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For temperate climate, there is little information on the effects cover crops grown in fall (CCs) on the nitrogen (N) supply for next year's sugar beet (SB). Four field trials were conducted on silty soils to establish the CC N effect (Neff) compared to bare fallow separately for the periods sowing-summer and summer-autumn harvest. Biomass characteristics of radish (Raphanus sativus L.), spring vetch (Vicia sativa L.), saia oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.), and winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CCs before winter, soil mineral nitrogen in spring (SMN), and SB N accumulation and sugar yield (SY) were measured. In the period sowing-summer, characterized by a high SB N demand, Neff of overwintering, high biomass yielding rye CC was negative up to –50 kg N ha−1 at three site/years and varied around zero for the other CCs except vetch, for which Neff was positive. At SB autumn-harvest, Neff was negative up to –100 kg N ha−1 except for vetch in one trial. SY was lowest after rye CC. Regression analyses indicated a negative impact of CC biomass, C:N ratio and the difference in SMN between fallow (high SMN) and CCs (low SMN) on Neff. To conclude, if CCs yield a high amount of biomass surviving until spring and thus remove SMN from the soil which otherwise remains available for SB, early season mineralization of CC biomass N can be too low to ensure a N supply sufficient for maximum SB yield. Choosing leguminous CCs or early termination of CCs might alleviate this constraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01313-0.Correction: Plant Methods (2024) 20:183 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01313-0In this article [[1]] Facundo R. Ispizua Yamati and Jessica Arnhold should have been denoted as an equally contributing author.Publisher's NoteSpringer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.By Jessica Arnhold; Facundo R. Ispizua Yamati; Henning Kage; Anne-Katrin Mahlein; Heinz-Josef Koch and Dennis GrunwaldReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Cover crops can improve soil properties, especially soil structure, through organic matter input and rooting activity. However, large variations exist among cover crops, which may lead to differences in the extent of these effects. In this study, cover crops with differing properties were compared regarding soil structure and subsequent sugar beet growth. Field experiments were conducted at two Luvisol sites in Central Germany. Four cover crops (oil radish, saia oat, spring vetch and winter rye) were compared with fallow. Cover crop effects on soil water, Nmin content, soil structure and subsequent early sugar beet growth were studied. Additionally, sugar beet received either no or optimal N fertilizer application. Rye and radish had the highest and vetch the lowest above‐ and belowground biomass. Soil water content was hardly affected by cover cropping, while topsoil Nmin contents in April were increased. Penetration resistance was lowered, and aggregate stability was increased by the cover crops, especially oil radish, while values after spring vetch were similar to those of fallow. Differences among the cover crops might be because of a differing root biomass. Independent of N fertilizer application, sugar beet biomass in May tended to be higher after all cover crops, in particular under oil radish. The higher aggregate stability and lower penetration resistance were found to be beneficial for early sugar beet growth. Thus, sugar beet can benefit from a 1‐year cultivation of preceding cover crops. Modifications of this effect through cover crop root biomass and architecture as well as repeated cover cropping need to be investigated in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]