Cultivos de cobertura,¿una alternativa viable para la región semirárida pampeana?

The effect of cover crops (CC) on the provision of soil cover, N sequestration, accumulation of available water and the yield of a subsequent summer crop was evaluated. A field experiment with the following treatments was established: fallow without cover crop (B) and rye as CC, control (CT), and fertilized (CF) in a randomized complete block design with plots divided in two moments of drying of CC: July (CTJ and CFJ respectively) and August (CTA and CFA respectively). On all treatments, two summer crops (CV), corn and sorghum were planted after fallowing at the end of November. Soil moisture and nitrate-N were determined at seeding of the CC, during their growing season, and at planting and flowering of corn and sorghum. Consumptive water use (UC) and water use efficiency (EUA) of CC, corn and sorghum were calculated. The standing biomass of CC was determined at the two dates of drying (J and A), and at planting of the summer crops and during their growing period the CC biomass lit...