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ORCID
N/A
Access Type
Open Access Thesis
Document Type
thesis
Degree Program
Plant Biology
Degree Type
Master of Science (M.S.)
Year Degree Awarded
2018
Month Degree Awarded
May
Abstract
Fall-planted forage radish (Raphanus sativus L. longipinnatus) cover crops have shown successful weed suppression and recycling of fall-captured nutrients. This research evaluated the nutrient cycling and weed suppressive benefits of forage radish cover crop mixtures to develop an integrated system for no-till sweet corn (Zea mays L. var rugosa) production that improves crop yield and soil health. Treatments included forage radish (FR), oats (Avena sativa L.) and forage radish (OFR), a mixture of peas (Pisum sativum subsp arvense L.), oats and forage radish (POFR), and no cover crop control (NCC). Subplots were assigned to nitrogen fertilizer treatments to evaluate N sufficiency and timing: 0 kg N ha-1 as the control, 28 kg N ha-1 at side-dress, and 56 kg N ha-1 with application split between planting and side-dress. Results indicated that POFR and OFR provided improved N cycling and sweet corn yield compared with FR and NCC. Early season N from decomposing cover crop residue was sufficient to eliminate the need for N fertilizer at sweet corn planting, thereby reducing input costs and risks of environmental pollution.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/11945970
First Advisor
Masoud Hashemi
Second Advisor
Wesley Autio
Third Advisor
Prasanta Bhowmik
Recommended Citation
Fine, Julie S., "Integrating Cover Crop Mixtures and No-Till for Sustainable Sweet Corn Production in the Northeast" (2018). Masters Theses. 637.
https://doi.org/10.7275/11945970
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/637
Included in
Agricultural Economics Commons, Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Weed Science Commons