Abstract
Abstract It has been well documented that monoculture corn ( Zea mays L.) yields less than corn grown in certain rotations. This field study conducted from 1992 through 1995 investigated several agronomic crops, rotated with corn, for their relative effectiveness in interrupting the yield depression associated with corn monoculture. The study was conducted on a Webster clay loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Endoaquolls) near Lamberton, MN. Corn grain yields were increased by a single‐year interruption with either alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) or sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) for each of 4 yr, with the exception of sunflower in 1992. Averaged cross 4 yr, corn yields were increased from 7.81 Mg ha −4 for continuous corn by 19 and 17% following a single year of alfalfa and sunflower, respectively. A single year of sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], sorghum × sudangrass (intraspecific S. bicolor hybrid), or fallow did not improve corn yields compared with corn monoculture. This was true for each year, and when averaged across 4 yr, with the exception of the corn‐fallow rotation in 1995. Averaged across 4 yr, a 2‐yr interruption with sunflower followed by alfalfa increased corn yield by 22%. A 2‐yr interruption of sorghum followed by sorghum × sudangrass increased corn yield by 6% over that of monoculture. We conclude that the closely related grasses were relatively ineffective rotation crops for corn. Leguminous alfalfa and nonleguminous sunflower were equally effective in alleviating the corn monoculture yield depression.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
One year of alfalfa increased corn yields by 19% relative to continuous corn.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Treatment
- a single year of alfalfae0
- Outcome
- corn yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 19e0
- Qualifier
- 7.81 Mg ha −4e0
- Comparator
- continuous corne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“corn yields were increased from 7.81 Mg ha −4 for continuous corn by 19 and 17% following a single year of alfalfa and sunflower, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
One year of sunflower increased corn yields by 17% relative to continuous corn.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- sunflowere0
- Outcome
- corn yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 17%e0
- Comparator
- continuous corne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“corn yields were increased from 7.81 Mg ha −4 for continuous corn by 19 and 17% following a single year of alfalfa and sunflower, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
One year of sorghum did not improve corn yield over monoculture.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]e0
- Outcome
- corn yieldse0
- Direction
- did not improvee0
- Comparator
- corn monoculturee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A single year of sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], sorghum × sudangrass (intraspecific S. bicolor hybrid), or fallow did not improve corn yields compared with corn monoculture.”
Claim · model-written summary
One year of sorghum × sudangrass did not improve corn yield over monoculture.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- sorghum × sudangrasse0
- Outcome
- corn yieldse0
- Direction
- did not improvee0
- Comparator
- corn monoculturee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A single year of sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], sorghum × sudangrass (intraspecific S. bicolor hybrid), or fallow did not improve corn yields compared with corn monoculture.”
Claim · model-written summary
One year of fallow did not improve corn yield over monoculture, except in 1995.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- fallowe0
- Outcome
- corn yieldse0
- Direction
- did not improvee0
- Qualifier
- exception of the corn‐fallow rotation in 1995e1
- Comparator
- corn monoculturee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“fallow did not improve corn yields compared with corn monoculture.”
e1“with the exception of the corn‐fallow rotation in 1995.”
Claim · model-written summary
Two years of sunflower then alfalfa increased corn yield by 22%.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- sunflower followed by alfalfae0
- Outcome
- corn yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 22%e0
- Comparator
- corn monoculturee1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a 2‐yr interruption with sunflower followed by alfalfa increased corn yield by 22%.”
e1“compared with corn monoculture.”
Claim · model-written summary
Two years of sorghum then sorghum × sudangrass increased corn yield by 6%.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- sorghum followed by sorghum × sudangrasse0
- Outcome
- corn yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 6%e0
- Comparator
- monoculturee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A 2‐yr interruption of sorghum followed by sorghum × sudangrass increased corn yield by 6% over that of monoculture.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors concluded that related grasses were relatively ineffective corn rotation crops.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- relatively ineffective rotation cropse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the closely related grasses were relatively ineffective rotation crops for corn.”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa and sunflower were equally effective at alleviating monoculture yield depression.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- monoculture yield depressione0
- Comparator
- Leguminous alfalfa and nonleguminous sunflowere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Leguminous alfalfa and nonleguminous sunflower were equally effective in alleviating the corn monoculture yield depression.”
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