Effect of Cover Crops and Tillage Management on Soil Health in the Mississippi Delta Region of Arkansas.

The Mississippi Delta region of Arkansas is a very intensive agriculture region, and the moist humid climate of this region causes a rapid decomposition of organic matter. Conventional farming methods have reduced infiltration rates as well as the stability of soil aggregates. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of cover crops and tillage on organic matter, infiltration rates, aggregate stability, and yields.

            Three sites were established in NE Arkansas. Treatments included: no-tillage and no cover crop, no-tillage and cover crop, tillage and no cover crop, and tillage and cover crop replicated four times in a randomized complete block. The cover crops included cereal rye prior to soybeans and wheat and crimson clover prior to corn. Infiltration rates were determined with a double-ring infiltrometer. Aggregate stability was determined by wet sieving. Soil organic matter was determined by loss on ignition.

            There was no significant interaction or main effect in either corn or soybeans for the first year following cover crop. There were no significant interactions at any of the sites for infiltration, but there was a significant main effect of cover crops on infiltration at 2 of the 3 sites. There were no significant interactions at any of the sites for aggregate stability, but there was a significant main effect of tillage on aggregate stability at 1 of the 3 sites. For organic matter there were no significant interactions, but there was a significant main effect of tillage on organic matter at 1 of the 3 sites. Additional data for 2016 will be presented at the conference.