Summary
This 21-year field experiment in the US Midwest demonstrates that winter rye cover crops following corn silage harvest substantially restore soil health indicators—including microbial biomass, carbon and nitrogen stocks, and aggregation—to levels comparable with corn grain harvesting systems in no-till rotations. Without cover crops, corn silage harvest significantly degraded soil biological and organic matter properties compared to grain harvest; the cover crop practice negated these negative effects without reducing crop yields, offering a practical mitigation strategy for livestock-integrated farming systems.
UK applicability
The findings are applicable to UK mixed farming systems with winter rye already used as a cover crop in arable rotations, though UK Mollisols differ from US Midwest soils and local rotations may vary. The demonstrated compatibility of cover crops with no-till silage systems and crop yields aligns with UK sustainable farming policy objectives, though regional validation would strengthen transferability.
Key measures
Soil microbial biomass and activity, labile and total carbon and nitrogen concentrations, soil aggregation, crop yields, soil properties at multiple depths
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil biological, chemical, and physical health indicators over 21 years in a no-till corn–soybean rotation, comparing winter rye cover crop adoption following corn silage harvest against silage harvest without cover crops and corn grain harvest systems.
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