Midwestern cropping system effects on drainage water quality and crop yields

Grain producers are challenged to maximize crop production while utilizing nutrients efficiently and minimizing negative impacts on water quality. There is a particular concern about nutrient export to the Gulf of Mexico via loss from subsurface drainage systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of crop rotation, tillage, crop residue removal, swine manure applications, and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crops on nitrate-N (NO₃ -N) and total reactive phosphorus (TRP) loss via subsurface drainage. The study was evaluated from 2008 through 2015 using 36 0.4-ha plots outfitted with a subsurface drainage water quality monitoring system. Results showed that when swine manure was applied before both corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], drainage water had significantly higher 8-yr-average flow-weighted NO₃ -N concentrations compared with swine manure applied before corn only in a corn-soybean rotation. The lowest NO₃ -N loss was 15.2 kg N ha^-1  yr^-1 from a no-till corn-soybean treatment with rye cover crop and spring application of urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) to corn. The highest NO₃ -N loss was 29.5 kg N ha^-1  yr^-1 from swine manure applied to both corn and soybean. A rye cover crop reduced NO₃ -N loss, whereas tillage and residue management had little impact on NO₃ -N loss. Losses of TRP averaged <32 g P ha^-1  yr^-1 from all treatments. Corn yield was negatively affected by both no-till management and cereal rye cover crops. Results showed that cropping management affected N leaching but impacts on P leaching were minimal.