Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil
Sugarcane is commercially produced on 340,000 ha in the US and is valued at over $1 billion US annually. Cultural practices that improve sugarcane sustainability are needed to maintain yields in fields with degraded soils. Historically, leguminous rotation crops provided organic matter and biologica...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/5/703 |
| _version_ | 1797568062864490496 |
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| author | Paul M. White Gregory Williams Howard P. Viator Ryan P. Viator Charles L. Webber |
| author_facet | Paul M. White Gregory Williams Howard P. Viator Ryan P. Viator Charles L. Webber |
| author_sort | Paul M. White |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sugarcane is commercially produced on 340,000 ha in the US and is valued at over $1 billion US annually. Cultural practices that improve sugarcane sustainability are needed to maintain yields in fields with degraded soils. Historically, leguminous rotation crops provided organic matter and biologically fixed nitrogen (N) for subsequent sugarcane crops. Currently, sugarcane is usually grown as a monoculture with only a short, 6-month fallow period. The objective of these field studies was to determine how growing cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.) and sunn hemp (<i>Crotalaria juncea</i> L.) as cover crops during fallow affected the yield of subsequent sugarcane crops. A companion laboratory study investigated the decomposition rate of cover crops in soil at different temperatures. Cowpea and sunn hemp production produced 12.8 t/ha dry matter and 250 kg N/ha. Cowpea generally improved plant cane yields, but the effects of sunn hemp varied. However, neither cowpea nor sunn hemp reduced cane or sucrose yields consistently, and mineral N additions may have a role in mitigating yield gains or losses. Based on laboratory data, the average half-life for cowpea and sunn hemp would be 3 months. Overall, using legume cover crops should be viewed as an important component of sustainable sugarcane practices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:51:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec425b8fa6d9401e91774b49c1cede04 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:51:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec425b8fa6d9401e91774b49c1cede042023-11-20T00:26:19ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-05-0110570310.3390/agronomy10050703Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in SoilPaul M. White0Gregory Williams1Howard P. Viator2Ryan P. Viator3Charles L. Webber4United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA 70360, USALouisiana State University Agricultural Center, Iberia Research Station, Jeanerette, LA 70544, USALouisiana State University Agricultural Center, Iberia Research Station, Jeanerette, LA 70544, USAViator Consulting and Research, Houma, LA 70360, USAUnited States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA 70360, USASugarcane is commercially produced on 340,000 ha in the US and is valued at over $1 billion US annually. Cultural practices that improve sugarcane sustainability are needed to maintain yields in fields with degraded soils. Historically, leguminous rotation crops provided organic matter and biologically fixed nitrogen (N) for subsequent sugarcane crops. Currently, sugarcane is usually grown as a monoculture with only a short, 6-month fallow period. The objective of these field studies was to determine how growing cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.) and sunn hemp (<i>Crotalaria juncea</i> L.) as cover crops during fallow affected the yield of subsequent sugarcane crops. A companion laboratory study investigated the decomposition rate of cover crops in soil at different temperatures. Cowpea and sunn hemp production produced 12.8 t/ha dry matter and 250 kg N/ha. Cowpea generally improved plant cane yields, but the effects of sunn hemp varied. However, neither cowpea nor sunn hemp reduced cane or sucrose yields consistently, and mineral N additions may have a role in mitigating yield gains or losses. Based on laboratory data, the average half-life for cowpea and sunn hemp would be 3 months. Overall, using legume cover crops should be viewed as an important component of sustainable sugarcane practices.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/5/703sugarcanelegume cover cropsgreen manureresidue decompositionsustainability |
| spellingShingle | Paul M. White Gregory Williams Howard P. Viator Ryan P. Viator Charles L. Webber Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil Agronomy sugarcane legume cover crops green manure residue decomposition sustainability |
| title | Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil |
| title_full | Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil |
| title_fullStr | Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil |
| title_short | Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil |
| title_sort | legume cover crop effects on temperate sugarcane yields and their decomposition in soil |
| topic | sugarcane legume cover crops green manure residue decomposition sustainability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/5/703 |
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