Impact of Inorganic Nitrogen and Legume-Non Legume Cover Crops On Above Ground Biomass Yields and Leaf Area Index of Two Sweet Corn Cultivars

During 2009 growing season, a study was conducted to compare cover crops with inorganic nitrogen rates for their influence on above ground biomass (AGB) yields and leaf area index (LAI) of sweet corn cultivars Frosty (C1) and Avalon (C2). The cover crops (fallow=FA, abruzzi rye=AR, and crimson clover=CC), nitrogen rates (no=0N, half=HN and full=FN) and cultivar treatments were applied using randomized complete block design with three replications as follows: 1)FA-0N-C1, 2)FA-0N-C2, 3)FA-HN-C1, 4)FA-HN-C2, 5)FA-FN-C1, 6)FA-FN-C2, 7)AR-0N-C1, 8)AR-0N-C2, 9)AR-HN-C1, 10)AR-HN-C2, 11)AR-FN-C1, 12)AR-FN-C2, 13)CC-0N-C1, 14)CC-0N-C2, 15)CC-HN-C1, 16)CC-HN-C2, 17)CC-FN-C1, and 18)CC-FN-C2. In spring of 2009, seeds of C1 and C2 cultivars were field planted. AGB was collected approximately two weeks prior to harvest while LAI was recorded at vegetative (24 June), initial ear (15 July) and harvest week (30 July). Treatment FA-0N-C2 produced highest LAI at harvest week (2.80), while lowest LAI (1.25) was produced by AR-HN-C1at the vegetative stage. Maximum AGB fresh (24.2 Mg/ha) and dry weight (4.2 Mg/ha) yields were produced by CC-FN-C2 and FA-HN-C2, respectively. Minimum AGB fresh (13.7 Mg/ha) and dry weight (2.2 Mg/ha) yields were produced by AR-HN-C1. Results showed that C2 (cv. Avalon) under FA-0N treatment produced maximum LAI at harvest week while AGB yields of C2 were affected the most by CC-FN and FA-HN. These first year results indicate that cv. Avalon performed better under applied treatments compared to cv. Frosty.