INVESTIGADORES
ECHARTE Laura
artículos
Título:
Water productivity in soybean following a cover crop in a humid environment
Autor/es:
ALFONSO, C.; BARBIERI, P.; HERNANDEZ, M.; LEWCZUK, N.; MARTINEZ, J.P.; ECHARTE, M.M.; ECHARTE, L.
Revista:
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
Editorial:
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Referencias:
Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020
ISSN:
0378-3774
Resumen:
We evaluated the influence of the termination dates of a winter covercrop on (i) soil water availability during soybean (Glycine max L. (Merr)) growing season, (ii) soybeanevapotranspiration (ET) and iii) water productivity in soybean (WP= Grainyield/ET) in a humid environment (i.e., 50% of years with annual rainfall ≥900mm). Experiments were carried out at Balcarce, Argentina during two growingseasons. Treatments included (i) soybean monoculture, (ii) soybean following a covercrop with an early termination date, and (iii) soybean following a cover cropwith a delayed termination date (~25 days later than the early one). Oat (Avena sativa L.) was used as a cover crop. Soil water content was measuredwith a neutron probe from cover crop sowing to soybean physiological maturity,and soybean ET was calculated by means of a soil water balance. Cover cropshoot biomass was determined immediately before termination dates and soybeangrain yield was quantified at physiological maturity. Cover crops reduced soilavailable water (SAW) at cover crops termination date from 18 to 23 mm at earlyand delayed termination dates, respectively; and reductions were mostly evidentin the upper 40 cm of the soil profile. Termination delays of around 25 daysincreased 60% cover crops shoot biomass production, and promoted larger SAWreductions at termination date. However, cover crops had little impact on SAWduring soybean growing season and they did not influence soybean grain yield.Moreover, our findings evidenced that in this humid environment (i) soybean ETwas reduced between 12 and 17 mmfollowing a cover crop, (ii) larger soybean ET reductions were associated withlarger cover crops shoot biomass production, and (iii) WP in soybean was slightlyimproved (4 to 10%) by the inclusion of a cover crop.
