Location: Soil and Water Management Research
Project Number: 5062-12130-008-055-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 1, 2026
End Date: Dec 31, 2029
Objective:
Advance development of management guidelines for growing corn in a permanent living mulch of kura clover. Quantify water competition between corn and kura clover and develop evapotranspiration (ET) coefficients for this dual crop system.
Approach:
ARS investigator and Cooperator will work together to conduct a field-based study of corn growing in kura clover living mulch. In situ soil moisture sensors will be used to monitor soil moisture and to prescribe irrigation treatments. Kura clover growth, Corn growth, and corn grain yield will be evaluated over a range of different soil moisture conditions.