@Article{phyton.2014.83.071,
AUTHOR = {Suarez Tapia A, MB Villamil, LJ Grabau},
TITLE = {Evaluation of N sources, cover crops, and tillage systems for corn grown under organic management},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {83},
YEAR = {2014},
NUMBER = {all},
PAGES = {71--81},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v83nall/37082},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {Public demand for healthier foods and more sustainable food systems in the U.S. has triggered market prices and production of organic alternatives of major crops such as corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.). Two cover crops and their interactions with tillage systems, N sources and N rates were studied to evaluate the possibility of using these agronomic practices to facilitate growing corn under organic management in Kentucky. A split-split plot design in a RCBD with four replications was evaluated in three environments (SP08, UKR08, UKR09). The main plot treatments were cover crops [hairy vetch, HV (<i>Vicia villosa</i> Roth) and rye (<i>Secale cereale</i> L.)], the split plots were tillage systems [no-till (NT) and moldboard plow (MP)], and the split-split plots were the N treatment factorial combinations including two N sources [Louisville Green (LG) and Nature Safe (NF)] at four rates of N (45, 90, 135 and 180 kg N/ha plus a common control). In addition we conducted a laboratory study of nitrate release for the two selected N sources. Results showed the MP/HV combination resulted in the highest yields at all experimental sites followed by HV/NT. Ear leaf N and grain N content were higher under HV compared with rye at all sites. Nature Safe as N source, increased ear leaf N and grain N more than LG in all experimental sites, and increased yield at two of the three environments. Laboratory incubation studies showed that both N sources stopped mineralizing at 28 days after application, releasing, 55 kg N/ha on average. The MP/HV/NF treatment combination was the best management combination for organic corn production in the environments we studied.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2014.83.071}
}