HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (11) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nielsen, D. C. Articles by Vigil, M. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Nielsen, D. C. Articles by Vigil, M. F. Agricola Articles by Nielsen, D. C. Articles by Vigil, M. F. Related Collections Other Legumes Water Use Dryland Cropping Systems Wheat

Production Papers

Legume Green Fallow Effect on Soil Water Content at Wheat Planting and Wheat Yield

USDA-ARS, Central Great Plains Res. Stn., 40335 County Road GG, Akron, CO 80720

^* Corresponding author (david.nielsen{at}ars.usda.gov)

Received for publication March 18, 2004. Growing a legume cover crop in place of fallow in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–fallow system can provide protection against erosion while adding N to the soil. However, water use by legumes may reduce subsequent wheat yield. This study was conducted to quantify the effect of varying legume termination dates on available soil water content at wheat planting and subsequent wheat yield in the central Great Plains. Four legumes [Austrian winter pea, Pisum sativum L. subsp. sativum var. arvense (L.) Poir.; spring field pea, P. sativum L.; black lentil, Lens culinaris Medikus; hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Roth.) were grown at Akron, CO, as spring crops from 1994 to 1999. Legumes were planted in early April and terminated at 2-wk intervals (four termination dates), generally starting in early June. Wheat was planted in September in the terminated legume plots, and yields were compared with wheat yields from conventional till wheat–fallow. Generally there were no significant differences in available soil water at wheat planting due to legume type. Soil water at wheat planting was reduced by 55 mm when legumes were terminated early and by 104 mm when legumes were terminated late, compared with soil water in fallowed plots that were conventionally tilled. Average wheat yield was linearly correlated with average available soil water at wheat planting, with the relationship varying from year to year depending on evaporative demand and precipitation in April, May, and June. The cost in water use by legumes and subsequent decrease in wheat yield may be too great to justify use of legumes as fallow cover crops in wheat–fallow systems in semiarid environments.

Abbreviations: AWP, Austrian winter pea • FP, field pea • HV, hairy vetch • IHL, Indianhead lentil

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. M. Sainju, A. W. Lenssen, T. Caesar-TonThat, and R. G. Evans Dryland Crop Yields and Soil Organic Matter as Influenced by Long-Term Tillage and Cropping Sequence Agron. J., February 4, 2009; 101(2): 243 - 251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Lyon, D. C. Nielsen, D. G. Felter, and P. A. Burgener Choice of Summer Fallow Replacement Crops Impacts Subsequent Winter Wheat Agron. J., March 12, 2007; 99(2): 578 - 584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Lopez-Bellido, L. Lopez-Bellido, J. Benitez-Vega, and F. J. Lopez-Bellido Tillage System, Preceding Crop, and Nitrogen Fertilizer in Wheat Crop: II. Water Utilization Agron. J., January 1, 2007; 99(1): 66 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. R. Miller, R. E. Engel, and J. A. Holmes Cropping Sequence Effect of Pea and Pea Management on Spring Wheat in the Northern Great Plains Agron. J., October 31, 2006; 98(6): 1610 - 1619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]