Tillage, Crop Rotation and Nitrogen Fertilizer Impacts on Accumulation of Carbon and Nitrogen in Rye Cover Crop and Corn.

Abstract: In order to evaluate the impact of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen fertilizer on accumulation of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in rye (Secale cereale) cover crop and corn (Zea mays L.), we analyzed biomass C and N content in plant tissues and grain of corn at harvests and in rye in spring after 2-4 yr of continuous treatments near Wooster, Ohio. The treatments included continuous corn (CC) and soybean after corn (SC) rotation, no-tillage (NT) and chisel-tillage (CT), low and high N fertilizer. The results show that total aboveground biomass C and N accumulation in corn and rye is higher under SC than under CC. Application of high N fertilizer significantly increased C and N accumulation in corn compared with low N fertilizer treatment. This study indicates that application of SC and N fertilizer can effectively accumulate C and N in rye and corn and distribute these elements in corn grain.