Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency

Winter cover crops can provide multiple ecosystem services but can reduce succeeding maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) by depleting soil water compared with no cover crop in arid and semi-arid regions. We examined the impacts of winter cover crops (lentil [Lens culinaris L.],...

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Main Authors: Jinfa Chen, Upendra M. Sainju, Rui Liu, Guangye Tan, Mengmeng Wen, Jie Zhao, Jinlin Pu, Jiangru Feng, Jun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Agricultural Water Management
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005456
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author Jinfa Chen
Upendra M. Sainju
Rui Liu
Guangye Tan
Mengmeng Wen
Jie Zhao
Jinlin Pu
Jiangru Feng
Jun Wang
author_facet Jinfa Chen
Upendra M. Sainju
Rui Liu
Guangye Tan
Mengmeng Wen
Jie Zhao
Jinlin Pu
Jiangru Feng
Jun Wang
author_sort Jinfa Chen
collection DOAJ
description Winter cover crops can provide multiple ecosystem services but can reduce succeeding maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) by depleting soil water compared with no cover crop in arid and semi-arid regions. We examined the impacts of winter cover crops (lentil [Lens culinaris L.], oat [Avena sativa L.], lentil/oat mixture, and no cover crop) and nitrogen fertilization rates (0, 165, and 220 kg N ha1) to succeeding maize on soil water storage at planting (SWP) and harvest (SWH) at the 0–2 m depth, evapotranspiration (ET), maize yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) from 2017 to 2022 in the Loess Plateau of China. We measured cover crop biomass and maize yield at harvest, SWP and SWH using a soil probe, and ET and WUE based on growing season precipitation and water use. Cover crop biomass yield was 59–134 % greater for oat with 220 kg N ha−1 than lentil with other N fertilization rates. The SWP was 5–22 % greater for no cover crop with 0 kg N ha−1 than other cover crops with N fertilization rates. The SWH and ET varied with cover crops, N fertilization rates, and years. Maize yield and WUE were 12–42 % greater for lentil with 220 kg N ha−1 than oat and no cover crop with other N fertilization rates. Although cover crops depleted soil water at maize planting, lentil cover crop with 220 kg N ha−1 can enhance maize yield and WUE compared with other cover crops and N fertilization rates in the Loess Plateau of China.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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spelling doaj-art-3c2e7f5d01b6414e8b3064f58d7c08e42025-08-20T02:37:48ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832024-12-0130610920910.1016/j.agwat.2024.109209Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiencyJinfa Chen0Upendra M. Sainju1Rui Liu2Guangye Tan3Mengmeng Wen4Jie Zhao5Jinlin Pu6Jiangru Feng7Jun Wang8Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaUSDA, Agricultural Research Service, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, 1500 North Central Avenue, Sidney, MT 59270, USA; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China; Corresponding author at: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China.Winter cover crops can provide multiple ecosystem services but can reduce succeeding maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) by depleting soil water compared with no cover crop in arid and semi-arid regions. We examined the impacts of winter cover crops (lentil [Lens culinaris L.], oat [Avena sativa L.], lentil/oat mixture, and no cover crop) and nitrogen fertilization rates (0, 165, and 220 kg N ha1) to succeeding maize on soil water storage at planting (SWP) and harvest (SWH) at the 0–2 m depth, evapotranspiration (ET), maize yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) from 2017 to 2022 in the Loess Plateau of China. We measured cover crop biomass and maize yield at harvest, SWP and SWH using a soil probe, and ET and WUE based on growing season precipitation and water use. Cover crop biomass yield was 59–134 % greater for oat with 220 kg N ha−1 than lentil with other N fertilization rates. The SWP was 5–22 % greater for no cover crop with 0 kg N ha−1 than other cover crops with N fertilization rates. The SWH and ET varied with cover crops, N fertilization rates, and years. Maize yield and WUE were 12–42 % greater for lentil with 220 kg N ha−1 than oat and no cover crop with other N fertilization rates. Although cover crops depleted soil water at maize planting, lentil cover crop with 220 kg N ha−1 can enhance maize yield and WUE compared with other cover crops and N fertilization rates in the Loess Plateau of China.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005456Corn yieldDryland cropping systemsGreen manureNitrogen applicationWater use
spellingShingle Jinfa Chen
Upendra M. Sainju
Rui Liu
Guangye Tan
Mengmeng Wen
Jie Zhao
Jinlin Pu
Jiangru Feng
Jun Wang
Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
Agricultural Water Management
Corn yield
Dryland cropping systems
Green manure
Nitrogen application
Water use
title Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
title_full Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
title_fullStr Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
title_full_unstemmed Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
title_short Winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water-use efficiency
title_sort winter legume cover crop with adequate nitrogen fertilization enhance dryland maize yield and water use efficiency
topic Corn yield
Dryland cropping systems
Green manure
Nitrogen application
Water use
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424005456
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