Document Type
Dissertation - Open Access
Award Date
2023
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department / School
Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science
First Advisor
Sharon Clay
Abstract
Cover crops provide soil health benefits to crop production. However, spring termination timing must be critically managed to prevent crop competition and yield loss. This study examined the influence of termination timing of fall-seeded rye (Secale cereale) on early corn (Zea mays) growth, gene expressions, and yield. Treatments included no cover crop, rye termination before corn planting, at corn planting, at V2, and at V4 corn. Rye was drill-seeded at 56 kg ha-1 in October 2018 and 2019. Corn was planted in mid-May 2019 (wet season) and 2020 (dry season). Rye biomass was 21 (2019) or 28 (2020) kg ha-1, 75 (2019) or 62 (2020) kg ha-1, 722 (2019) or 634 (2020) kg ha-1, and 1,120 (2019) or 702 (2020) kg ha-1 at before corn planting, corn planting, V2, and V4 rye termination, respectively. Transcriptome analysis of V4 samples in rye termination at V4 versus no cover crop resulted: 1) reduced corn growth and plant tissue nitrogen in both years; 2) 25 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 2019 and 322 (13X more) in 2020; 3) upregulated N metabolism ontology in 2019; and d) upregulated photosynthesis, carbon fixation and light signaling ontologies in 2020. Also, significant pathways including photosynthesis, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and carbon metabolism were altered regardless of climate conditions at V4 rye termination and can be attributed to corn-rye interactions. In V8 (2019) samples, response to cold and response to abscisic acid were upregulated, whereas photosynthesis and protein transport were downregulated at V4 rye termination versus no cover crop. In 2019, yield loss (16%) did not occur until V4 rye termination versus no cover crop. In 2020, yield was 19, 29, and 38% less when rye was terminated at corn planting, V2, and V4, respectively. This study suggests that during a wet season, delaying rye termination time until V2 may alter specific DEGs and pathways, but can provide more rye biomass without reducing corn yield. Inversely, during a dry season, delaying termination until planting or beyond can negatively impact corn development and significantly reduce corn yield.
Number of Pages
133
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Moriles-Miller, Janet, "Rye Cover Crop Termination Timing Influenced Early Corn Growth, Gene Expressions, And Yield in a No-Till System" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 610.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/610
Rights Statement
