@article{huddell_thapa_marcillo_abendroth_ackroyd_armstrong_asmita_bagavathiannan_balkcom_basche_et al._2024, title={US cereal rye winter cover crop growth database}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2052-4463"]}, DOI={10.1038/s41597-024-02996-9}, abstractNote={AbstractWinter cover crop performance metrics (i.e., vegetative biomass quantity and quality) affect ecosystem services provisions, but they vary widely due to differences in agronomic practices, soil properties, and climate. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) is the most common winter cover crop in the United States due to its winter hardiness, low seed cost, and high biomass production. We compiled data on cereal rye winter cover crop performance metrics, agronomic practices, and soil properties across the eastern half of the United States. The dataset includes a total of 5,695 cereal rye biomass observations across 208 site-years between 2001–2022 and encompasses a wide range of agronomic, soils, and climate conditions. Cereal rye biomass values had a mean of 3,428 kg ha−1, a median of 2,458 kg ha−1, and a standard deviation of 3,163 kg ha−1. The data can be used for empirical analyses, to calibrate, validate, and evaluate process-based models, and to develop decision support tools for management and policy decisions.}, number={1}, journal={SCIENTIFIC DATA}, author={Huddell, Alexandra M. and Thapa, Resham and Marcillo, Guillermo S. and Abendroth, Lori J. and Ackroyd, Victoria J. and Armstrong, Shalamar D. and Asmita, Gautam and Bagavathiannan, Muthukumar V. and Balkcom, Kipling S. and Basche, Andrea and et al.}, year={2024}, month={Feb} }
 @article{won_rejesus_poncet_aglasan_thapa_tulley_reberg-horton_cabrera_davis_gaskin_et al._2024, title={Understanding the yield impacts of alternative cover crop families and mixtures: Evidence from side-by-side plot-level panel data}, volume={7}, ISSN={["2639-6696"]}, DOI={10.1002/agg2.70012}, abstractNote={Abstract The short‐run effects of cover crop use on cash crop yields (e.g., corn [ Zea mays L.] and soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]) have been a topic of debate given that evidence from previous literature has generally been mixed on this issue. Past studies suggest that the observed yield effect varies (i.e., negative, positive, or insignificant), often depending on the applied cover crop species used, weather conditions, and farm management practices implemented (among others). In this study, we examine the short‐run (i.e., 1 year) yield impact of four different cover crop families—grasses ( Poaceae ), broadleaves ( Brassicaceae ), legumes ( Fabaceae ), and others—both as single‐family groups and as mixtures. Data from side‐by‐side on‐farm experimental plots in six Eastern US states were collected from 2017 to 2019 in order to achieve the objective of the study. Statistical analysis of this multi‐year plot‐level data suggests that the majority of the cover crop families and mixtures investigated in this study do not have a statistically significant short‐run effect on subsequent corn yields. In some cases, cover crop treatment even resulted in short‐run yield losses (i.e., a yield penalty). These results imply that cash crop yield benefits from cover crop adoption are likely not going to be observed with just 1 year of use. This lack of immediate economic benefit may explain the relatively low cover crop adoption rate currently observed in the United States and the need for upfront cost‐share subsidy payments to encourage further uptake of this practice.}, number={4}, journal={AGROSYSTEMS GEOSCIENCES & ENVIRONMENT}, author={Won, Sunjae and Rejesus, Roderick M. and Poncet, Aurelie M. and Aglasan, Serkan and Thapa, Resham and Tulley, Katherine L. and Reberg-Horton, Chris and Cabrera, Miguel L. and Davis, Brian W. and Gaskin, Julia and et al.}, year={2024}, month={Dec} }
 @article{thapa_tully_reberg-horton_cabrera_davis_fleisher_gaskin_hitchcock_poncet_schomberg_et al._2022, title={Cover crop residue decomposition in no-till cropping systems: Insights from multi-state on-farm litter bag studies}, volume={326}, ISSN={["1873-2305"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.agee.2021.107823}, abstractNote={Cover crop (CC) residue decomposition influences the provisioning of agroecosystem services. While several laboratory and field studies have investigated processes and mechanisms of CC residue decomposition at specific point or plot scales, regional assessment of factors controlling decomposition rates (i.e., k-values) in no-till corn (Zea mays L.) systems are currently lacking. Here, we conducted the first multi-state on-farm litter bag studies over 105 site-years in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US states to determine the independent and combined effect of factors intrinsic to the field (soil and weather) and extrinsic or management factors (CC quantity and quality) on k-values. In the coastal plain regions, the k-values decreased as the underlying soils became sandier. Among weather variables, mean daily air relative humidity (RH) and number of rainy days showed stronger control on k-values than cumulative rainfall. This suggests faster decomposition of CC residues in humid environments and in site-years with frequent rain-events. Among extrinsic factors, the k-values decreased with higher CC biomass, C:N, residue holo-cellulose concentrations, and lignin:N, but increased with higher residue carbohydrate concentrations. The combination of CC residue quality (C:N and holo-cellulose) and weather (RH and rainy days) variables accounted in total for 69% of the variability in k-values with CC residue quality having a greater control over k-values than does weather in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US states. Therefore, our study emphasizes the necessity to update current process-based decomposition models to explicitly consider both CC residue quality (C:N, holo-cellulose) and weather factors (RH, rainy days), when predicting CC residue decomposition in no-till cropping systems.}, journal={AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT}, author={Thapa, Resham and Tully, Katherine L. and Reberg-Horton, Chris and Cabrera, Miguel and Davis, Brian W. and Fleisher, David and Gaskin, Julia and Hitchcock, Richard and Poncet, Aurelie and Schomberg, Harry H. and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Mar} }
 @article{kucek_riday_ehlke_reberg-horton_maul_mirsky_pelzer_poskaitis_ryan_seehaver_et al._2019, title={Environmental Influences on the Relationship between Fall and Spring Vigor in Hairy Vetch}, volume={59}, ISSN={["1435-0653"]}, DOI={10.2135/cropsci2018.09.0569}, abstractNote={ABSTRACTHairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) is a commonly grown legume cover crop in the United States. Critical breeding goals for the species include increasing early fall vigor and spring biomass production. To ascertain genetic improvement for these traits, we explored the relationship between fall and spring vigor. Moreover, we evaluated the variation in genotypic performance across multiple environments and assessed how weather variables affected germplasm performance. The relationship between fall and spring vigor differed by winter weather conditions. In warmer locations, top‐performing genotypes in the fall were the top performers in the spring, allowing simultaneous selection for both traits of interest. Environments with colder winter conditions, however, did not show linear relationships between fall and spring vigor. At cold sites, the most and least vigorous plants in the fall tended to underperform in the spring. Results suggest that fall vigor is not a linear predictor of spring vigor in cold environments, and consequently, breeding programs should screen and select for both traits in cold climates. Genotype × environment interaction (GE) heavily contributed to spring vigor performance. In our dataset, days below freezing without snow cover, days below freezing, minimum daily temperature, and freezing degree days were related to the signal in GE. As a result, breeding programs would benefit from dividing selection sites according to the severity of winter conditions.}, number={6}, journal={CROP SCIENCE}, author={Kucek, Lisa Kissing and Riday, Heathcliffe and Ehlke, Nancy and Reberg-Horton, Chris and Maul, Jude and Mirsky, Steven B. and Pelzer, Chris J. and Poskaitis, Megan and Ryan, Matthew R. and Seehaver, Sarah and et al.}, year={2019}, pages={2443–2454} }