Effect of Cover Crop Residues on Some Physicochemical Properties of Soil and Emergence Rate of Potato

The aim of this study, was to evaluate the effect of winter cover crop residues on speed of seed potato emergence and percentage of organic carbon, soil specific weight and soil temperature. An experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Agriculture Faculty, Bu-AliSinaUniversity, in 2008-2009. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Winter cover crops consisted of rye, barley and oilseed rape, each one with common plant density (rye and barley at 190 kg.ha-1 and oilseed rape at 9 kg.ha-1) and triple plant densities(rye and barley 570 kg.ha-1 and oilseed rape, 27 kg.ha-1) and control (without cover crop). The results showed that rye and barley with triple plant densities produced higher biomass (1503.5 and 1392.2 g/m2, respectively) than other treatments.Soil physicochemical properties were affected significantly by using cover crops. Rye, barley, and oilseed rape with triple rate and rye with common rape of plant densities produced, the highest organic carbon. Green manure of rye and barley with triple and rye with common rate plant densities, reduced soil specific weights by 17.3, 18 and 18 percent as compared with the control treatment (without cover crop planting). Rye and barley with triple plant densities increased average soil temperature by 12 and 11 percent respectively in comparison with control treatment. These treatments increased speed of seed potato emergence by 20 and 12 percent respectively as compared with that of control treatment, respectively. Other treatments showed no significant difference as compared to control. Cover crop residues increased plants speed of seed potato emergence through improving soil conditions.