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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #356213
Title: Cover crop and crop residue management: How does it affect soil water in the short and long-term?

Author
item SINDELAR, MICHAEL - University Of Nebraska
item BLANCO, HUMBERTO - University Of Nebraska
item Jin, Virginia
item FERGUSON, RICHARD - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Extension Publications
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2018
Publication Date: 8/12/2018
Citation: Sindelar, M., Blanco, H., Jin, V.L., Ferguson, R.R. 2018. Cover crop and crop residue management: How does it affect soil water in the short and long-term?. University of Nebraska-Lincoln CropWatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2018/cover-crop-and-crop-residue-management-how-does-it-affect-soil-water-short-and-long-term.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cover crop and residue management decisions can impact the long-term ability of soils to store water for crop growth. The storage of water in the soil depends on how these management strategies affect soil organic carbon and its interactions with soil physical characteristics. Soil organic carbon is responsible for holding soil particles together and forming pores that allow water to move into the soil and store water. Management practices that decrease soil carbon can cause these pores to collapse, and decrease the amount of water available for crop growth. Although longer-term studies (>12 yr) in other states have shown that not using cover crops or removing crop residues can decrease soil water storage, a shorter 6 year study in Nebraska did not show this effect even though soil organic carbon content decreased. This means that management decisions may take a longer time to have a measurable impact on soil water characteristics.