Cover crops and drought: Maize ecophysiology and yield dataset

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Soil Science

Background:

• Cover crops are increasingly recognized for their role in sustainable agriculture.
• Understanding their impact on crop physiology and yield, especially under drought stress, is crucial for climate change adaptation.
• Organic management systems present unique challenges and opportunities for cover crop integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effects of five diverse cover crop treatments on maize ecophysiology and yield under ambient and imposed drought conditions.
• To provide a comprehensive dataset for analyzing cover crop benefits in organic cropping systems.
• To inform strategies for enhancing maize resilience to drought.

Main Methods:

• Field experiment with five cover crop treatments (fallow, red clover, cereal rye, forage radish, mixed species) under organic management (2013-2015).
• Imposed drought stress using rain exclusion shelters during the maize growing season.
• Collected data on soil moisture, maize ecophysiology (height, chlorophyll, LAI, stomatal conductance, water potential), yield components, and root density.
• Utilized field and lab instruments for ecophysiological measurements and biomass analysis.

Main Results:

• Cover crop treatments influenced soil moisture dynamics and maize plant physiology.
• Significant differences in maize yield and yield components were observed between cover crop treatments and water conditions.
• Data provides detailed insights into how cover crops modulate maize responses to drought stress.

Conclusions:

• Cover crops can enhance maize drought adaptation and productivity in organic systems.
• The choice of cover crop species significantly impacts the benefits conferred to the subsequent maize crop.
• This dataset serves as a valuable resource for future research on climate-resilient cropping systems and meta-analyses.