Spring applied phosphorus loss with cover crops in no-till terraced field.

Cover crops (CC) can improve phosphorus (P) cycling by reducing water related P losses and contributing to P nutrition of a rotational crop. This is particularly important in claypan soils with freeze-thaw cycles in early spring in the Midwest U.S. This 4-year study (2019-2022) examined the impact of CC monoculture and mix of CC species on P losses from a fertilizer application, and determined the P balance in soil compared to no cover crop (noCC). The CC mix consisted of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. Sativus), and turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. Rapa) (3xCCmix) in 2019 and 2021 before corn, and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was planted as monoculture before soybean in 2020 and 2022. The 3xCCmix had no effect on total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved reactive phosphorus (PO4-P) concentration or load in 2019 and 2021. Cereal rye reduced TP and PO4-P load 70% and 73%, respectively, compared to noCC. The variation in soil moisture, temperature, and net precipitation from fertilizer application until CC termination affected available soil P pools due to variability in CC species P uptake, residue decomposition, and P loss in surface water runoff. Overall, the P budget calculations showed cereal rye had 2.4 kg ha-1 greater P uptake compared to the 3xCCmix species which also reduced P loss in water and had greater differences in soil P status compared to noCC. This study highlights the benefit of CCs in reducing P loss in surface runoff and immobilizing P through plant uptake. However, these effects were minimal with 3xCCmix species and variability in crop residue decomposition from different CC species could affect overall P-soil balance.

Nutrient loss from floodplain soil with controlled subsurface drainage under forage production.

Expansion of subsurface drainage into forage production may have a deleterious effect on surface waters due to increased nitrogen and phosphorus loading. The impact of controlled subsurface drainage (CD) on nitrogen and phosphorus loss compared with free subsurface drainage (FD) in tile drainage water has been explored to a lesser extent from forage production systems. This study quantifies the effects of CD and FD on average seasonal concentrations and cumulative loads of the total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate nitrogen (NO3 -N), and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in subsurface drainage water from a poorly drained floodplain soil in a cereal rye (Secale cereale L.)-sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] rotation with rotational cattle grazing. During all crop seasons of sorghum production (2010-2013), CD had 6.03-9.63 mg L-1 less NO3 -N than FD. Mean DRP concentration was significantly higher for CD than for FD during all seasons except for sorghum in 2012-2013. Average cumulative discharge was 38 and 314 m3 ha-1 less for CD than for FD during sorghum and cereal rye growing seasons, respectively. Controlled drainage had 0.68-6.14 kg ha-1 lower cumulative NO3 -N loads than FD. The DRP loads were dependent on discharge. During sorghum growing seasons, TSS and DRP loads were 79-90% lower in CD compared with FD. The ability to reduce drainage water flow from tiles and subsequent nitrogen and phosphorus loading with CD compared with FD in a floodplain soil indicates that CD can be effective best management practice for forage production systems.