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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #418764
Research Project: Assessment of Sediment and Chemical Transport Processes for Developing and Improving Agricultural Conservation Practices

Location: National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory

Title: Impact of gypsum applications and cover crop on soybean (Glycine max) elemental composition

Author
item Gonzalez, Javier
item DICK, WARREN - The Ohio State University
item Watts, Dexter
item ISLAM, KHANDAKAR - The Ohio State University
item Fausey, Norman
item BATTLE, MARVIN - The Ohio State University
item Flanagan, Dennis
item Vantoai, Tara
item REEDER, RANDALL - The Ohio State University
item SHEDEKAR, VINAYAK - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Agricultural & Environmental Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2024
Publication Date: 1/3/2025
Citation: Gonzalez, J.M., Dick, W.A., Watts, D.B., Islam, K.R., Fausey, N.R., Batte, M.T., Flanagan, D.C., VanToai, T.T., Reeder, R.C., Shedekar, V.S. 2025. Impact of gypsum applications and cover crop on soybean (Glycine max) elemental composition. Agricultural & Environmental Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70008.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70008

Interpretive Summary: Worldwide demand for crops with high protein content is increasing. Soybeans contain substantial protein, and efforts to increase their yield and nutritional content are widespread. Using soil conservation practices that include winter cover crops and gypsum as a soil amendment may improve soybean yields and nutrient content. Gypsum is a good source of calcium and sulfur, two essential plant nutrients. Winter crops can reduce soil erosion and increase soil organic matter. This research studied the effects of applying gypsum at two rates each year (0 and 2 tons per acre) and growing a cereal rye cover crop after soybean harvest in the fall versus no cover crop. Over five years, field experiments were conducted in Shorter, Alabama; Farmland, Indiana; and Hoytville, Ohio. We found that the measured sulfur content was greater in the soybean crops that had gypsum applied. Results for other nutrients were site-specific and depended on the conservation practice used (gypsum or rye cover). These results impact scientists, students, agronomists, and others involved in natural resource conservation and/or soil and plant fertility research. Soybean crops experiencing sulfur deficiencies may benefit from applying gypsum to the soil in the fall or early spring before planting.

Technical Abstract: Soybean (Glycine max) is the most dominant protein crop produced and is in high demand worldwide. Sulfur is essential for maintaining the nutritive quality of soybeans by enhancing sulfur-containing amino acids. Integrating cover crops and gypsum soil amendment into soybean production systems may improve the soybean nutrient composition. Thus, an experiment was conducted at Shorter, AL, Farmland, IN, and Hoytville, OH, for 5 years to evaluate the effects of using a cereal rye [Secale cereale (L.)] cover crop and surface-applied flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on continuous soybean. The objective was to evaluate the soybean nutrient composition affected by these practices across various soil types and climatic conditions. Soybean sulfur content increased consistently across all sites following gypsum application, regardless of whether there was a cover crop or not. Other elements' responses were site-dependent.