Sunday, February 1, 2009

Fitting Winter Annual Legumes into a Corn/Soybean Rotation.

Carl Crozier1, Alan Meijer1, Samuel C. Reberg-Horton2, and George T. Place2. (1) N. C. State University-Soil Science Dept., 207 Research Station Road, Vernon James Research & Extension Ctr., Plymouth, NC 27962, (2) Crop Science, North Carolina State University, 4411 Williams Hall, Campus Box 7620, Raleigh, NC 27605

Crimson clover  (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crops are being re-evaluated in North Carolina as potentially cost effective N fertilizers for a following corn (Zea mays L.) crop.  Past studies have documented 100+ kg N/ha productivity levels, but these were usually in crop rotations (tobacco/corn, continuous corn) which allowed cover crop planting during the optimum mid-September/early October window.  Planting dates within this window may require aerial overseeding into soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill).  Results from a moderately well-drained coastal plain site and poorly drained tidewater sites suggest that crimson clover may produce >80 kg N/ha on well drained soils, but usually <50 kg N/ha on poorly drained soils.  Hairy vetch was only evaluated on poorly drained soils, and may produce >100 kg N/ha.  Overseeding prior to soybean leaf drop resulted in better stands than did overseeding at last soybean cultivation (August), and was usually better than drilling after soybean harvest (October/November).  Corn grain yields and the apparent N contribution to the corn crop will be presented.