Cover Crops Impact on Soil Water Storage in Dual Purpose Wheat Systems.

Dual purpose continuous wheat production for grain and grazing is common in the Southern Great Plains. This practice is damaging to soil physical and chemical fertility. Perceived soil compaction in no till under this system has slowed adoption of conservation practices. Conservation practices coupled with cover crops can improve soil health. Turnips and radishes offset subsurface concentration and soil compaction. However In semi-arid environments cover crops and subsequent soil moisture depletion is a great concern. This study seeks to evaluate and quantify the impact of cover crops in dual-purpose no-till wheat on soil chemical, physical, soil moisture and crop growth in Texas Rolling Plains. This presentation tracks impact of cover crops, turnips and radishes on dual purpose wheat systems soil water storage. The study was randomized complete block design with seven treatments replicated four times. The treatments were conventional till wheat without a cover crop (CT); no-till wheat without a cover crop (NT); no-till wheat with a terminated summer cover crop; no-till wheat with a grazed summer cover crop; no-till wheat intercropped with turnip/radish without summer cover crop; no-till wheat intercropped with turnip/radish with terminated summer cover crop (NT_I); and no-till wheat intercropped with turnip/radish with grazed summer cover crop. A neutron probe was used to measure soil water storage once every two weeks at 20cm depth increments to 140 cm. Cover crops showed significantly lower stored soil moisture on inception. Initially in 2013 NT showed highest stored soil moisture in the top 30 to 60cm depth. Recently, NT_I now is showing highest soil moisture and CT the least. Cover crops, turnips and radishes may be improving soil water infiltration and storage.