Simulated impacts of winter rye cover crop on continuous corn yield and soil parameters

Cover crops (CC) provide numerous ecosystem services such as improving soil health, reducing nutrient loss, increasing productivity, and mitigating greenhouse gas emission. However, adoption of CC has been hindered by perceived negative impacts on main crop productivity additional production costs. This is partly attributed to the gap in current state knowledge its interaction with under different biophysical conditions. In this study, Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer model was used evaluate long-term impact cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) corn (Zea mays yield, organic carbon (SOC), nitrate leaching, water, drainage a range climate, soil, irrigation management Eastern Central Nebraska. A 30-year (1991–2020) simulation showed no difference yield SOC between no-cover treatments at both sites irrigated rainfed resulted reduction N loss up 48% Nebraska Research Extension Center 24% South Agricultural Laboratory irrigation. Cereal significant effect total water but, cumulative subsurface 44% determined sites. study shown possible cover properties over regions Future research extending scope geographic area needed test quantify multiple species diverse