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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425811
Research Project: Transdisciplinary Research that Improves the Productivity and Sustainability of Northern Great Plains Agroecosystems and the Well-Being of the Communities They Serve

Location: Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory

Title: Data for "legacy effects of alfalfa monocultures or annual crop/alfalfa mixtures on subsequent corn yield and quality

Author
item Whippo, Craig
item Hendrickson, John
item Clemensen, Andrea
item Grusak, Michael

Submitted to: Dryad Digital Repository
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2025
Publication Date: 5/15/2025
Citation: Whippo, C.W., Hendrickson, J.R., Clemensen, A.K., Grusak, M.A. 2025. Data for "legacy effects of alfalfa monocultures or annual crop/alfalfa mixtures on subsequent corn yield and quality. Dryad Digital Repository. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6t1g1jx9r.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6t1g1jx9r

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Interseeding annual crops into existing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) stands is gaining interest and one reason may be that alfalfa lowers nitrogen requirements for subsequent crops. However, little is known about the legacy impact of this practice on subsequent corn (Zea mays L.) production. An experiment involving interseeding annual cool-season crops into alfalfa was conducted between 2017 and 2021, which serendipitously allowed us to evaluate the legacy impact of this practice on subsequent corn grain production. This follow-up study compared corn grain yield and quality of corn planted subsequently on positive control plots (alfalfa monoculture), negative control plots (annual crop monoculture), and experimental treatment polyculture plots (annual crops planted into alfalfa). We found that corn yield was lower following annual monocultures compared to corn following alfalfa monoculture and polyculture plots. The treatments did not have a significant effects on grain protein or starch percentage, but grain oil percentage was higher following polyculture compared to annual monoculture. Corn grain zinc concentration was positively associated with previous alfalfa density and corn ear leaf chlorophyll concentration. These findings indicate that alfalfa monoculture and alfalfa-annual crop polycultures can have different positive legacy effects on corn yield, near-surface soil attributes, and grain quality. Future research aimed at evaluating the legacy of crop/alfalfa mixtures on subsequent corn crops in the northern Great Plains in multiple locations over several years are needed.