Effect of Long-Term Winter Rye Cover Crop on Soil Quality in Rain-Fed Michigan Corn Agroecosystem.

Intensive management in field crop production has deteriorated soil structure in the US Corn Belt. A proposed method to improve soil structure has been to adopt winter cover crops, particularly winter cereal rye (Secale cereal L.). The main objective of this study was to determine the long-term effect of a winter rye cover crop influence on soil quality using the following indicators: bulk density, porosity, water stable aggregates, soil water retention, particulate organic matter, active carbon, and total carbon. This experiment was conducted from 2005-2013 in SW Michigan under split-split plot randomized complete block design that included four replications with a main plot effect of two different winter management systems: winter rye cover crop and no cover crop and subplot treatment of seven N fertilizer gradient. Our preliminary results conclude that long-term use of winter rye cover crop may not significantly influence soil quality indicators.  We suspect that soil organic carbon additions from cover crop residue was not significant enough to increase soil organic matter needed to see changes in soil quality indicators. Though there is no elixir to improve soil quality, it is essential that research continue to find ways improve soils resilience to ensure productivity to meet growing demands of food.