RT Journal Article
T1 Increasing Legume Input through Interseeding Cover Crops: Soil and Crop Response as Affected by Tillage System
A1 Centurión, Nelly
A1 Mariscal-Sancho, Ignacio
A1 Navas, Mariela
A1 Gabriel, José Luis
A1 Ulcuango, Kelly
A1 Ibáñez, Miguel Ángel
A1 Moliner, Ana
A1 Hontoria, Chiquinquirá
AB Legumes provide important benefits in rotations. Interseeding cover crops (CCs) allows an additional legume CC in case of a short window after the main crop. However, legume input level and management could modify the expected benefits. In a Mediterranean irrigated agroecosystem, we evaluated the responses of topsoil (0–10 cm) and early maize development to increasing legume CC input in a biannual maize–wheat rotation under traditional tillage (TT; CC incorporated) and minimum tillage (MT; CC rolled-crimped). In the third year, at two early maize stages, we tested three legume input levels: (i) R0, non-CC; (ii) R1, barley–vetch CC; (iii) R2, vetch interseeded into maize in addition to the CC mixture. Overall, MT enhanced soil properties, but frequently conditioned to legume input level. The tillage system affected R1 the most, with MTR1 showing the better overall soil response while TTR0 showed the poorest. MTR2 was the best combination for early maize development, but not for soil health. Moreover, a better overall soil health did not lead to a better early maize performance in the short term. In this alkaline soil, CC favored early maize growth, whereas mycorrhization, enhanced under TT, favored crop nutrition. Increased legume input under MT should be monitored to avoid negative effects in soil in the mid–long term.
PB MDPI
YR 2023
FD 2023-05-17
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/103960
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/103960
LA eng
NO Centurión, N.; Mariscal-Sancho, I.; Navas, M.; Gabriel, J.L.; Ulcuango, K.; Ibáñez, M.Á.; Moliner, A.; Hontoria, C. Increasing Legume Input through Interseeding Cover Crops: Soil and Crop Response as Affected by Tillage System. Agronomy 2023, 13, 1388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ agronomy13051388
NO 2022 Descuento MDPI
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)
NO Comunidad de Madrid
NO Gobierno de Paraguay
DS Docta Complutense
RD 15 dic 2025