Effect of cover cropping and soil tillage on soil CO2 emissions

It has long been in the focus of research interest how cover cropping affect water regime of the soil. However, its simultaneous effect on CO₂ emission, i.e. soil respiration is not so widely reported. We examined an agricultural experiment set up as a maize-oat rotation under conventional and reduced tillage tillage and four different cover-cropping treatments (fallow, oilseed radish, mixture, phacelia) in Martonvásár (Hungary). Soil respiration measurements were carried out using infrared gas analyzer in 5 replicates per treatment plot (tillage-main-crop-cover crop combinations). Measurements covered two years in the different main crops and also in cover crops. A total of 10 measurement campaigns were organized in 2021 and 2022, which covered both main crops and cover crops. Meteorological parameters were measured in a nearby automatic meteorological station.

Besides soil respiration measurements ancillary measurements have been carried out to better characterize soil status. Using a penetrologger soil penetration resistance, using handheld sensors, soil water content measurements and soil temperature was recorded. Also, point scale continuous soil water content profile measurements were carried out. At each plot, vegetation was characterized using the VI green index derived from RGB imagery and periodically chlorophyll content (SPAD) and leaf area index was recorded. Here we analyze soil respiration, VI green soil temperature and soil water content measurements. The results showed differences between tillage treatments and between main crops. For further results please see abstract “Impact of cover crops and conventional and reduced tillage on plant productivity in a bicultural maize-oat cropping system”.