Short-Term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties in the Southeastern Argentinean Pampas

Abstract

Cover crop (CC) inclusion in cropping sequences could ameliorate negativeeffects of continuous agriculture on soil properties. The use of CC asa sustainable management tool can reverse the soil degradation processand improve soil health in the short term. The present study evaluated soilproperties following short-term cover cropping in on-farm conditions. Threestrip-trial experiments were conducted. Treatments were: i) oat (Avenasativa), ii) vetch (Vicia villosa), and iii) control (without CC). Prior to CCchemical termination, shoot and root dry matter (DM) and DM nitrogenaccumulation in CC shoot (Nac) were determined. After CC termination, wedetermined: soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), infiltration(INF), aggregate stability, total and particulate organic carbon (POC), organicnitrogen, nitrogen mineralized in anaerobic incubation (Nan) and soil glomalin.On average across sites, grater shoot, and root DM were determined inoat than vetch, while Nac was greater in vetch. The POC and Nan increasedby CC inclusion mainly in 0–5 cm soil depth. Improvements of over 50% inINF (0–20 cm) and 8% in BD (0–5 cm) were determined in CC treatmentscompared to control. The effects of CC on some soil parameters dependedon the previous management practices (i.e. tillage system, crop sequences).In the short-term, CC inclusion improves some soil properties, depending ontheir sensibility to management practices.