Release and recovery of nitrogen from winter annual cover crops in no‐till corn production

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Abstract
The rate and temporal pattern of ? mineralization from decomposing residues of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) and rye (Secale cereale L.) were compared with the pattern of ? uptake by corn (Zea mays L.) planted under no‐tillage into these cover crops in the field. In a second field study where no corn crop was grown, the pattern of ? mineralization from killed fescue sod was compared with the pattern from killed hairy vetch plus sod. Hairy vetch was far more effective than rye in supplying corn ? requirements. In both experiments, the majority of ? mineralized during the corn growing season became available only after a period corresponding to corn silking. The results suggest poor synchronization between ? release via cover crop mineralization and corn ? uptake in the no‐till system.