Developing functional relationships between temperature and cover crop species vegetative growth and development
ORCID
Bheemanahalli: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9325-4901
MSU Affiliation
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Creation Date
2025-11-19
Abstract
Cover crops planted in the offseason are subjected to uncontrollable weather variables that limit agro-ecological services through modifications in growth and development. The growth of five cover crop species was investigated in response to an array of day/night temperatures, 17/9, 22/14, 27/19, 32/24, and 37/29 °C. Shoot and root parameters were measured 33 d after planting. Quadratic functions best described most of the root and shoot dynamics in response to increasing temperatures except for a linear response of plant height in crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and mustard (Brassica juncea). Temperature minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax), and optimum (Topt) for shoot traits varied from 9.8 to 10.6, 37.5 to 43.2, and 23.9 to 26.5 °C, respectively. The Tmin for root traits varied significantly, ranging from 8.5 to 10.8 °C. Topt and Tmax ranged from 22 to 25.7 and 35.2 to 40.6 °C, respectively. On average, the Topt for root traits was significantly lower than shoot traits in four of five species. Regardless of temperatures, cover crop species recorded higher biomass partitioning to shoot (62%) than to root, with a maximum proportion of biomass partitioned to shoot in crimson clover and Mighty Mustard Pacific Gold (80%) than other species (64–70%). The results of this study will help growers choose mixes of cover crops with the same temperature range to plant in the same climatic conditions during fallow periods. The cardinal temperatures and functional algorithms for growth and developmental traits could be used to develop models for cover crops under different temperature conditions.
Publication Date
3-1-2021
Publication Title
Agronomy Journal
Publisher
Wiley
First Page
1333
Last Page
1348
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Munyon JW, Bheemanahalli R, Walne CH, Raja Reddy K. Developing functional relationships between temperature and cover crop species vegetative growth and development. Agronomy Journal. 2021; 113:1−16. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20537
