Rye Cover Crops for No‐tillage Corn and Soybean Production

Rye ( Secale cereale L.) cover crops may be used to provide residue for no‐tillage crop production; however, their usefulness is uncertain when crop residue is already present. A set of 4‐yr studies was conducted on a Canfield silt loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Fragiudalfs) and Hoytville silty clay (fine, illitic, mesic Mollic Ochraqualfs) to evaluate the effect of planting a rye cover crop into corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean ( Glycine max L. Merr.) residue on yield of no‐tillage corn and soybeans. Rye increased no‐tillage corn yields in only one site × year comparison, probably due to moisture conservation. Rye decreased corn yields in four of 12 comparisons and reduced soybean yields in three of eight comparisons, by inducing reductions in plant stand. Supplying N to corn as anhydrous NH 3 or urea‐ammonium nitrate solution generally had no effect on yield except in one site × year when NH 3 produced higher yields. This lack of response to N source was believed due to an excess supply of N during the study period.