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Research Project: Enhancing Sustainability of Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Systems Using Agroecological Principles and Practices

Location: Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory

Title: Nitrogen fertilizer rate not timing determines no-till corn yield following cereal rye cover crop in northeastern United States

Author
item HUDDELL, ALEXANDRA - University Of Delaware
item Davis, Brian
item RICHARDS, NATE - University Of Maryland
item TULLY, KATE - University Of Maryland
item THAPA, RESHAM - Tennessee State University
item HASHEMI, MASOUD - University Of Massachusetts, Amherst
item VANGESSEL, MARK - University Of Delaware
item MILLER, JARROD - University Of Delaware
item KETTERINGS, QUIRINE - Cornell University
item WHITE, CHARLES - Pennsylvania State University
item ROTH, GREG - Pennsylvania State University
item SPARGO, JOHN - Pennsylvania State University
item Mirsky, Steven

Submitted to: Agricultural & Environmental Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2025
Publication Date: 11/20/2025
Citation: Huddell, A.M., Davis, B.W., Richards, N., Tully, K., Thapa, R., Hashemi, M., Vangessel, M., Miller, J., Ketterings, Q.M., White, C., Roth, G., Spargo, J.T., Mirsky, S.B. 2025. Nitrogen fertilizer rate not timing determines no-till corn yield following cereal rye cover crop in northeastern United States. Agricultural & Environmental Letters. 10(2). Article e70041. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70041.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70041

Interpretive Summary: Cover crops (i.e. crops grown when cash crops are not present, such as over the winter) can provide many cropping system benefits such as decreased soil erosion. In spite of these benefits, cover crop use remains relatively low in the US. Part of the reason for the low overall cover crop adoption rate may be concerns about grass cover crops (e.g., cereal rye) negatively affecting corn crop yield, a matter which has not been definitively settled in the scientific literature or the minds of many farmers. This 12 site-year coordinated study across a latitudinal gradient in the Northeastern U.S. sought to determine the interactions between cereal rye biomass and fertilizer nitrogen rate and timing on no-till corn yield. Only total nitrogen rates, not the timing of fertilization, affected corn yields. Cereal rye biomass positively influenced corn yields whenever nitrogen was added. Rye biomass’s positive effect increased as total nitrogen increased. Technical service providers and others who provide recommendations to farmers will use these findings to encourage farmers to use cover crops by reassuring them that, so long as sufficient nitrogen fertilizer rates are applied, the timing of the application does not matter and will not affect the yield of no-till corn no matter the rye biomass level produced prior to the corn.

Technical Abstract: There is relatively low adoption of winter cover crops across the United States, despite the many ecosystem service benefits they provide, and there has been much debate about corn yield penalties following cereal cover crops such as cereal rye (Secale cereale L.). This 12 site-year, coordinated study across a latitudinal gradient in the northeastern United States sought to determine the interactions between cereal rye biomass and fertilizer nitrogen (N) rate and timing on no-till corn (Zea mays L.) yield. Total N rates, not the timing of N fertilization, significantly affected corn yields, and higher cereal rye biomass slightly increased corn yields once sufficient N was added. We conclude that if total fertilizer N rates are sufficient, the split between starter N application at planting and sidedress N fertilization does not affect yield in no-till corn across a range of cereal rye cover crop biomass levels.