TY - JOUR
T1 - Starter fertilizer for managing cover crop-based organic corn
AU - Vann, R. A.
AU - Reberg-Horton, S. C.
AU - Poffenbarger, H. J.
AU - Zinati, G. M.
AU - Moyer, J. B.
AU - Mirsky, S. B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 by the American Society of Agronomy.
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - Grass and legume cover crops are combined in mixtures to provide both weed and N fertility management in organic production; however, additional N fertility may be required to maximize corn yield. The research was conducted in Beltsville, MD; Kin-ston, NC; and Salisbury, NC; from 2012 to 2014 to evaluate the effect of starter fertilizer source and application method on weed competition and grain yield in cover crop-based, organic corn production. Fertility treatments included high rate broadcast poultry litter (Plant available nitrogen [PAN] = 160 kg ha–1), low rate broadcast poultry litter (PAN = 72 kg ha–1), subsurface banded feather meal (PAN = 80 kg ha–1), subsurface banded poultry litter (PAN = 12 kg ha–1), and no starter fertility. A cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) mixture was established in the fall and was terminated using a roller-crimper before corn planting. Cover crop biomass more than 7500 kg ha–1 provided excellent weed suppression. In a combined analysis of five environments, corn N content and yield followed the same pattern of high rate broadcast poultry litter > low rate broadcast poultry litter = subsurface banded feather meal > subsurface banded poultry litter = no starter fertility. Results from this study indicate that starter fertilizer is necessary to maximize corn yield in cover crop-based organic corn production and that decisions regarding additional fertility will need to be dynamic based on site history, cover crop biomass production, and the ability to broadcast poultry litter.
AB - Grass and legume cover crops are combined in mixtures to provide both weed and N fertility management in organic production; however, additional N fertility may be required to maximize corn yield. The research was conducted in Beltsville, MD; Kin-ston, NC; and Salisbury, NC; from 2012 to 2014 to evaluate the effect of starter fertilizer source and application method on weed competition and grain yield in cover crop-based, organic corn production. Fertility treatments included high rate broadcast poultry litter (Plant available nitrogen [PAN] = 160 kg ha–1), low rate broadcast poultry litter (PAN = 72 kg ha–1), subsurface banded feather meal (PAN = 80 kg ha–1), subsurface banded poultry litter (PAN = 12 kg ha–1), and no starter fertility. A cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) mixture was established in the fall and was terminated using a roller-crimper before corn planting. Cover crop biomass more than 7500 kg ha–1 provided excellent weed suppression. In a combined analysis of five environments, corn N content and yield followed the same pattern of high rate broadcast poultry litter > low rate broadcast poultry litter = subsurface banded feather meal > subsurface banded poultry litter = no starter fertility. Results from this study indicate that starter fertilizer is necessary to maximize corn yield in cover crop-based organic corn production and that decisions regarding additional fertility will need to be dynamic based on site history, cover crop biomass production, and the ability to broadcast poultry litter.
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U2 - 10.2134/agronj2016.09.0506
DO - 10.2134/agronj2016.09.0506
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85029357796
SN - 0002-1962
VL - 109
SP - 2214
EP - 2222
JO - Agronomy Journal
JF - Agronomy Journal
IS - 5
ER -
