48 Terry, R.D. and Chilingar, G.V. 1955. Summary of “concerning some additional aids in studying sedimentary formations,” by M. S. Shvetsov. Journal of Sedimentary Research Section B: Stratigraphy and Global Studies 25:229–234.Google Scholar
49 Saxton, A.M. 2003. A macro for converting mean separation output to letter groupings in Proc Mixed. 23rd SAS Users Group Intl. SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA. p. 1243–1246.Google Scholar
50 USDA-NASS (US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service). 2012. 2011 Certified organic production survey. Available at Web site http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/OrganicProduction/OrganicProduction-10-04-2012.pdf/ (verified April 9, 2014).Google Scholar
51 Sanders, D. 2001. Spinach fact sheet. North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, Raleigh, NC. Available at Web site http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-17.html (verified April 9, 2014).Google Scholar
52 Everts, K.L. 2014. Maryland Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations. University of Maryland Extension Publication EB -236. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.Google Scholar
53 Heinrich, A., Smith, R., and Cahn, M. 2013. Nutrient and water use of fresh market spinach. HortTechnology 23:325–333.Google Scholar
54 Dexter, A.R. and Bird, N.R.A. 2001. Methods for predicting the optimum and the range of soil water contents for tillage based on the water retention curve. Soil and Tillage Research 57:203–212.Google Scholar
55 Moody, J.E., Jones, J.N., and Lillard, J.H. 1963. Influence of straw mulch on soil moisture, soil temperature and the growth of corn. Soil Science Society of America Journal 27:700–703.Google Scholar
56 Wierenga, P.J., Nielsen, D.R., Horton, R., and Kies, B. 1982 Tillage effects on soil temperature and thermal conductivity. In Unger, P.W. and Doren, D.M.V. (eds). Predicting Tillage Effects on Soil Physical Properties and Processes. ASA, Madison, WI, USA. p. 69–90.Google Scholar
57 Ritchie, J.T. and Nesmith, D.S. 1991. Temperature and crop development. In Hanks, R.J. and Ritchie, J.T. (eds). Monitoring Plant and Soil Systems. ASA, Madison, WI, USA. p. 5–29.Google Scholar
58 Heckman, J.R., Krogmann, U., Nitzsche, P., Ashley, R., Morris, T., Sims, J.T., and Sieczka, J.B. 2002. Pre-sidedress soil nitrate test is effective for fall cabbage. HortScience 37:113–117.Google Scholar