Soil carbon (C) sequestration in tilled and nontilled areas can be influenced by crop management practices due to differences in plant C inputs and their rate of mineralization. We examined the influence of four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secale cereale L.)], biculture of legume and nonlegume (vetch and rye), and no cover crops (or winter weeds)} and...

Introduction Organic production rose to 2.3 million acres in the U.S. in 2001 (USDA-ERS, 2002). Much of the increase has been associated with the implementation of consistent federal standards for products marketed as “organic” in October 2002 (USDA/AMS, 2002). In order to meet certified organic requirements in the state of Iowa (IDALS, 2000), a soilbuilding cover crop is required for at least ...

Management of plant litter or crop residues in agricultural fields is an important consideration for reducing soil erosion and increasing soil organic C. Current methods of quantifying crop residue cover are inadequate for characterizing the spatial variability of residue cover within fields or across large regions. Our objectives were to evaluate several spectral indices for measuring crop res...

The restoration potential of Sweetgrass (Anthoxanthum nitens (Weber) Y. Schouten & Veldkamp) was evaluated through a field experiment conducted on Kanatsiohareke, a Mohawk farm, and at the LaFayette Experiment Station near Syracuse, New York. The effects of competition reduction and two cover crops on Sweetgrass reestablishment success were examined. Sweetgrass was planted under four treatments...

field trials were conducted at the experimental station (brody) belonging to poznan university of life sciences (ne poland). the purpose was to evaluate the impact of different tillage systems and white mustard cover crop on soil enzymatic activity and severity of plant infection by pathogenic fungi in spring wheat. a randomized complete block design was set up with four replicates per treatmen...