96-11 Using Legumes to Improve Sustainability of Grain Sorghum Cropping Systems.



Monday, October 17, 2011
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Hall C, Street Level

Clark B. Neely1, Francis Rouquette Jr.2, Gerald Smith2, Cristine Morgan3, Frank Hons4 and William Rooney1, (1)Soil and Crop Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
(2)Texas AgriLife Research, Overton, TX
(3)370 Olsen Blvd, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
(4)Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Legumes can contribute substantial amounts of N to a cropping system and reduce subsequent fertilizer applications to non-legume crops. By incorporating legumes into a grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) (GSO) cropping system, we hope to not only reduce N fertilizer requirements, but also increase soil organic matter and improve soil quality over time. This split-split plot study was conducted at the Texas AgriLife Research Center in Overton, TX and assigned a cool-season legume cover crop treatment (‘Dixie’ crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum L.) (CLO) as the main split and a warm-season legume intercrop (‘Iron and Clay’ cowpea, (Vigna unguiculata L. [Walp])) (COP) as the sub-split. Four N fertilizer rates of 0, 45, 90, and 135 kg ha-1 were randomly assigned within the four replications on a Lilbert loamy fine sand (Loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Arenic Plinthic Paleudult). In the first year, CLO contributed 108 kg ha-1 of N when incorporated, however biomass yield of GSO (6.5 Mt ha-1) was unaffected. An interaction showed a significant increase in sole-cropped GSO ‘Pioneer 84G62’ grain yield (2007 kg ha-1) when following a CLO cover crop and 80 kg ha-1 N fertilizer. However, CLO did not influence soil N (0.11%) or C (1.32%) in the initial year. COP significantly reduced GSO grain and biomass yield by 76% and 65%, respectively. Dry conditions in the first year likely caused moisture competition and reduction in yield. It was evident that COP had a competitive advantage once it began to vine and grain yield benefits may be best realized when planted in rotation rather than intercropped with GSO.
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